Richard

Langdon Beck – Dirt Pit – High Force – Langdon Beck.

Variable – bright and cloudy, warm and cold, with a hail shower thrown in.

Richard, Diane, Ron, Sandy, George, Ken.

Ashley - in Thailand

Bernie - with family

Michelle - a cold from Madeira

Michael - with Michelle

Comments

We passed a group of girls with heavy rucksacks doing part of the Duke of Edinburgh award.

Our lunch spot was at Dirt Pit under the trees, where we watched the showers moving down the Tees Valley.

There was a lot of water coming through High Force. It was sunny there, with families sunning themselves by the riverside. Two golden retrievers were enjoying themselves. We had to wash and disinfect our boots entering an area of juniper trees on the south bank. We passed a party of botanists examining the ban of the beck. Coming back into Langdon Beck, we saw with a very young foal and its mother in a small field. We stopped for a few minutes to watch it run around.

At the end Ken bought us afternoon tea in the Langdon Bank Hotel, where the hosts were very friendly.

Birds: mallard, ducklings, greylag geese, blackheaded gull, oyster catchers, curlews, lapwings, house martin, swallows, red kites, grouse, cuckoo (heard) and skylark (heard).

Animals: Lots of lambs, several gambolling, as well as Jacob’s sheep, two deer, belted Galloways, horses and a small rabbit.

Flora: cowslips, violets, marsh marigolds, spring primroses.

Red Kite, Winlaton. Joined by Evelyn. Large portions, good value and friendly staff. The pub is dog-friendly. Ruby joined a chihuahua and a dachshund (just two of many canine guests).

Walkers' conference

Multicoloured sheep

Bridge

Whirlpool

Lunch

High Force

Torrent

Walking the river path

Mother and foal