Eriba Man

This is night No.33/2019 living in my caravan. It's the second night pitched at the River Breamish C&MC Site near Powburn. Got up very early, around 0545, to fair weather. Not as clear as yesterday, but still dry. I am definitely getting the feeling today that this spell of weather is definitely breaking! Took the dogs for a run around the site dog walk, then after breakfast I took the dogs out for a good blast  around the Branton Nature Reserve next door to the site. Orchid type flowers, the same as I saw near Fairgirth in Dumfries and Galloway. I think these were bull rush? Later in the morning, I wanted to head over to near Rothbury and walk the Simonside Hills, which I'd done last year. The ridge can be seen ahead as you leave the main forest. The path is an old 'pack horse' track, the bedrock having been chiselled to assist the horses with gripping on the steeper parts. Great views, if a bit dull, north over the National Park. ...

This is night No 74/2018 living in my caravan. This is my second night staying at Nunnykirk C&MC near Rothbury. This was very much a day of two halves! The morning was absolutely pouring down, so very few pictures. I got up around 0600 and it was steady rain from then until around 1400. When we got up, we went for a very wet walk up the side of the site. A very restrictive walk, as you are warned seriously about not letting dogs of leads due to prosecution, bans, all the usual threats by landowners. There's a huge difference between England and Scotland as far as access goes. Mid morning, we went up to the forest walk at Simonside FC Forest which, by contrast, has excellent walking rights. Forestry Commission saves the day again! I returned to the same carpark after lunch. There is also a route which takes you high into the Simonside Hills, and I had a good route in my guidebook I wanted to attempt. The first leg is a stretch along excellent forest tracks. The ...