Stroll 80 South Shields to Newsham

The Stroll route heads north out of Newcastle, aided by the newly reopened railway line to Ashington. The first leg involved crossing the Tyne on the foot ferry, and walking the coast through Whitley Bay up to Blyth. 

St Mary's Island, seen from the coast path at Seaton Sluice

Stroll 79 Ilkley to Harrogate

 This was the longest leg of the Stroll so far, walking 20 miles today. I followed the Dales Way route from Ilkley to Harrogate, a really good walk over Denton Moor, through Timble Woods, along the Haverah valley, past Harlow Carr (a RHS garden) then down through Valley Gardens to Harrogate. A great walk. Both man and dog were tired out.

The path through the heather on the moors.

Stroll 78 Chorley to Preston

 

Chorley was always just somewhere between Preston and Wigan, when I was growing up in Preston. I barely remember going there at all. It is the birthplace of John Foxx (brilliant original leader of Ultravox) who I saw five or six times in the 70s.

Today it was the start point for the Stroll that took me back to Preston. Turns out it is a lovely place, with parks and woods that created a great final leg of that part of the journey.

Book Group

Our book group meets upstairs once a month. This is what it looks like some of the time.

 

Welcome Committee

Alfie was very keen to be ready when owner Emilie returned. Layla was keen to be there with him.

 

The Gateway

The gate into the back garden. As the sun gets lower the shadows become more prominent.

 

Bracket

It is very easy to ignore some of life's wonders. Like this bracket fungus which emerged from nowhere in the woods by the racecourse. It is Laetiporus, know as chicken of the woods. I decided not to risk my health on the word of Google Lens, but I am sure that I could have.