An image that opened a tunnel of childhood memory for me to tumble bittersweetly down. My mum would have known exactly whose house that (once) was, next to the churchyard.

Chilly for fell ponies, but they graze on unperturbed.

A cottage in Farlam, passed during Walk 10 in my set of a dozen country walks from Hallbankgate Hub.

I forgot all about this image, taken a few weeks ago - lichen view on the wall of Skiddaw House #lichen #skiddaw #lakedistrict #northernfells @skiddawhfoundation.bsky.social @cumbriawildlife.bsky.social @fscblencathra.bsky.social

Waes hael! Its wassailing season. Grab some cider and toast and enjoy a noisy apple tree ceremony. Fun to find out about a fine tradition for Country Life mag.

Road-sign in Farlam, cast in 1910, two years before the Titanic sank. Connection? Joseph Bell chief engineer on the ill-fated ocean-liner was born in Farlam, north Cumberland.

Blackwell House our latest Countrystride recording conducted in the brief snowy episode yesterday. All about the Arts & Crafts movement and the story behind this stunning house.

Esker composed of sand and gravel formed by glacial meltwater some 20,000 years ago beneath ice. Such water flowing east into what is now Tynedale, contrary to the present drainage into the catchment of the Solway Firth.

How I adore the regal stature of a wintering tree.

Gorse is in flower, so kissing season is with us 🤣

Talkin Tarn

Lovely farm-sign at Farlam

Walking to Talkin Tarn via Farlam.

A classic Pennine Prospect - High Cup Gill breaks through the curtain of Whin Sill, with Narrowgate Beacon the distant headland.

Exmoor pony, so why the long face… to get a stroke as it turned out.

Runner in Hynam Wood

What's blue, but not very heavy? ................. Light Blue

Pile-up in Hallbankgate, no casualties. 😉

Luing cow above a wall borrow pit quarry.

New for 2026 I have prepared free walk cards detailing ten country walks from the community hub in Hallbankgate. Come over and give them a try, as too the scrumptious cafe and great company of volunteers.

Sheep about to receive their New Year’s Eve booster nourishment at Hallbankgate.

I have prepared a set of ten walks for Hallbankgate Hub. Free walk cards will be available from the cafe counter. Come in the New year and sample the refreshing walks and sumptuous cafe fayre.

Can you identify the three birds above the pastures at Hallbankgate?

Late afternoon sun cheering up the Pennine banks.

Sorry I was too slow getting iPhone out of my pocket to capture this delta of geese properly.

West Cumbrian Pastoral

Fenceless electric collar on a Galloway at Forest Head.

Unfortunate new collapse in the ridge-wall close to the summit of Talkin Fell.

Woodland on the make now but a forest of plastic sheaths beside the A69 near Low Row.

Millennium seat already failed the test of time.

Curious remains of a rectangular enclosure at Curdiff in Forest Head near Brampton. Seems to have had no entrance.

Naworth Castle this afternoon

Afternoon sun on the Hynam wood birches.

Great afternoon sky

Two of Santa’s little helpers from Lapland.

Field-barn at Cumrew.

Walling rebuild evident as the bottom and top stones are smothered in very old lichen.

Droving yows in the Eden valley above Ainstable.

Croglin Water

On the first day of christmas, our podcast gave to me: a powerful conversation with @jowolff.bsky.social on building a culture of respect in democracy @blavatnikschool.bsky.social

Words we all know to be true and echo.

Setting sun behind Skiddaw with Jockey Shield in Geltsdale at this very moment.

St Peter & St Paul, the parish church of Northleach in the Cotswolds, a classic and exquisitely beautiful 'wool' church on the old road from London to south Wales. If you would treasure a signed print £24 email: [email protected]

Old Gaol Museum in Hexham.

Yes that’s me, pen and pen ink is my thing. Spotted in Hexham

Intriguing window in a yard in Hexham.

Hexham all a’buzz

It was the perfect inspiration for that important purpose.

I'm so glad I was a teen in the 70s. www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFYO...

The Sill Northumberland National Park Centre with the Once Brewed Youth Hostel. The design melds with the landscape as a carbuncle of metal and glass.