Northumbria and the Great North Run

Cheryl and I were lucky enough to get away to Tony and Lesley’s caravan for another week in what is one of our most favourite parts of the UK. We called in at their house which has the builders in - that is along story in itself! We all had dinner in the pub local to the caravan before Cheryl and I settled ourselves for the week.
Hadrians Wall was our first walk and the first sighting of the Wall and following it for a couple of miles was probably the highlight of the week. We had good weather and a walk that included a visit to a Roman fort - Chester Fort. Just wonderful to absorb some of the culture of 2000 years ago.
We had a blustery walk around the impressive fortifications of Berwick, some of which date back to the Elizabethan times.
We had to walk from Craster to Dunstaburgh - that we will do every time we visit Northumbria. We made it a round trip this time by going inland from the castle before turning south.
We explored a little of the Cheviots from Wooller and walked a short section of St Cuthberts way - maybe one day we will walk the full length.
We visited Wallington gardens a couple of times, once to enjoy a cream tea and then from a hide we saw red squirrels - a first for me and I was well impressed.
We had a very extended walk from Alnmouth to Hawick Gardens - arriving just in time for lunch. It was just as far back as it was to get there except that we were able to walk through the gardens and exit onto the path to take us south. That was a very impressive part of the gardens as well as being a short cut.
We visited several gardens of very different character and Cheryl was in her element enjoying so many aspects of these gardens. Herterton was quite beautiful and represents, quite literally, a lifetimes work for the couple who transformed a derelict farm and stony surround to such a peaceful spot.
We finished the holiday by watching Tony and Lesley (yes - two half marathons in 2 weeks for Lesley!) run the Great North Run. Sorry, Nottingham you are not in the same league! A fantastic atmosphere, quite inspirational, with 48,000 taking part. After seeing Tony, Lesley and friends get to their start position we watched from a foot bridge over the dual carriageway. In half-hour there was still no end in sight of the massed runners. A commentator was shouting out all the charities that were being supported. Several fabulous costumes made it a real carnival and everybody watching must have been saying ‘why am I not running?’ The route is lined, often several deep, by supporters encouraging the runners.
We left, having seen our friends safely on their way, and headed back home.