Another fine week. We’ve been up in Northumberland continuing to work on dragging the cottages into shape for the holiday rental market and we’ve been making good progress. The Den is just about finished and Penny rightfully castigated me for sharing photos last time which were nowhere near as good as hers.
The weather was pretty good – we’ve been lucky in our visits so far. Penny discovered another walk which she and Daisy have enjoyed exploring – through some woods and then the sudden appearance of the coast and beaches.
This week, in our absence, the painter has been in to give the ceiling in one of the cottages a spot of filling and a bright new paint job and the plumbers have also been in to attend to a few items which needed their expert care and attention. We didn’t quite imagine that there would be all these jobs to attend to but needs must.
We left Northumberland last Sunday and drove across the moors to visit our very dear friends and former neighbours who now live just on the edge of the Lake District.
The weather was fine and the drive across the moors was sensational – the views were amazing.
It’s always a delight to visit these friends – they certainly keep us busy! After a brisk cup of tea we drove off to “climb” a local hill, Farleton Knot. Lesley had described this as a “gentle stroll.” While I wouldn’t have called it a gentle stroll, the views from the top were pretty amazing.
Farleton Knot features an extensive, dramatic carboniferous limestone pavement perched on top of Farleton Fell (reaching an elevation of around 250m–265m), showcasing weathered features like grikes, clints, rundkarren, and kamenitzas.
(Nope, I don’t know what any of those words means either).
The views across to Morecambe Bay were sensational – Blackpool Tower was just about visible as a tiny speck in the distance (about 50k to the southwest).
The following day they took us on another gentle stroll, this time a circumnavigation of Buttermere, one of the many “lakes” in the appropriately-named Lake District.
An aside: a popular Quiz question – how many “lakes” are in the Lake District? Of course, it’s a trick question. There is only one lake, Bassenthwaite Lake. There are 16 major bodies of water but they are referred to as “meres” or, indeed just “waters”. Apart from those, there are hundreds of smaller mountain “tarns”.
The weather was “mixed” but we did not get rained upon, despite the ominous dark clouds scampering across the skies. The light was fantastic and these photos, sadly, do not do it justice.
A great week in Northumberland and a great couple of days with friends. What could be better?
Penny and I were in Banbury the other day and the whole of the town centre was absolutely rammed with traffic, much more than might be “normal” for the time of day. When we got home I discovered the reason – a building site covered with scaffolding partially collapsed. According to Mr Google:
Key Details of the Incident
Location: A former car sales garage site on Lower Cherwell Street (A4260 Cherwell Street) being redeveloped into 19 apartments.
Date & Time: Wednesday afternoon, October 21, 2026, with emergency services called around 11:51 BST.
Workers on Site: Nine workers were present when the scaffolding and part of the structure came down; all individuals were accounted for and no one was trapped.
Injuries & Medical Response: Two workers were taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. One sustained head and leg injuries, while the second suffered severe injuries and was accompanied in the ambulance by a Thames Valley Air Ambulance critical care team.
Road Closures: The A4260 Cherwell Street remains closed in both directions between Bridge Street and George Street.
Investigation: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is aware of the incident and has launched an inquiry and investigation
We were off to the big city yesterday for Annabelle’s birthday – an exhibition at the Royal Academy and a show, Cabaret, in the West End. I’ll have to try and remember to give you more details next time.
And finally, we had this photo of this very clever young girl the other day. Following in Jessie’s footsteps, the first of what I am sure will become a plethora of certificates for achievement and behaviour. Well done Juju!
Meanwhile, keep breathing, keep happy, keep smiling, keep exercising, be good, be careful, and keep safe. And, be gentle to wasps and bees – we need all the pollinators we can get.
Lots of love to you all,
Greg