Low Force, Durham

On the same valley as high force, but slightly lower is low force. this one is free to visit, you only need to pay (donation) to stop in the car park. As well it is a series of lower falls rather than one big one.
The walk starts by crossing the river on a suspension bridge.

A series of falls

Stone Sculptures

Carvings with quotes

time for a sit in the sun and watch the river, before returning to the van and on to the cottage.

Raby Castle, Durham

On the way we saw signs to another part of the Raby estate (owners of the land around the waterfall) .. Raby castle so we stopped by and after lunch in the car park wandered around.

The much amended castle had some original features including this interesting gatehouse.

The main part of the castle ..a collection of conjoined buildings rather than a keep.

Much of the interior was changed for later inhabitants with the usual opulence and large portraits hanging .. I did like the weapons display in the large entrance hall (not the way we went in though!).

Back outside .. the parkland and obligatory lake running away from the buildings.

The formal gardens were back beside the stable block where we came in. We walked the long way around through the park and around the back of the stables.
The formal gardens laid out along the side of the stable/ carriage block and running down to a stream .. but away from the castle itself.

From here it was back to Barnard castle and hence to the cottage

High Force, Yorkshire Dales

A very comfortable night in the grammar school house, and with the new day .. being overcast and the threat of rain we had to do something off the tops.

We set off up the valley towards high force ... supposedly a spectacular waterfall .. we drove up the car park and I was annoyed that we had to pay for car parking and then also to go down the path to the falls.

The path down to the falls was a gentle gradient, and ended on a viewing platform looking across to the base of the falls.

Spectacular it was, but you could not get to the top on this side .. we would find out later that parking lower down the valley (at low force) and walking up the pennine way would take us to the top for free.

We did not stay long and were soon making our way back towards Barnard castle.

Corbridge & Chesters Fort, Northumberland

Another early start ... mainly because we were so used to it. This was the last of our days at this campsite, and so we packed up fully in readiness for moving to our next residence. Before that a Roman day ...
First to Corbridge ... parking in our usual car park by the bridge, and crossing over to walk along the river to the Roman ford and then up to the Roman remains, and back to the van.

Along the river was this Heron.

We walked up the hill to the Roman site ... still closed as we were too early, but could see through the gate.
Following on from this disappointment it was back to the van to head up to Hadrian's wall

Chesters roman fort was the next location on Hadrian's wall .. this was one we had not been to previously .. a cavalry fort beside the river crossing. .. there was a museum of artifacts in an attached building and then onto the field ... only a small proportion was uncovered .. but showed the layout

The gatehouses ... very similar to the one I was doing for the joust.
It was interesting to see how it was joined to the wall going off in the different directions.

the old crossing point ... where the wall and a bridge was built. on the far side is the abutments for the bridge.

the barracks and the admin buildings

down by the river again was the bath house ... a large affair

From here we had a cup of tea before heading south towards Barnard Castle, stopping for lunch on the way.

Mellerstain, Hawick

Leaving Hawick we headed north and east to Mellerstain house and gardens ... a big country pile in the middle of nowhere, accessed by a number of small roads, before swinging round into the front.
The two wings at the front were still occupied, and the visit went around the main centre spread.

The house itself was mainly regency style, with grand rooms on the first floor and bedroom on the second, the ground/ underground was the preparation areas etc.
There were lots of portraits by famous artists and delicate furniture with many robert adams fireplaces and decoration (although this had been re-interpreted recently).
The formal gardens extended out the opposite side to the entrance down to the lake. there was some kind of sculpture on the lawn where it sloped down.
The very top of the main centre tower was all open like a long gallery, but with lots of windows.

Back outside we headed down to the lake via the formal gardens and a path through the woods to the left. Then set off around the lake.

some local wildlife on the way around

Coming back around the other side of the lake to the house and up through the formal gardens before exiting through the stables.
From here we headed back south again ..