Riding the Hills…on the way up North

On a beautifully sunny Monday morning, I finished packing up ‘Wally’ and we set off up North, aiming to get to Elgin –to see my Granddaughter Chloe within a couple of days…but first, I decided to take advantage of the nice weather and do some biking on my way up…

I was aiming for Kielder Forest, just below the border with Scotland, however ,as I travelled along I passed through Newcastleton ,and realising there was a bike trail there, quickly travelled along the road to get to the trailhead http://7stanesmountainbiking.com/Newcastleton a wild and desolate place…but still dry ! and with luxurious facilities (a toilet!)..the bike was soon off the back, and I was changed and ready to go…onto the easier Caddrouns blue trail, up a forest road, and up and over the nearby hills, I was soon swooping through the forest, on a quite rocky trail, but glad to be back biking again..and within an hour I was back at my start point again, and ready for more  , although the weather changed my mind… firstly I had ridden back up the estate road, to the ‘skills area’, which I had swiftly conquered, and just as I was about to set off on the harder Red route I saw the black clouds rolling in, and deciding that rain was due I got back to Wally, and packed up for the road… a good choice as soon the heavens opened, and I decided to head off to Kielder for a little more shelter overnight

I mad my way to the Kielder sky space car park http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/ourwoods.nsf/LUWebDocsByKey/EnglandNorthumberlandKielderKielderKielderCastleForestParkCentreSkyspace surrounded by the trees for shelter I settled in for the night, with the rain battering down outside..

Later in the evening,as it got dark the rain eased and finally stopped, for a pleasant sundown, and then I waited for the stars to pop out, there being no lights I could see in the area…I was not to be disappointed, firstly one star popped out, quickly followed by myriads of them – as darkness fell completely I was enveloped in a wonderful starry sky, with the Milky Way http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milky_Way in all it’s glory stretching out over my head…beautiful..

then it was time to sleep, after I’d had Wally’s heater on for a time ,so a comfortable good night to all !