2023 England and Scotland - Day #25 - Stirling Castle

The plan for the day was a visit to Stirling Castle.


After breakfast at the hotel (pancakes for me and small Scottish for Sharon), Anna-Marie, Tom, Sharon and I walked to Stirling Castle. Just as we were entering the castle, we walked up to a tour that was starting. Tom, Sharon and I followed the tour for the next hour.

The guide (Andrew) did a very nice job. The history of all the places that we have visited is so interwoven.

After the tour, we walked throught the royal apartments and the military history museum. It turned out that they were celebrating King Charles birthday. We watched a band, a bag piper and a 21 gun salute. We then explored the Queen Anne Garden.

We wandered down into the town and had lunch at No. 2 Baker Street. I had a Chicken & Bacon Sandwich [Chicken breast and beechwood-smoked streaky bacon with mayo, served in sourdough with a salad garnish], while Sharon had a Fresh Garden Salad [Dressed rocket with roasted sweet potato wedges, spring onions, cucumber, pickled watermelon and fresh mint. Add marinated chicken or grilled halloumi].

Sharon and I split off from the group after lunch. We wandered the city center and Sharon did some shopping.

Eventually, we wound our way back to the hotel. For one of the first times on the trip, we laid low for a couple of hours and took a nap.

In the late afternoon, the four of us went to Mass at St. Mary's.

We finished the day with dinner at Mamma Mia. Sharon and I split Le Bruschette Mamma Mia [Tomato, basil, olive oil, and balsamic glaze]. For mains, all four of us had SUGO MAMMA MIA. It was their signature pasta speciality: a Southern Italian Ragu slowly cooked with selected Scottish short ribs of beef in a rich tomato sauce with garlic and herbs and plenty of pecorino cheese.

Walking back to the hotel, we crashed fairly early. Sharon ended up watching a George Michael concert on the BBC, while I played with the photos from the day.

2023 England and Scotland - Day #24 - To Stirling

Sleeping fairly late, we had breakfast the hotel (three egg omelets). Although Sharon liked the bed, the shower and the quiet, this is my least favorite hotel on the trip so far.

Packing up the room and loading the car, we headed back to St. Andrews. The road that I had used the previous night was closed so I had to take a longer route back to the city.

Sharon had booked a walking tour. We spent about an hour and a half exploring the city. The stops included the R&A Old Course, the castle, the Catholic Cathedral destroyed during the reformation, the Black Friars Chapel also destroyed during the reformation and the West Port city gate.


After the tour, Sharon and I shopped in the pro shop at the R&A Old Course. The city was very busy. It turns out that it was graduation weekend for the university. Sharon noted that this was probably why they had a hard time finding a hotel.

We had a quick lunch at the One Under Bar in the Rusacks Hotel. Sharon and I both had a One Uder Cobb Salad.

After lunch, we headed towards Stirling. We made a stop at the Kelpies. Part of the program at the Loch Ness Centre talked about mythical Scottish creatures, including the Kelpies. A water kelpie is a shape-shifting spirit inhabiting lochs in Scottish folklore. It is usually described as a black horse-like creature able to adopt human form.

We made a second stop at the Falkirk Wheel. The Falkirk Wheel is a rotating boat lift in central Scotland. It connects the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal.


We finally got to Stirling about 5:30 pm. At some point, I need to write more about driving over the last week. It has been an adventure.

We are staying two nights at the Victoria Square. This is a very nice hotel. We have a large room overlooking the park in the front.

We finished the day with dinner at the hotel. The food was very good. It could end up as the best meal of the trip. I had a fantastic scallop starter, while Sharon had a beet salad. Tom, Sharon and I all had lamb.

2023 England and Scotland - Day #23 - to St. Andrews

A very long travel day.

We had breakfast at the lodge. Sharon had scambled eggs and sausage, while I had scambled eggs and salmon.

It was a 30 mile, 40 minute drive from the Loch Ness Lodge to the Tomatin Distillery. Tom had a nightcap of their scotch whisky the first night that we were at the lodge. I decided that we needed to tour at least one distillery.

We had a very nice tour followed by a tasting. As the driver, I took my tasting home in little bottles.


From there, we drove to Pitlochry. It was 71 mile, 1 hour and 20 minute drive. We had a nice lunch at the Old Mill. I had a Peppered Pastrami Sandwich [peppered pastrami, sauerkraut, dill pickles, mustard mayonnaise & charred rye bread], while Sharon had Beer Battered Buckie Haddock [french fries, minted mushy peas & tartare sauce].

After lunch, we continued southeast. The last section turned out to be a much more difficult drive than I expected. It was only 60 miles, but it took more than two hours. At one point, we ran into a road that was closed due to a poice action. About half of the drive was along narrow country roads and through villages. Several of the roads were essentially one lane. In the little villages, cars were parked everywhere blocking the street and clogging traffic. Dodging cars, trucks and buses, I felt like I was in a video game.

We finally got to the Kilconquhar Castle Estate about 4:30 pm. I was beat. Unfortunately, I was also shocked at the room. We ended up with what I would describe as a motel 6 hotel room. This will definitely be the worst lodging of the trip. fortunately, we are only here one night.

After settling in the room and getting cleaned up, we headed to St. Andrews for dinner. It is about a 25 minute drive. Sharon had made an 8:30 pm dinner reservation at the 18 at Rusacks at St. Andrews. On the fourth floor, we had a great view of the 18th fairway and the golf course at St. Andrews.

Sharon had ROBATA GRILLED RABBIT LOIN [AIR DRIED HAM, BARIGOULE & BASIL] as a starter, while I had NATURAL CUMBRAE ROCK [CLASSIC LEMON, MIGNONETTE & TABASCO]. We both SCRABSTER HALIBUT [CAULIFLOWERS, MORELS & CLAMS] as mains. After two medicore nights of food, the meal was good.

By the time we drove 25 minutes back to the hotel and crashed, it was 11:30 pm.

2023 England and Scotland - Day #22 - Inverness

The day included:

• Breakfast at the Loch Ness Lodge. I had pancakes, while Sharon had scambled eggs and sausage.
• A visit to the Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Centre. We had a great tour guide for an hour walking tour of the site. The tour guide did a great job about bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites. It really tied together a number of places we have been in Scotland.
• A visit to the Clava Cairns. I enjoyed this site more than I expected. The cairns are 4,000 year old bronze age burial chambers.
• Lunch in the food court of a mall?!? Sharon and I split a small margherita pizza. I was grumpy about this choice. I would have liked to find something more quaint in Inverness. With four adults, the decision making process is much more complex than if it was just Sharon and I.
• After lunch, Tom and Sharon went on a search for some medicine to treat thier Highland Midge bites. I need to write more about the battle with the midges in a future post...
• A Rick Steve's Walking tour of Inverness.
• After the walking tour, the four of us wandered along the river.
• We had dinner at Cafe 1. I had oysters as a starter and Fillet of Pork [Pancetta, dauphinoise potato, carrot & cumin puree, oyster mushroom & cognac sauce] as a main. Sharon had a Seven Crofts Gin cured Scottish salmon [pink grapefruit gel, pickled vegetables, melba toast] as a starter and Panko breaded Chicken Milanese [spaghetti pomodoro, rocket parmesan, Amalfi lemon] as a main.
• We finished the night with a drink in the palor at the hotel.

2023 England and Scotland - Day #21 - To Loch Ness

A travel day.

I had Scottish Oak Smoked Salmon [Responsibly sourced salmon with scrambled free range eggs] for breakfast at the hotel. Sharon had Eggs Benedict [Free range poached eggs on a lightly toasted muffin topped with grilled home cooked gammon and homemade hollandaise].

Packiing up the car, we pulled away from the hotel after 9:30 am.

The first stop was Fort Augustus. This turned out to the first of several pleasant surprises for the day. Fort Augustus is on the Caledonian Canal. Scotland built the canal and a series of locks to connect the Irish Sea with the North Sea. We walked up just as they were moving a group of boats through the locks in Loch Ness.


We had a light lunch at the Lock Inn. Sharon and I split a vension burger and some mushroom soup. We sat at table outside along one of the locks. After lunch, we walked to the tip of Loch Ness.

The second stop was Urqahart Castle. Tom had bought tickets and a parking pass ahead of time. We walked the ruins. The castle, situated on a headland overlooking Loch Ness, is one of the largest in Scotland in area. There was lightning and thunder across the loch while we were wandering the ruins.


The third stop was the Loch Ness Centre. This was also a pleasant surprise. We took a 45 minute multi-media tour walking through 500 million years of the geological history of Loch Ness. The tour delved into ancient Scottish myths and legends focusing on the Loch Ness Monster. It summarized the scientific research that has taken place around the Loch Ness Monster.

After the Loch Ness Centre, we checked in the Loch Ness Lodge. This lodge exceeded my expectations. The large room was very nice and overlooks Loch Ness.

After a drink at the lodge, we walked to the Loch Ness Clansman Hotel for dinner. Sharon was not pleased. She described the dining room as a cafeteria. The service was good, but the food was only adequate. Sharon and I both had Uist Dived Pan Seared King Scallops [Shaved Fennel ~ Granny Smith Apple Gel ~ Yuzu Kosho Dressing] as a starter. We had a special for the main; it was a seafood newburg casserole with cod and shrimp.

Sitting in the palor of the hotel after dinner, I crashed hard and wandered up to bed.

2023 England and Scotland - Day #20 - Isle of Skye

This is now the longest trip that Sharon and I have ever taken. We did 19 days in Greece and Turkey last year and 18 days in Italy with Jack and Morgan in '12.

The plan for the day was a driving tour of the Isle of Skye, focusing on the Trotternish Peninsula, with me as the chauffeur!?!

We had breakfast at the hotel. Sharon had a Traditional Scottish Breakfast [Local Kyle of Lochalsh butcher’s smoke bacon, pork sausages, Isle of Skye black pudding, Campbell’s haggis, grilled tomato, baked mushroom, “tattie” scone], while I had Scottish Pancakes.

Afterwards, we loaded up the car and headed for Portree. We made a shopping stop there. On the advice of a friend of Tom's, Sharon bought some carrots to feed to the cattle later in the day. Somehow in the short time that we were there, she also managed to buy a Celtic ring.

From Portree, we drove the loop around the Trotternish Peninsula. We tried to make a stop at The Old Man of Storr, but the parking lot was overrun with people. We made stops at the Flora McDonald Monument and the Fairy Glen. Sharon had a great time feeding the Scottish Cattle at the monument stop. We did a short hike through the Fairy Glen.


The scenery was beautiful. Unforutuantely, it was difficult for me to enjoy. Driving a manual tranmission on the wrong side of a one lane road with quite a bit of traffic was a challenge. [Note to self], we should have hired a driver and a car to take us on a tour like we did on the Amalfi Coast.

There was also some drama with the rental car in one of the parking lots that was my fault...

After the loop around the peninsula, we made a quick stop back at Portree. We were debating where to have dinner. Heading back towards the hotel, we eventually decided to have dinner at the hotel again.

We finished the day with a nice dinner at the hotel. For starters, I had Salmon [Beetroot and Juniper Cured Salmon, Orange, Dill, Gin], while Sharon had Goats Cheese [Smoked Goats Cheese Mousse, Chestnut Mushroom, Wild Garlic, Toasted Hazelnut]. For mains, Tom, Sharon and I had Cod [Loin of Cod, Curried Mussel Velouté, Seaweed, Squid Ink Tuile]. Sharon and I split Buttered New Potatoes and Tenderstem Broccoli and Almond. I finished the day with a Lime [Set Kalamansi Custard, Thyme, Irish Black Butter] dessert.

We talked a little with the British couple next to us. They were off a sailboat that Sharon and I could see from our room. We also had an interesting evening talking and joking with the waiter.

2023 England and Scotland - Day #19 - To the Isle of Skye

A travel day.

The first stop was the Glencoe Visitor Centre. The valley is the essence of the wild, powerful and stark beauty of the Scottish Highlands. I got a little frustrated. I would have liked to have done a hike in the area, but couldn't get the group moving in any direction.

The second stop was the Glenfinnan Visitor Centre. I was more impressed with this stop than I expected. The visitor centre explains the story of Bonnie Prince Charlie. There are two landmarks: a monument to Bonnie Prince Charlie raising the standard, and; a railroad viaduct made famous by the Hogwarts Express.

We hiked up to the viaduct and watched the 1:20 pm Jacobite Steam Train go across. Afterwards, we had sandwiches at the cafe.

The third stop was the Prince's Cairn. Perched above bonnie Loch nan Uamh, this cairn memorializes the spot from where Prince Charlie sailed for France after his failed upraising.

We continued on to Mallaig. Tom had made a reservation for the 5 pm ferry. In a stroke of luck, we were able to us our ticket to get on as a standby on the 3:45 pm ferry.

From the ferry terminal in Armadale, it was about a 20 minute drive to the hotel. We are staying two nights at the Duisdale Hotel. This turned out to be a larger hotel than I expected. There was a little bit of a kerfuffle checking in with a number of people showing up at the same time that we did. Although the bed is a little small, the room is very nice with a great view of the water.

The four of us finished the night with dinner in the dining room at the hotel. Sharon had Watermelon starter [Compressed Watermelon, Charred Cucumber, Feta, Radish, Garden Leaves], while I had a Crab starter [Local Crab Tortellini, Shellfish Bisque, Kale, Parmesan]. For mains, Tom, Sharon and I all had Beef [Sirloin of Scottish Beef, Mushroom Pure, Dauphinoise, Wild Mushroom, Charred Shallot]. Sharon and I added Garden Vegetables. Tom added Tenderstem Broccoli and Almonds. I had a Chocolate dessert [70% Dark Chocolate Tart, Crème Fraîche Sorbet], while Tom and Sharon split a Raspberry desset [Scottish Raspberry Soufflé, White Chocolate Aero, Balsamic Sorbet].

2023 England and Scotland - Day #18 - Oban

The plan for the day was a West Coast Early Bird Tour of the Scottish Island of Mull, Staffa and Iona. We were up at 5:30 am and left the hotel at 6:15 am.

The tour schedule for the day was:

• 06:55 - be at the ferry terminal ready to board.
• 07:25 Ferry sails from Oban to Craignure on Mull.
• 08:11 Arrive in Craignure on Mull.
• 08:25 Depart Craignure by coach. It was an hour and fifteen ride across the island. The disappointing thing was that there was a recorded overview along the way, but you couldn't hear it!
• 09:40 Arrive at Fionnphort.
• From Fionnphort, we took a West Coast Tour boat to Staffa to see the puffins. We spent about an hour on the island. It was a little bit of an odd arrangement. You were on the top of a cliff watching the puffins fly in from the sea. The puffins would fly into burrows in the cliff. Nevertheless, I did get to see several puffins up close and personal.
• Back on the West Coast Tour boat, they dropped us on the Island of Iona. We had lunch at the St Columba Hotel. Sharon had a Hummus Sandwich [crispy miso aubergine ̈ pomegranate seeds ̈ spinach], while I had a Chorizo Sandwich [basil ̈ ricotta ̈ sundried tomatoes ̈ garden rocket].
• We toured the Iona Abbey with audio guide. It was founded by St Columba and his Irish followers in AD 563. The abbey was a focal point for the spread of Christianity throughout Scotland and marks the foundation of a monastic community by St. Columba. I enjoyed the site and need to read more aabout St. Columba! With a leisurely lunch, we were a little rushed.
• 15:00 Depart Iona (no later than)
• 15:20 Depart Fionnphort. We were back on the tour bus. This time we had a real tour guide that we could hear!
• 16:35 Arrive Craignure. 
• 17:05 Depart Craignure on the ferry. 
• 17:55 Arrive in Oban. 

We finished the night with dinner at Ee-usk. For starters, Sharon and I split a CRAB AND LANGOUSTINE COCKTAIL [Langoustine tails and white crabmeat in a marie rose sauce on a bed of iceberg lettuce] and half a dozen oysters. For mains, we both had SALMON MORNAY GRATIN [Poached salmon topped with breadcrumbs and a creamy mornay sauce, served with chips and vegetables].

2023 England and Scotland - Day #17 - To Oban

We had breakfast at the Piper's Tryst Hotel. Sharon had Avocado Toast and I had Scrambled Eggs and Salmon again.

After breakfast, Tom and I took an Uber to pick up the Eurpocar rental car. The initial car that they tried to give us was just too small for the four of us and our luggage. We walked line of cars that they had and picked out the biggest one. It had a manual six speed transmission.

Picking up the car starts an adventure. Over the next ten days, I will be driving on the wrong side of the road with a manual tranmission.

We were able to navigate back to an alley on the side of the hotel. Loading the car, I was very happy that all of the luggage fit! I need to take a picture. I am also very pleased that the car supports Carplay.

We drove to Dunans Castle. It was about an hour and forty minute drive. Kevin and Eric bought Tom a piece of land there several years ago. We took a tour. Although a curmudgeon, the tour guide did a nice job talking about the history of the Scottish Highlands. Tom got to take a picture on the the piece of land that he owns.


We had a late lunch in Inveraray. I had a BLT sandwich, while Sharon had a vegetarian plate (Brambles of Inveraray).

After lunch, we headed to Oban. We are spending two nights at the Glenburnie House. This may be the best room of the trip. It is a large room with a king bed and a gorgeous view of the water.

I was mental and physically beat from four hours of driving on the right side of the road. In total, I spent almost four hours behind the wheel.

Sharon struggled a little to find a place to have dinner. We ended up at the Waterfront Fishhouse Restaurant. For starters, Sharon and I split sardines and seafood chowder. We ended up having dinner at Sharon and I both had Seabass fillet Served with Caper Mash and Creamy Leek Sauce for mains.

2023 England and Scotland - Day #16 - Glasgow

The day included:

• We had breakfast at the hotel. Sharon had Avocado Toast, while I had scambled eggs and salmon.
• After the great Viator tour in Athens, I made a City Centre Tour for Glasgow. Starting at 10:30 am, the tour lasted over an hour and a half and wandered the central city. It included glimpses of the Glasgow Cathedral and the Mecropolis, but frankly not much else. As Tom said, I was very underwhelmed.
• From the tour, we went to Mackintosh at the Willow. We toured the exhbit. Sharon had booked a 2 pm afternoon tea in the Saloon Deluxe. I tried the Orange Blossom Oolong and Blue Lady teas. It was a lot of food! At some point, I will post the menus.
• We toured the National Piping Centre Museum This small museum was connected to the hotel.
• Sharon and I finished the day with dinner at Kelp. We had a series of small plates, including: GURNARD, MARINATED HERITAGE TOMATOES, SAFFRON AIOLI; ISLE OF SKYE LANDED LANGOUSTINES, SEAWEED BUTTER, GRILLED LEMON; HERITAGE TOMATOES, WHIPPED FETA/TOFU, PANGRATATTO, BASIL; KELP GREEN SALAD; and, Oyster [GREEN TOMATO BLOODY MARY, NORI / RHUBARB AND GINGER MIGNONETTE / SEAWEED HOT SAUCE]. The food was very good! It may be the best meal that we have had on the trip!

Losing Wednesday afternoon to the train kerfuffle cost us a chance to visit the Kevingrove Art Gallery and Museum and do a West End walk.

2023 England and Scotland - Day #15 - To Glasgow

In the twenty-five plus years that Sharon and I have traveled together, we have one rule: any day that you end up where you were supposed to be is a good day.

We had a modified English breakfast at the Wallsend Guest House. The owner arranged for a van to pick us up at 9:30 am and take us to the train station in Carlisle.

We got to the train station just before 10 am. Tom bought tickets for a 10:48 am train to Glasgow that would have gotten us there by 12 pm.

The train showed up on time. After we boarded, they made an announcement that a tree had fallen on the overhead electrical wires blocking the tracks to Glasgow. They asked us to stay on the train while they figured out what they were going to do.

After about an hour, they stopped making announcements. We eventually got off the train and wandered around trying to figure out what to do. It was mass confusion; no one seemed very sure what was going to happen or when.

Talking to some of the train employees, we eventually got pointed to a 2:08 pm train to Glasgow that was going further west, rather than straight to Glasgow. It was a milk run with a dozen stops that took two and a half hours. We boarded that train.

Just before the train left, it sounded like they made an announcement for a train straight to Glasgow. At that point with a couple hundred pounds of luggage, we decided to stay put.

It was a leisurely, uneventful ride to Glasgow. I read my book: Oscar Wars - A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat and Tears.

We rolled into Glasgow after 4:30 pm and caught a taxi to the Piper's Tryst Hotel. We are staying there two nights.

We ended up losing about 4 1/2 hours. We had planned to visit the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and explore the West End. I am not sure that we will be able to fit in the museum now.

After getting settled in the room, Anna-Marie, Tom, Sharon and I took an Uber to Ashton Lane in the West End. We eventually settled on Brel for dinner. We all had SCOTTISH STEAMED MUSSELS with Frites, Aioli, Soda Bread. I had the mussels with Tomato, Chilli, Olive & Caper, while Sharon, Tom and Anna-Marie had Marinière With Cream. It was a nice dinner.

Taking a taxi back to the hotel, the four of us had a nightcap. Sharon and I crashed about 10:30 pm.

2023 England and Scotland - Day #14 - To Bowness-on-Solway

Both Sharon and I were up very early. Packing up the room, we had a variation on an English breakfast.

I rolled away from the hotel about 8:15 am. The plan for the day was for Tom and Sharon to take a taxi to Burgh-by-Sands. For the second day in a row, I was going to try and catch them.

I enjoyed the section leaving Carlisle more than section coming into the city on the previous day. It reminded me of the American River Parkway. There was about three miles of wooded trail along the Eden River. After I turned away from the river, the farm pastures were divided by hedges rather than the stone walls that we had seen earlier on the hike. Over the course of the day, I was frankly surprised by how few people I passed going the other way; I would guess no more than fifteen.

I stopped briefly at St. Mary's Church in Beaumont and then St. Michael's in Burgh-by-Sands.

Pushing hard, I caught up with Sharon and Tom in Glasson just after they stopped to have lunch. At that point, I had covered 13 miles to catch with them. In the last two days, I had hiked 30 fast miles by myself in just about ten hours. My right knee was not particularly happy with me.

The three of us walked the last three miles into Bowness-on-Solway together. In total, I covered 16 miles in about five hours and forty minutes.

After taking a few pictures at the end of the trail marker and stamping our passport, we had a celebratory pint at the Kings Arms. From there we walked to the Wallsend Guest House.



We finished the day with dinner back at the Kings Arms. After a shimp cocktail, Sharon had fish and chips, while Tom and I had a trio of lamb chops.

After two hard days, we crashed early.

6/6 Splits Hiking Hadrian’s Wall from Carlisle to Bowness-on-Solway

2023 England and Scotland - Day #13 - To Carlisle

Anna-Marie, Tom, Sharon and I had a buffet breakfast at the Scotch News Arms. We had a small kerfuffle with a piece of luggage. At the Angel of Corbridge, the company moving our luggage each day decided that all of our bags weighed too much. They gave us a large vinyl bag to put stuff into lighten our suitcases. While Sharon was packing the bag, the zipper broke. With a little work after breakfast, I was able to get it back together again.

The plan for the day was for Tom and Sharon to take a taxi to Newtown. Walking from the inn, I was going to try and catch up with them.

I left just before 9 am. I retraced the three mile route back to Haytongate. I pushed hard to Newtown. When I got there, I realized that I didn't have much chance of catching them. I was about two hours and ten minutes behind them. It was over seven miles to Newtown; I had hoped it was less than six miles.

The segment from Haytongate to Newton was interesting. I walked through the middle of several working farms. At one point, I literally walked between two large dairy barns with lots of activity taking place on both sides. After Newton, the terrain started to flatten out. Hiking for almost a mile through a cut alfalfa field, I must have passed almost fifty people going the other way.

I never gave up the idea of catching Tom and Sharon until after they had lunch. I thought that they might take an extra long lunch, but I was just too far behind.

I finally stopped and had a quck late sack lunch just past Crosby-on-Eden along the river. Generally, I was disappointed with the scenery on the walk into Carlisle.

In total, I walked 17.4 miles in five hours and fifty minutes. My average pace was 20:05 minutes per mile. The splits are here. I walked the whole day by myself.

After crashing in the room for a while and then getting cleaned up, Sharon used her superpower to find a great restaurant. The four of us went to dinner at Sannas, a Sandinian Restaurant. For a starter, Sharon and I spilt BRUSCHETTA AL POMODORO [Bruschetta topped with cherry tomato, garlic, basil and a touch of pesto]. Tom, Sharon and I all had FREGOLA FRUITTI DI MARE [Traditional Sardinian fregola with king prawns, mussels, clams, and squid] for our main. I had TIRAMISÙ for dessert; I am fascinated by the number of ways that you get tiramisu.

Working back to the bed and breakfast, Tom noticed two Woodrow Wilson plaques!? [Cavendish House and Pilgrimage of the Heart]

After a long day, Sharon and I crashed early.

6/5 Splits Hiking Hardian’s Wall from Brampton to Carlisle

2023 England and Scotland - Day #12 - To Brampton

I let Sharon sleep late. She eventually came down about 8 am. For breakfast, I had a plate with cheese, meat, tomatoes and a hard boiled egg, while Sharon had the full English Breakfast.

Tom and Anna-Marie left the Darce House about 20 minutes ahead of us. Sharon and I finally rolled close to 930 am.

I was pleasantly surprised by the morning. There is a very nice section of the wall with turrets and milecastles. Sharon and I caught up with Tom and Anna-Marie at Fort Birdsowald. We got our passports stamped at the fort.

The four of us walked together for the rest of the day. We stopped and had lunch about 1230 pm just beyond the Matthew's Honesty Box.

We got to Haytongate about 2 pm. The plan was for the three of them to call a taxi to take them the three miles into Brampton to the hotel. The taxi company asked them to walk down to the Lanercost Tea Room. They eventually got picked up about 245 pm.

I humped the last 2 1/2 miles into town by myself. About 60% of the hike was through the Quarry Beck; a beautiful stream in the bottom of a canyon. In total, I covered about 9.5 miles in four hours and ten minutes.



We are spending the night at the Scotch Mews Arms. We couldn't check into 4 pm so I met the group at The Howard Arms for a pint. We got into the room just after 4 pm. The inn and the room exceeded my expectation.

We had dinner at The Howard Arms. Tom, Sharon and I all had the Traditional Topside Beef with Yorkshire Pudding, Goose Fat Roasties, Fresh Vegetables and Rich Gravy.

After dinner, I finally got a chance to wash and dry a few things. While I know that I can pack for three weeks, there is no way that I can go four weeks without doing some laundry.

Getting my clothes out of the dryer about 940 pm, we crashed fairly early.