A couple of pictures of castles Bamburgh (from the sea) and the famous lighthouse on the Farnes where Grace Darling helped launch the famous rescue!

Okay- not Hare in the popular saying.

Below are pictures of a Hare I saw up near Craster in Northumberland. I was fortunate to get so close- lucky for the Hare I wasn’t a fox! You will get more pictures of wildlife from Northumberland in the next few days.

Also started my first story telling for a while tonight at Wick Court (I am now in a busy period.)

Last post from Northumberland! We cycled to Newton By The Sea again and this time did a lovely walk out on the northern headland. We were accompanied by many trilling skylarks and saw several fly up high. There were quite a few Eider Ducks by the shoreline. Once again we enjoyed the idiosyncratic Ship Pub for lunch.

This evening I was delighted to find some Tree Sparrows a bird becoming a rarity down south.

Tomorrow we have boat trip out to the Farne Islands before the long journey home!

I will post photos from my camera of the wildlife around the weekend. I have some good shots of a Brown Hare on it. Hopefully plenty of Terns and Puffins tomorrow to add!

I had a great bike ride today – I cycled up the Northumberland coastline to Bamburgh. The castle there dominates the landscape (picture below from the village. I cycled inland afterwards and it was a delight riding undisturbed country lanes. Hardly any traffic! What a super part of the world We are in.

We have had a wonderful morning we walked to Dunstanbergh Castle mainly a ruin. We were interested in the rocks and cliffs by the castle. I was enjoying spotting small birds on the rocks when we were entertained by a pod of dolphins hard to tell how many but well into double figures. There were young in the pod. The were breaching and looked like they were playing! I took the picture below on my phone. I also saw Ringed plovers, Linnets, Kittiwakes Fulmars, Razorbills, Gannets and a single Eider Duck.

We are currently in Northumberland camping at one of our regular sites near Craster. Weather has so far been kind and looks good for tomorrow. It is a beautiful part of the world. We cycled to Alnmouth today- challenging when we went off road!!! Yesterday visited Newton by the Sea and had a bird watch and a lovely lunch in the pub with its own micro brewery (a National Trust pub). A couple of pictures below taken on my phone more to follow when I get home including a lovely picture of a hare!

June is going to be an unbalanced month for me on the story telling front,. The later part of the month is very busy with a very diverse set of gigs. The first part is holiday and has been being Gramps (today and yesterday) I will publish details later.

On Sunday we were privileged to attend my fellow Two Severn Bores musical partner Dan’s new album launch. He was in top form. Four of the songs he had written for our shows.

I also played club cricket on Saturday and my team were certainly youthful!

Difficult day for me today! I started at the crack of dawn with the monthly bird survey out by the River Severn. I had to wade through long grasses and that triggered my hay fever. Watering eyes and persistent sneezing! A reasonable survey but not that enjoyable! Hopefully I will have a better day tomorrow-aiming to avoid walking through long grass!!!

More wildlife photos from Leighton Moss. Enjoy! I was watching Swifts one day- the first picture though not great I was pleased to get it-they move so fast! The last picture is the head of the Eider Duck on her nest.

What super weather and we are thoroughly enjoying it up here by Morecambe Bay. I went to the hides looking towards the sea this morning. Did manage to see an Eider Duck sitting on her nest and plenty of Avocets. (Phone pictures below)

Clare and I pedalled to Arnside for a late Sunday lunch. So we have done a few miles and plenty of climbing in the last two days. Clare is pleased with her efforts!

Back to sunny Gloucestershire tomorrow and supposedly cricket on Tuesday if it isn’t too hot!!