Thanks Unthanks
Yesterday's Zebra billy can measuring proved inconclusive. There's only one thing for it, a quick dash into Edinburgh this morning before we leave, taking the billy can's proposed container with us. Almost a Cinderella slipper fit, but with perhaps the possibility of corns or bunions (weird metaphor, perhaps I should have said a possibility of corn or onions). Anyway bad pubs aside, we bought a pan!
Serendipity is a strange mistress. We left early to go into Edinburgh but traffic was surprisingly light and we got to the Nordic Shop 10 minutes early so we wandered into the park opposite. Anyone heard of "Bruntsfield Links"? I hadn't.
Forget St Andrews, Bruntsfield Links lays claim to the home of golf. The original 6 hole course was home to the Royal Burgess Golfing Society founded in 1735 and the Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society founded in 1761. The adjacent Golf Tavern is the world's oldest golf clubhouse, performing that function for the Bruntsfield Links Golf Society from 1788
Although it is actually much older
Time to leave Edinburgh behind. First leg of the journey is a boring reversal of our route here, out to Jedburgh and then, without stopping, on to Hexham for a lunchtime break. A wander round the shops provided a couple of things we'd been looking for (remember I mentioned we got a pan heat diffuser). Readers with a good memory (and high boredom threshold) may recall a post of a week or so ago where I mentioned how we treated as invisible persons in the charity shops of Peebles. Just a few tens of miles away in Hexham it is 180° the opposite. Everywhere we were engaged in deep conversation. Shame we bought nothing!
Onward to tonight's destination, The Moorcock Inn, Eggleston, in the Pennines, just outside Barnard's Castle. Rather than the direct route we elect to for slightly west via Allendale. For no reason other than The Unthanks' song "Tar barrels in dale". Thanks, Unthanks', a real good diversion, the scenery is stunning all the way from Hexham to Weardale. Allendale itself is a tiny town but has a co-op that sells, amongst other things, beer from the Allendale Brewery. The town send to have more pubs than shops. I like it here!
Heading from Weardale to Eggleston the scenery is no less dramatic but changes markedly from Northumberland grassy hills to the heather moorland of the Pennines. And it is the windiest road I've driven. Plenty enough straights but when the bends start, generally uphill your gear choice is more dictated by the bend rather than the often steep incline. Hard work but fun driving and some breathtaking views.
The pub was a welcomed stop.