Oh the joys of rural living!

Getting up at four in the morning is never a favourite activity, but it proved to be worth while. As I wanted to watch and time when the birds were visiting the feeders in my back yard. Previously I had noticed larger numbers of them came first thing in the morning, so I wanted to work out a time window for this as there is activity that I want to film. Had I been filming this morning I would have caught it, but as I keep seeing this, I think I will catch it, eventually.

Getting up early also meant that I was able to take my dirty clothes for a walk to a place where they could take a swim. While I was waiting for the bus, I spotted that at the Starling nest that I have been watching, one parent is now leaving as the other arrives, that means the chicks have hatched. Or to be more accurate, the eggs have hatched and the parents are feeding the chicks. Even though they are common birds, and not the most loved, I am pleased they are doing well. Also, I noticed a male Tree Sparrow poking his head out, while I had the video camera with me in a bag, it was all to brief. I know that there is a nest there, but trying to film there could alert other people, who do not have the bird’s best interests at heart. But it was nice to see.

I was catching the eight o’clock bus, so when I passed over the bridge, I kept a close eye on the river and there was an Otter feeding on a trout. This really was turning out to be a great day for watching wildlife. Not all days are as good as this, but occasionally just keeping alert can really pay off.

After dropping off the washing, I headed for the bus station, as I wanted to make a trip into Hexham. Unlike most of the services here a small independent company runs this one and the difference was evident by the quality of the service the driver provided, friendly and helpful. Also as this service is designed for providing a service for the passengers in otherwise isolated communities, it took a meandering but scenic route. This made the journey a rather pleasant surprise. It took me through places that I have been interested in visiting for a while. Further with some good weather today, it showed the landscape to be as beautiful it looked from a distance. I do like this time of year, the promise of beauty emerging, new life and new growth.

This route took us through some real farming country with new Lambs in the fields, as well as a few new calves along with the cattle newly turned out on new pasture. I also spotted several Lapwings in the fields, while many were feeding; others were obviously on nests. I can be sure of three nests as the birds were in the same spots when I returned. It was the only real wildlife I saw on the way in, but it was more than enough to see the Lapwings. Even if I were not a birder, I would delight at seeing this crested avian creature.

Hexham is a delightful market town, while I have been there before; I have never had the time to explore the place. It has many lovely old buildings and has not suffered too much from development despoiling the ascetic of this medieval town. While there are some new buildings, mostly they do not clash or jar the senses.

As the Town has a market I was not surprised to see the market stalls out. However what did surprise me was that there was a stall selling Organic Meat direct from the farm. Not only that there was a proper fishmonger there too. However I waited until I was nearing time to leave before I made any purchases as simply I did not want to keep any meat un-chilled while I wandered the town.

I went to have an early lunch, but I wish I had not as the coffee was ghastly and the bread on the sandwich was dry. As the café was also a bistro at night they were not selling themselves very well. Therefore, I will be look for a wintry weather forecast in hell before I have a meal there.

I took time to explore all the little court yards and back ways in the town. The older the place is the more rambling the layout of the town becomes with lots of secret places and pleasant surprises. To compliment my mood, everyone seemed to be very friendly and welcoming. Then while filming behind the Abbey, I had one "community support officer" (Plastic Policemen) who tried to stop me filming, citing anti terrorist legislation. Apart from talking a lot of nonsense, he was wrong and as a tourist town people will want to film and take photographs. I was more amused by this than anything else. Because of the recession people are being encouraged to holiday and visit places in the UK, so over aggressive interventions like this will not help make visitors welcome. Then, I was in one of the main shopping areas and looking at one of the buildings and a beautiful carved stone frieze on the building. I was trying to work out how to best film it when another "community support officer" stopped me. Again citing anti terrorist legislation was trying to stop me filming. I pointed out that the building was architecturally interesting, he pointed out that there was a CCTV camera there and he thought I was filming this. Then out of no where came a woman who had the authoritative air of an old fashioned school teacher, and she had a real go at this "Jumped up" official.

I suspect that these people have just had some (inadequate) training or instruction to look out for suspicious activity, but lack the common sense to tackle the challenge without alienating tourists. The woman who had intervened on my behalf has a business in the town and keeps on seeing these folks causing more harm than help.
Apart from that, the whole experience of visiting the town was a good one. Before, going back on the bus, I went and bought some Venison, and Cumberland Sausage. I also got some Lamb Loins that were labelled as coming from a specific breed of sheep, Black Face. While not cheap, I can say that the flavour made it worth paying that little extra. I also looked again at the fishmonger’s stall. While I did not buy anything this time, I will return and I will get some fish from them or even some game. I learnt something as historically Fishmongers always used to be Game Dealers, partly so that if the fishing boats could not get out, they would still be able to make a living. These particular Fishmongers have been in business since 1914, and clearly know their product well.

The road trip back was similar to the trip in, it was the same driver too who recognised me and knew I had bought a return. It was clear that most of the other people are regulars and know each other and that there is a micro community that use this service.

When I got back to Consett, I was a little early to collect my washing so I went for a coffee. It was better than the one in the Hexham Café. I collected my washing and went to wait for the bus. I waited and waited. Where I was there was a sparrow’s nest near by, another one, so I was pleasantly distracted by this but it still did not make up for nearly two hours I had to wait for a bus that did not come.

To get home I had to get a taxi, as I had fresh meat, I could no longer wait. While I could have got home via a couple of busses, and a long walk, if the service that visits my village is cancelled then I am stuck. Apparently, the windscreen on the bus became cracked and the bus taken off the road. But no effort was made to inform the customers, the passengers, so we were left in the dark.