Well finally after many weeks had the chance to get out and ride my bike, yeah I know a miracle.

Anyway we did Windy Gyle and cam back down The Street. The conditions were the best I’ve seen on the Gyle and The Street for years.

Looking down The Street by Lee Collis, on Flickr

Windy Gyle rest stop by Lee Collis, on Flickr

Too hot today. I’ve adapted to the scottish summer and can’t function if it’s not raining.

Was nice and hot yeah, a belting day.

Got hailed on at CyB along with torrential rain! Great fun, although I was glad to be on the home-bound stretch.

Thought it was going to be Northumberland when I saw the first pic with rounded off tops. Looks nice – miss riding in the North

Yeah the Cheviots are distinctive. We got ahead of a thunderstorm it’s been lovely again since.

Drac – My parents live Hexham way and they told me it was absolutely hoyin it doon today, thunder and lightning and everything!!! so you are lucky you didnt get any of that! Grandparents used to live up at netherton at bottom of Coquetdale on a farm called Coatwalls (part of the larger Elilaw farm) if you have ever been past it. They also used to farm at Middle Morr (South Charlton), Greensidehill (Ingram valley) and at a farm in Holystone. Shame they retired before I properly got into MTB and they now live Brownieside.

My mother grew up at Coatwalls her parents farmed there too, I bet they know my grandparents.

Yeah we got ahead of the storm clouds we could see them coming in over the rangers, we got caught for about 3 or 4 minutes.

Man sized portions by Lee Collis, on Flickr

Barrowburn cake by any chance?
Mr and Mrs Barrowburn make exceedingly good cakes

It is they’re proper portions and the bottomless tea pot all for bargain prices too.

Drac, what are the chances… when did they live there? what are their names, ill ask… my granda was a shepherd in Northumberland for 50 yrs, Derek Charlton. There was an old couple that lived next door to them when they lived at Coatwalls but they were the fella who owned the farm and lived at Elilaw (Peter Stott)’s parents.

bet the SiTS crew wish they had your luck

from https://twitter.com/twittcrumpet

Incredible coincidence. Derek Charlton, familiar the name is he related to Gordon?

They would have lived there in the about the 60s, my Granda was a Shepherd too Alec Henderson. He lives in Netherton the newly built bungalow right next to the school.

Looks damp Rocketdog but seen it worse.

No Gordon in the family but they do know Alec and Roberta! Aparantly my Grandas sister and husband Audrey and Roger (cant remember 2nd name) who lived over towards Kirkwhelpinton knew them well. I imagine we could probably continue this with plenty of people who knows who as everyone knows everyone in the farming community especially from a generation or two back!

Ah right wasn’t sure if they were related or not. They’re very well known but as you say the community is very close, we probably could carry on. I grew up in Morpeth but spent most school holidays with them or my Uncle at Lorbottle.

The family goes back years there, they were drovers so responsible for many the trails I now ride.

Maybe you know my mam then… haha, how old are you? she went to school in morpeth! while living at holystone… Sandra Gibson?

I’m 39 so probably not and it doesn’t sound familiar.

ah 10 years off…

Chances are she would have gone to school with one of my Aunt or Uncles though. They’d lived at Netherton or Burradon at the time.