To Darlington for a reunion and then Yorkshire bound…

We are leaving Northumberland today and heading down to Darlington, Co. Durham to visit our old friend, Sue, who we haven’t seen for 26 years! We were at college together in the early 60s and haven’t met up since a reunion in 1987.

Unfortunately, the weather isn’t great again today but the wild flowers everywhere are looking good.

Poppies

Ox-eye daisies and Rosebay Willowherb

On our way we passed through Alnwick and discovered that poor old Bessie would not fit through the Bondgate Tower gateway! It once formed part of the town’s defences and was constructed in c.1450.

So, we had to find another way out – eventually. We glimpsed Antony Gormley’s ‘Angel of the North‘ in the distance as we approached Gateshead.

Apologies for the rather dark and dismal photos – taking them through a wet windscreen on a dark and dismal day doesn’t help!

We reached Darlington just after 12.30pm, in time for a splendid lunch prepared by Sue and proceeded to bridge that gap of 26 years. She is in touch with Chris, who lives in New York and Carol and Alan, who we are meeting up with tomorrow. We had a great afternoon and, after the obligatory photos and clutching a large piece of lemon drizzle cake, we left for our drive down to Slingsby in North Yorkshire where we are staying for the night.

For about ten minutes on our journey the sky brightened and I took the photograph in the featured image spot and this one.

Driving through Coxwold in Yorkshire, we passed Newburgh Priory, formerly an Augustinian priory built in the 12th century and now a private home, open to the public during the early summer months.

We passed a Partridge who seemed lost and a chicken at a crossroads!