We parked the cars in the car park beside the road opposite the Hollybush Inn, a quaint 17th century drover's inn in the small hamlet of Greenhaugh on the edge of the famous Kielder Forest .
From here we walked north along the road, passing a turn off to our right, until reaching a bend in the road at Burnmouth. By the side of the road, on a fence, thirty or so moles had been hung up to dry. It was almost like it was meant to be a warning to moles to keep out of town!
Here we joined a footpath which took us over the Tarset Burn, through Sneed Farm then across fields to Gatehouse Farm where the remains of two adjacent bastles built into a field wall can be seen 20m south of the farmhouse. Although only traces of the thick stone walls are now visible the Gatehouse was once a complex of five bastles.
We turned left where the path met the road, continuing to Shipley Shiels where we paused for a while to take a look at Deidre's "shack". Unfortunately she wasn't in otherwise I'm sure we would have been offered refreshments.
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Continuing on we reached the car park for Black Middens bastle house. The bastle is a substantial 16th century stone two storey fortified farmhouse, with only the roof and floor missing. Here we stopped for a coffee break, some of us climbing the steps to the wooden viewing area inside the building.
We then retraced our steps for a short while to pick up a footpath on our right, the path taking us across fields to cross the footbridge over Tarset Burn into the forest. The path in the forest, as is often the case, was very confusing but we soon found the correct path. The heat was really building up now so we were grateful to stop for lunch in the shade before emerging from the forest.
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From here we continued in a south west direction around Hill House Clints. Just after Hill House we dropped down to cross the beck via a footbridge, continuing through High Thorneyburn and Burnhead to a minor road. Here we turned right and soon stopped on the grass verge for a coffee stop. The heat was really building up now, made worse by the lack of any wind. Our main thought at this stage was whether the Hollybush Inn would be open.
Soon after turning on to the road we found a footpath to our left which took us across fields, passing Boughthill, then crossing Tarset Burn again using a concrete ford. More moles hanging from a fence - must be a local custom.
We soon reached a minor road where someone had left plastic cups and containers of orange juice, probably for an organised walking or running event. By this time everyone was suffering from the heat and some of us became convinced that some kind soul had left the refreshments for any passing weary traveller!
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The Hollybush looked shut but much to our delight it wasn't. We found some shade in the rear garden where we were able to sample the local brew. On another table an organised group were recovering from their exertions - I'm sure I heard someone complaining about the shortage of orange juice at the last stop! Several of us, who shall remain nameless, kept our heads down, looking very sheepish.
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