28/06/14 Dufton Circular ‘A’ Bill Sillotoe ‘B’ Geoff Palmer
On a nice day 39 members set out to Dufton, stopping for coffee in Barnard Castle. Only 14 members set out on a tough ‘A’ walk today after being dropped off in Dufton. The coach retraced its route to Appleby where 23 members set out on the ‘B’ walk. We followed field paths and green lanes and as we stopped for lunch, a shower of rain started but it didn’t last long. We contined through newly planted woodland then over marshy ground where we walked past a huge black and white dragonfly basking in the afternoon sunshine. In Appleby we headed for tea and cakes in the cafes before travelling back to Dufton. As we rode along the windy country lane a buzzard began flying alongside the coach – quite a sight. The evening stop was in Barnard Castle.

Flowers: crosswort, dames violet, early purple orchid, elderflower, forget-me-not, foxglove, green alkanet, hawkweed, herb robert, himalayan balsam, honeysuckle, ladys mantle, leopardsbane, meadow cranesbill, meadowsweet, mignonette, milkwort, mimulus, nipplewort, oxeye daisy, pyramidal orchid, ragwort, red campion, slender st johns wort, spleenwort, tormentil, tufted vetch, water crowfoot, woundwort, yellow loosestrife and yellow rattle.

Other: buzzard, curlews, 2 deer, 2 hares, harts tongue ferns and lords ‘n’ ladies berries.