The balms of walking

Today we went with the walking group from East Linton to Haddington along the River Tyne. It was warm but not hot, just right for a hike.

The wild flowers were splendid: Sweet Cecily (above), gorse, campion, comfrey, speedwell, garlic and many others. Birds sang and the river plished soothingly.

This is gorse, a zing of yellow.

We passed the gloomy 14th century Hailes Castle with its connections to Harry Hotspur, Oliver Cromwell, Mary Queen of Scots and so on.

As we got nearer to civilisation, we passed this sort of typical East Lothian architecture: rough stone, red roofs.

We came out into farmland after a while.

Our legs were fairly aware that we'd walked six miles by this point.

 We rather liked this blacksmith's sign.

Then after another mile or so, we came to Haddington, where the river broadens out a bit, and we had tea and shortbread at the Riverside.

The rain conveniently held off till we were drinking our tea and it had stopped by the time we emerged again. It was a lovely day: good exercise, stimulating company and a refreshing immersion in the sights and sounds of the countryside.

But the best thing about the day was that while we were walking, Daughter 2 arrived safely back at her London flat from New York via (shudder) Charles De Gaulle and Heathrow, and her aeroplanes did not fall into the sea . Her husband follows tomorrow. I hope she's sleeping now.