Allowed out ... day 14 (King Eric, leaves Scotland, but not easily!)

Miles today: 208

Miles so far: 2429

u-turns: Eric is claiming none, but then he abandoned our route when we got stopped by a tractor stuck under a tree - we do rural! So I led us into unknown territory and into several more u-turns, at least one of which was due to another closed road. Really not my fault.

Ruins: we were 3 hours late for Tynemouth Priory ... so none! Or maybe one if you include the Wanlock Beam Engine.

Hotels run by mad (but lovely) people: 1

It’s late - proof reading could be a bit iffy tonight.

Well it has been a fab ending to the day. As well as managing to catch up (all too briefly) with my brother and sister-in-law, we have bagged yet another gem of a hotel. That said it is a miracle we have not been evicted before even sleeping here, given the singing (have you heard Eric’s voice), rubbishy selfies and the fact that we seem to have talked to every local and visitor alike. Some of them even seem to like us. And the manager, Tracy, is one of the best. If you are in Richmond, stay at the Black Lion - and tell them Macgregor sent you and watch their faces drop!

And here it is, on Finkle Street. Nice! And the weather is just perfect - time and temperature for a flip-flopped stroll around the market square late in the evening, with the sun still warm. (Enough of the pretending to be sensible)

The day ended and started in glorious sunshine - warmer - as we are back in England (I will get some stick for that I know). But what a fantastic road to start the day - a trip to Scotland’s highest village, Wanlockhead in the Galloway Hills. An old lead mining town that must be a hell of a place to live in the winter if the roads in and out are anything to go by.

And an old beam engine to pump out the water from the lead mine. Impressive if you like this sort of thing. We read the information board about how it worked and are none the wiser!

Then on to Lockerbie via the Bxxxx, which clearly was an A road before the motorway was built. Fast, straight (mostly) and no traffic. Excellent.

I’m too tired now to comment lucidly on how the town of Lockerbie chooses to remember those killed on PanAm flight 103 by terrorist bomb in 1988. But for now, suffice to say it did seem odd how hard it was to find the two memorials - one to all those killed and one to those who lived in Lockerbie and were killed on the ground - 11 of them. If I can find the time I might go back to this tomorrow night.

But even with a longer stop in Lockerbie that planned we had made just about the best progress we have ever made by mid morning and it gave us hope that we would make it to the East coast in time for tea and cake with my brother and sister in law AND visit Tynemouth Priory. Did we? Of course not! 5 miles out of Lockerbie wwe came across the first of our obstructions, a tractor jammed between two trees. Cue Eric abandoning in his leadership and a re-route, the unbelievably ended in another closed road! Maybe the Scots just didn’t want their new king to leave. Hail King Eric.

So in the end we missed Kielder Forest and took the road across the Pennines that roughly followed Hadrians Wall. By now at least an hour and half late, we zoomed past all the places of historical Roman interest, just in time to get caught up in the Newcastle rush hour traffic. To spend a lovely hour with Brian and Joanne we had to bail on our booked tickets to Tynemouth Priory but as Eric booked them Rob and will not have our English Heritage memberships revoked, even if Eric does. We did stop on the way past to take the obligatory silly selfie, although to be honest this could be anywhere!

End of the day, late as usual, we decided the alternatives to the A1M were really not worth the effort so we hurried to the Scotch Corner, from which it was short detour to the lovely market town of Richmond. The castle beckons tomorrow so more pictures I hope, some of which might even be vaguely interesting (except the selfies).

As ever I left this too late, and now it is time for bed. But we have blagged a lat check out from Tracy at the wonderful Black Lion and can at least look forward to walking round an ancient monument in shorts, rather than motorbike gear. If it rains I will cry.

Night night. Last pics...

Scotland’s highest village

Memorial to those who died on the ground in the Lockerbie bomb. But 11 people on the ground died, why only 6 names? And why so hard to find?

Of course we took a selfie!

Nearly forgot, somewhere near Gretna, yet another spurious claim to have found the cave that Robert the Bruce contemplated his navel while watching a spider recline its web, over and over again. The cave was closed - but we saw the spider! (And a really crap model of the Bruce!). Cue silly selfie!

And really finally - 3 hours late at Tynemouth Priory, but never too late for a selfie! (Could be anywhere really)