Under the RADAR
ALNWICK LOOP VIA CLOUDY CRAGS On a Northumberland holiday with the family, Wednesday 12th August, was solar eclipse day. Persuading teenage children to bend to your walking will, can be difficult but we achieved this small summit, despite the flies and the scratchy gorse and heather. The way up was shortish but so so sweet even though conditions for this rare event were not ideal. Some height was needed, staring at the sun is not best practice, in any event, but on this cloudy evening, it was the hill itself that redeemed the visit and provided the spectacle. One might have a vague awareness of the seat of power of the Percy family, with the physical imposition of Alnwick Castle. Likewise, the threat of Scottish raids experienced in the medieval north might be perceived in the remains of a town wall but the bulk of this walk is defined by another boundary. I take the opportunity to get to grips with the changing land use and power that this represents. Alnwick is a major town in the ar...
