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Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

Some people go mad for crimbo.

#Crimbo #ChristmasLights

December 15, 2025 at 7:53 PM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

OK Firefox spell checker, my bad it's "car park" two words, not one. But what are the chances of someone writing "carp ark"? Maybe the fish prophet receiving a Lovecraftian covenant from Dagon?!

And "cark" was a new word to me - evidently Aussie slang for […]

[Original post on mastodonapp.uk]

A spell checking drop-down showing alternatives:
car park
car-park
carp ark
carp-ark
cark

December 8, 2025 at 2:21 PM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

These step stiles are always fun when they are wet and you have slippery mud on your boots.

#hiking #walking #northumberland #deathstairs

A stone wall has rough steps going up to the top, made by long stones which protrude on this side. You can't see it from the photo but they also protrude on the far side giving steps up and down. It's a dull grey day and the steps are already wet and muddy.

December 7, 2025 at 2:24 PM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

Walking down the lane this morning I saw a heron ahead. I took several pictures as I approached, this was the last before it flew off.

#heron #northumberland #morningsun #silhouette

A wet road reflects the early gold-tinted sun. A large heron shows in silhouette.

November 22, 2025 at 9:32 AM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

Rare two-legged horse spotted in Northumberland.

#opticalillusion #horse #northumberland

Horse standing in a field appearing yo have two legs.

November 21, 2025 at 9:29 AM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

Sheep in the snow.

#SheepOfMastodon #northumberland #uk

Looking over a grey drystone wall sheep are in a field with a light covering of snow. Bright sunshine catches their white wool and coloured identification marks

November 19, 2025 at 10:29 AM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

When the water goes down there'll be a tree stuck in the stepping stones.

#steppingstones #rothbury #northumberland #uk

An uprooted tree in the middle of the river. This crosses a line of standing waves caused by the submerged stepping stones.

November 14, 2025 at 6:12 PM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

The river in Rothbury is the highest I've seen it since early spring. These waves are caused by stepping stones that are well submerged.

Rothbury Bridge is only a couple of hundred metres away so the frequent winter periods when they are submerged are not a […]

[Original post on mastodonapp.uk]

November 13, 2025 at 6:17 PM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

I took a trip to Cragside and tried out the National Trust's new scone of the month. It was a nice walk with autumn colours and the calm day giving clear reflections in Tumbledon lake. The scone of the month is "red dragon", served with onion marmalade and […]

[Original post on mastodonapp.uk]

A reflection of the Cragside stable block, now the cafe, in Tumbledon lake.

Red-gold coloured autumn leaves in the trees still.

A delicious scinevnext to a large fuo of coffee and small cups of "onion marmalade" and grated cheese.

November 6, 2025 at 1:48 PM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

I'm feeling a lot better today. After not managing to go out yesterday I had a gentle walk with Poppy (my daughter) to Cragside, then after some refreshments walked back. I'm feeling really tired now though.

#Cragside #northumberland #uk #walk

Debdon lake reflects the sun. There is a cloudy sky , green grass in the foreground and trees behind.

A coffee and coffee cake. Also a tea and a Halloween donut.

A dun horse with a lighter coloured mane, which catches the sunlight

October 29, 2025 at 1:04 PM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

I had a short walk in Thrunton Woods this morning, and some paths are closed off due this forestry work. These include tracks that are often used to make a round walk from the carpark.

#hiking #walking #thruntonwoods #northumberland #uk #Footpath

The view across the Northern Thrunton Woods towards Callaly with the Cheviot in the distance.

A sign saying "Please follow Safety signs". There is a map showing yellow closed areas, which include paths often used to make a round walk in Thrunton Woods.

October 27, 2025 at 1:45 PM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

The rain from earlier this week has left the Coquet high, but today is lovely and sunny. Ideal for a morning walk.

#rothbury #northumberland #uk

Stepping stones covered by white foaming water.

A view across moorland to the Simonside hills

October 25, 2025 at 11:47 AM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

He may have officially given up his titles but he'll forever be known as "Nonce Andrew".

#nonceanrew #RoyalFamily

Headline:

PRINCE ANDREW GIVES UP ALL HIS
TITLES DUE TO ‘CONTINUED
ACCUSATIONS’ ABOUT HIM

October 20, 2025 at 7:42 AM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

McVittie's have reduced the cocoa content so much that they have to call them "chocolate flavoured" rather than chocolate biscuits. I don't often eat these but for some reason I find this example of Qualityflation particularly disappointing.

#RipOff #chocolate #mcvitties #qualityflation

Guardian headline and tagline

Club and Penguin bars are now ‘chocolate flavour’ after owner McVitie's cuts cocoa content amid soaring prices

If you like a lot of chocolate
on your biscuit ... look away
now

October 18, 2025 at 7:49 AM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

On the u3a natural history walk we came across this rock, which is very artistically painted. It was up near the Drake Stone above Harbottle and we left it for others to see. Whoever Mel is, it brought a smile to our faces!

#northumberland #northumberlandrocks #paintedrocks #art

A lovely picture of an arched wooden door in a grey stone wall. The wall is covered with green ivy and there are two red toadstools in front of the bottom of the door

The back of the stone with text:

Northumberland Rocks on Facebook!
Post picture keep or rehide
Mel ♥️

October 15, 2025 at 12:36 PM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

This map of designated "Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty" (AONBs) makes it looknlikebl the Midlands must be less beautiful than the rest of the country. Come on Midlanders, prove me wrong? What areas are beautiful enough to be designated? If they're really […]

[Original post on mastodonapp.uk]

A map showing designated areas of outstanding natural beauty in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (I believe Scotland has its own scheme). Threer is a large area in the North Midlands without any areas shown.

October 14, 2025 at 9:21 AM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

I'm sure this will be very hard work, but it sounds idyllic! Article :
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/scotland-now/isle-mull-job-opportunity-couple-36033303

#islandjob #islandlife #scotland

News paper headline:

Isle of Mull job opportunity
for couple with £60k salary
and cottage with garden
included

A "beautiful" estate on a Scottish island is
looking for two people to relocate.
0060

October 10, 2025 at 7:42 AM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

Beamish valley had a large number of parasol mushrooms (Macrolepiota procera) at various stages. These are large mushrooms, hand to scale.

#fungi #mushroom

A young mushroom with a brown scaled globe that has not yet opened.

The speckled beige and brown partly opened dome, this is a side view of the same mushroom as the picture with my hand.

A dome shaped partly open mushroom next to my hand. It's diameter is larger than the palm of my hand.

A fully opened mushroom with a flat top, this does resemble a parasol.

October 8, 2025 at 1:10 PM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

The Railway Hotel is going to be auctioned with a pretty low guide price of £180,000

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/167732789

However I think the purchase price will be a lot lower than what it will cost to make something of it, the interior was […]

[Original post on mastodonapp.uk]

A Screenshot of Rightmove page showing the large three story stone building with a £180,000 guide price.

October 4, 2025 at 10:43 AM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

How am I getting home?

I'm taking a liberty 😉.

#pun #joke #dadjoke

A small minibus with "Liberty Coaches, North East England" written on the side.

October 2, 2025 at 11:41 AM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

I'm recceing a walk that I will be leading for a local walking group next week. I've come to Alnwick via public transport as some walkers prefer that option. It was good to recce as there was a small diversion where more houses are being built.

#alnwick […]

[Original post on mastodonapp.uk]

Alnwick castle gate with statues on the ramparts. From this angle it appears to be on an urban road.

The Lion Bridge, a stone bridge with a statue of a lion on the edge wall.

Alnwick castle seen across the river and fields. From this angle the imposing t stone building looks as though it is on the countryside.

An iron footbridge crosses the river Aln.

October 2, 2025 at 11:33 AM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

I like this!

#farage #refuk #Putin #ReformUK #russianinterference

Top picture shows Farage as "the great and powerful OZ from the Wizard of Oz. He's saying "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain ".

Bottom picture shows Putin as the man behind the curtain.

October 1, 2025 at 12:00 PM

Chris Brooking

@chris108.mastodonapp.uk.ap.brid.gy

There's a patch of Access Land to the south east of Rothbury. The path up to it used to have white birch railings, but these fell down a year ago. The path has now become quite overgrown to the point where an unofficial path about 100 metres further along the […]

[Original post on mastodonapp.uk]