You just can’t beat the north of England for mountains and moorland.   All of the high roads can be spectacular – well, either spectacularly bleak in the middle of a snowstorm or spectacularly beautiful on a sunny day.  This weekend was mainly good weather, just check out these views. The photo above was as I came past the Howgill Fells this afternoon ~ just a hint of a rainbow over Sedbergh in the distance!

First the Lake District ~ oh so beautiful, especially last Friday, looking down over Elterwater…

The place for lunch in Elterwater is the Brittania Inn, highly recommended. The best local dish in this part of the world is Cumberland Sausage and gravy – really good!

The Langdales Pikes were also very clear – this view is from Great Langdale…

And the highlight of Friday evening was the Jesus Church, Troutbeck annual Harvest Supper, held at the Village Institute, and as always well-supported, this year by about 70 people. My first visit. The event is famous locally for the delicious food, and people look forward to it all year!  General advice is not to eat lunch, and there were 14 different puddings on offer. The money raised went to the Bishop of Carlisle’s Harvest Appeal, supporting farming projects in Malawi and South Africa.  Check out this spread….!

Yesterday, Saturday and off I went over the hills heading eastwards on the A66, via Sedbergh on the open roads, to Co. Durham….

With lots of stops to see the views…

And to see the classic cars parked at the Fat Lamb Inn….

And so I arrived an hour or so later in Spennymoor, Co. Durham for a visit to St. Andrew’s Church, Tudhoe Grange, one of my CMS Link Churches.  My last visit there was in January 2015, recorded here.

I was very warmly welcomed by the vicar, Rev. John Livesley, and all his lovely family. Such gracious hospitality, and so much delicious food, it felt like I did nothing much else but eat, eat, eat, eat all weekend!  I’ve been supported by this church for many years and nobody ever seems to get any older. Photos galore of lots of smiling people!  Specially delighted to see Rita and Cliff, former churchwardens…

And the current churchwardens – with Shirley, the Mother’s Union leader…

Those giving out the books were also smiling of course…

I gave the sermon and also spoke to the children in the Sunday club that followed the service. Loved it all!

At the coffee hour they kindly presented me with a cheque for CMS, money raised at their brunch a few weeks ago. Thank you John and all at St. Andrew’s!

Ah, yes, thanks be to God for safe travels, great views, wonderful churches and warm welcomes!