My first walk of the section in the first week of January, was on a morning following a night of strong winds and heavy rain. It was dry on my arrival at Heavenfield layby but there was still some strong gusts of wind, as I prepared for my walk on the section.

The field at Heavenfield was full of sheep and they all moved closer to the gate, probably thinking I was the owner with some feed! They quickly moved away to the corner of the field as I started to walk east.

The full programme of walks and events for the 2012 Haltwhistle Spring Walking Fesival is now all online.

The Festival runs between 28th April and 7th May and the times and dates for all 29 walks (and the social evening) have now been published on the Walking Festival website on www.haltwhistlewalkingfestival.org.

By visiting the site those interested in this established walking festival can also read full descriptions for all of the walks so that they choose walks that they can both physically manage as well as finding something of particular interest to themselves.

The cost for most of the walks remains at £6 but where they run over a series of days or where additional costs are incurred, such as transport or food (like an afternoon tea) then prices are higher.

Birds, alpacas, beer, singing and drumming are just some of the themes available in the prgramme for this spring.

Bookings for the walks can also be made through the website so people can plan their Walking Festival visit in the comfort of their own homes.

Christmas is over, 2012 has started and we are all getting back into our routines as though nothing has happened.

But amidst all of this the organising committee for the Haltwhistle Waking Festival is putting the final touches to the Spring Walking Festival which is scheduled to run from Saturday 28th April to Monday 7th May.

There are 28 proposed walks in all of varying grades of difficulty and interest, as well as a social eveing. All of the finalised walks and social events will be fully described on their website before February and also booking will be available for online.

Spring brings a renewed freshness to this area which is both wild and rugged as well as very beautiful, and the walks provide a great opportunity to see the best of this area in good company. The headline long walks this spring will be the Burns and Crags over the first weekend and the 3 day Hexham to Haltwhistle via Burn Tongues over the second weekend. There will be something of interest to everyone as Real Ale, Bird watching, Drumming, Singing, Conservation, Alpacas and much more have all been included in the programme.

During 2011, I created a photographic diary of images taken at the National Trust property of Wallington. As a volunteer gardener there, it gave me the opportunity on my weekly visits to observe the seasonal changes in the Walled Garden and around the woods and grounds. My monthly blogs appeared on the Morpeth Community web pages.

For 2012, I am going to chart the changes on my section of Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail. As a volunteer ranger, I maintain and monitor a three and a quarter mile section - Portgate to Heavenfield. It starts at The Errington Arms car park north of Corbridge and finishes at the lay by at Heavenfield near to Chollerford.