We've just spent two relatively uneventful nights in Alnwick at a spotless, soul-less B&B run by a very weird and off-putting bachelor with a habit of coming into our room and totally rearranging our things when we're out. He vaccuumed constantly at odd hours, posted signs everywhere with do's and don'ts and generally made us feel like we were intruding in his home. If you pass through Alwick we do not recommend the Tate Bed & Breakfast.

Tyler worked almost non-stop the entire time we were here while I kept myself entertained watching Agatha Christie murder mystery shows (Poirot) on TV, buying groceries, washing our clothes at the local Launderette down the street, and reading my new (used) copy of Lord of the Rings that I bought from Barter Books.

Barter Books is a fantastic used book store that fills up the entire old Alnwick train station. You can even go in the waiting room and read a book by the fire over a hot cup of tea!

While staying in Alnwick, we recieved word that a friend of a friend's family lives about ten miles from Alnwick at a place called Hegeley Hall, and that we were welcome to stay with them! I can't believe they live in a HALL that has it's own wikepedia page; the home is a "Grade II listed building." They are sheep farmers so maybe my dream of holding one of these adorable lambs that roam the countryside will become a reality!

We emerged from our room on our last night in Alnwick to wander around town in search of an affordable dinner. On the way we stopped in at a pub to hear some traditional Northumbrian music. It was a lively group of fiddlers, accordianists, guitarists, and about a dozen other musicians playing folk music all together without written music or a leader. It reminded me of when I did clogging and Irish dancing and though I would have loved to dance, there was really no room to do so.

After watching a couple episodes of House on our laptop, we went to bed, excited about getting back on the road in the morning.