I am gradually getting closer to the end of the epic trek up the country and I must be honest, I've fallen by the wayside a little bit over recent weeks. I've not been walking anywhere near the mileage I should be - partly because of the weather and partly because the writing has been flowing so nicely I've been reluctant to leave it. However, the return of the sun and a trip to see my mum after fifteen months without any non-online contact has meant that we've been out and about and hitting the fields again. I've done more miles over the last two days than I'd done in almost the week before!
One thing this walk up the country has made me realise is quite how many beautiful places there are to visit in the UK. This postcard certainly adds a castle to my list of ones to visit. We've been to both Lancaster Castle and Sizergh Castle while we've been staying with mum and both places provide huge inspiration for stories. Castles provide such a wealth of historical possibilities and romantic backdrops that they feature in all kinds of books from romance to horror. In terms of my audiobooks, I've finished listening to Wyrd Sisters and although I have Macbeth on my pile of books to read, I've just started listening to Natalie Livingstone's The Mistresses of Cliveden. It's not exactly a castle, but its original owner was certainly close to a man who owned a few of them!
It's onwards and upwards with the walking - less than 50 miles to go now - but really I just want to get back to my writing!