Morpeth author's new book tells the story of her hitchhiking adventures with friends in the 1960s

Following on from Cold War, Warm Hearts, the story of the hitchhiking adventures along the 1960s open roads of the UK and abroad is written in her pre-married name, Bridget Ashton.

Stories scribbled in her diary during these experiences helped her to put together Hit the Road, Gals. The release date is February 28 and it will be formally launched at next month’s Morpeth Book Festival.

Armed with sixpenny Esso road maps and thumbing rides from friendly lorry drivers, Bridget and some of her friends journey through Wales, Scotland and onwards to London.

Venturing abroad, they find themselves enchanted by the romance of France, navigate Spanish landscapes fraught with both beauty and danger, fend off proposals of marriage on the back of a lorry travelling through the Atlas Mountains and revel in the soul-stirring folk music of Ireland.

Bridget said: “We are launching my new book at the Morpeth Book Festival with a little drama. A special visitor is coming back to life.

“The imperious vice-principal of the teacher’s college I attended in those wild 60s days will be back behind his desk. And he will be pulling me and my girl student friends in for questioning – ‘Where did you spend the weekend? Who were you with?’ Questions like that. I’ll have to do my best to dodge the answers.”

This event will take place on Saturday, March 23 from 12.30pm at the new Morpeth Sports and Leisure Centre. Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketsource.co.uk/greater-morpeth-development-trust or at Morpeth Chantry.