A saint, and a Roman fort

 A saint and a Roman fort January 2nd 2026

Traditionally the first walk of the year is from Blyth, down the coast to North Shields but that trip has been postponed and we are off on a new walk starting at Blackhall Mill in County Durham.

No directions, use a sat available but the map is OS Explorer 307 Consett and Derwent Reservoir.

Breakfast in the Riverview restaurant: five star bacon sandwich.

Car park of the day with chilly walker 

Wew headed west on the road. At a thinly disguised fork in the footpath we turned south west and walked through woodland on the bank of the River Derwent, crossing a footbridge and reaching the edge of Ebchester. The path does not go through the village . Ebchester is named for Aebba, daughter of a king of Bernicia. She founded a religous house here in the 7th century which was destroyed by marauding Danes. Thge present church, was built in the 11th century using stones from the nearby Roman fort of Vindomora. The church was restored in 1876, the fort has disappeared . Aebba also founded a religious house at St Abbs head near Coldingham in Scotland. St Abbs is well worth a visit if you like a coastal walk.

Woodland walking. Because of the low temperature the ground was firm, it could be muddy in spring and summer.

For a mile we continued on the path through woods alongside the Mill Burn, crossing a road, and leaving the trees at Wood House . 

Leaving the woods we met:

                    In Dave's absence it was up to me to say "You can call me Al" but they were probably llamas anyway.
                                                                                                                               A few fields later we were at the village of Whittonstall where we found a large circular table which made an excellent, but chilly Herbie Spot. (Mince pies, flapjacks and savoury buns)

                        Wittonstall

Lunch over, and it was too cold to hang around, we walked down the road to Lawson's Farm, crossed a couple of fields and went into Westriding Wood which we left near Hollings. For a short time we followed the dismantled railway before turning into Milkwelburn wood which we soon left to walk across fields back to Blackhall Mill.

We thought they were mini turnips being harvested for Burns Night but they are fodder beets, grown for animal feed.

Rather than find a local hostelry we drove back to the Cannon in Earsdon for refreshment. They had a clever little machine for opening and pouring the zero alcohol Guinness.

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The red line is the planned route, the black lines are changes we made.

The walk is just over 8 easy miles with a few gentle slopes. Lovely walk shall be repeated in summer.

Christmas walk with the Greens

 Christmas walk with the Greens. December 21

It's time for the annual Greens walk round Morpeth finishing with a buffet lunch in the Tap and Spile. The Greens are a walking group, their politics are theirs.

We met in the central car park in Morpeth, a parking permit is required, some shops sell them for as much as £1, they last until they fall to bits.

Just one small section of the Morpeth car park, plenty of spaces near the shopping arcade too.

A group of at least twelve, we set off through the shopping arcade, crossed the main street and crossed the river Wansbeck using a footbridge. Turning right we walked the riverside footpath, ignored the stepping stones and were back on the north side by means of a footbridge again.

               I don't do stepping stones. Bridges yes.

We were now on the road for Mitford but we turned right, crossed with care the main street and found a narrow alley (ginnel) that eventually led to Peacock Gap. This section of the walk is through woodland and, not surprisingly, is muddy at the moment.Once through the mud and back on a road we walked through Fulbeck Grange, an estate of large houses, before reaching the road to Pegswood.

This section of the walk crosses Cottingwood Common which was once a racecourse but is now an estate under construction. Desirable and exciting houses.

Leaving the building site we walked round St. Geoge's hospital and into the woods above How Burn.

                     Bluebell woods

We followed the footpath above the burn, eventually reaching a road. Crossing it we were back on the Wansbeck which we crossed on yet another footbridge to the riverside path on the south side. One final bridge and we were back in the town centre, the car park and the pub.

The things we passed along the way. The last three are "Peter's Garden" we were told.

Once changed we went to the Tap and Spile where the lovely Scottish lady had prepared for us a fine spread of quiche, chips, sausage rolls, ham, sausages and a cheese board suitable for Wallis and Grommit. and TTL of course

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the walk is about six easy going miles

Owl Corner

 Owl Corner December 5th

MUD WARNING

Ulgham is a village in Northumberland, a few miles north east of Morpeth. The name means "Owl Corner".

But we are starting the walk in Longhirst, also near Morpeth, and we are having morning coffee in Pegswod, yet another village near Morpeth.

The Courtyard in Pegswood is well worth a visit. It looks like the cafe/restaurant is in what was possibly a Co-op Store. Lovely inside, upstairs and downstairs. Great service and a five star bacon sandwich.

The map to use is OS explorer 325, Morpeth and Blyth.

Parked outside St. John the Evangelist's Longhirst. Badly parked really as it is a one way road. Thge church is Victorian.

Leaving the church we turned left and after a few hundred yards realised we had gone the wrong way so we about turned and headed for the village. Just beyond the War Memorial we turned left mdown a lane and at Howarth Cottage followed the right fork. We were on the fiorst rough and muddy farm track of the day. The o7nly thing of interest on the way was:

A Poacher Block, designed to prevent any vehicle without the height of a tractor from using the track. Judging by the number of blue barrels on the edges of woodland they would be after pheasants.

We followed the track to mile 3 where a sign advertising Hebron Lake, Coarse Fiching sent us off to the right.

               Hebron Lake. Not a fisherman in sight but we did see a heron.

The track went partly round the lake, changing from track to footpath through Broad Wood and Blackdean Wood.

Turning left we walked a short distance on a road before turning left again. Close to mile 5 we walked across a field edging Bricks Plantation. The path on the left is hard to spot, not well marked, but having found it we walked more fields to Tritlington Hall and went down to the hamlet where a low wall made a convenient Herbie Spot.

We have just had a visit from my sister who lives in Canada. For her journey home she had bought some mini Melton Mowbray Pies to eat as she waited for her flight. As we approached the airport a couple of days ago she called out she had left them at our house. Couldn't go back, Mini Melton Pies for my Herbie! And not just pies, M and S pies. Plus mince pies, cake, cookie and sweet and savoury from the usual supplier.

            A Tritlington sheep taking part in a Gymkhana.

Lunch over we headed past the hall again and walked on road, passing but not finding the Hydraulic Ram. Turning north we walked through Robinhood Wood before heading south east across fields to Ulgham. Sad to see the village pub, The Forge, was well and truly closed. Once through the village we took to the fields again. After the recent heavy rain they were very muddy, boots increased in weight. Eventually we came to the road back to Longhirst and the cars. 

On the way home we stopped at The Ridley Arms in Stannington. No TTL but some local beers and alcohol free drinks, and tea for some.

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 It is worth pointing out that normally the walk would be very easy going but the mud slowed progress. We also agreed that there is little variation in the walk, woodland, track and fields and there are no really good view points. The walk is 11 miles

Nanny Mayer's Incline

 Nanny Mayer's Incline November 28th

A new walk for me and possibly several other gadgies today. starting from Allensford near Consett in County Durham.

Head west on the A69, turn south on the A68 and look out for signs. Turn left, there is some parking available next to the caravan park. The park has a shop/cafe and a shed for people to have eats and drinks in the company of their dogs.

The walk is covered by OS explorer 307, Consett and Derwent Reservoir. Could well be useful.

          Car parking at the Allenford caravan site. Free!

After breakfast in the cafe we set off back out of the park and across the road to find a muddy footpath by the river. It started to rain. Reaching a footbridge we admired the waterfall.

                        Waterfall near the start.

As we walked uphill on a muddy path through woods the rain got heavier, stair rods as they say.

Leaving the wood we followed a footpath over fields  alongside Birks Wood as the stair rods increased. The path looked down on Wharnley Burn and we were approaching Castleside. Somebody suggested sheltering in a pub in Castleside, somebody suggested cutting the walk short. Agreed on this we turned back, which explains the spike on the map from Mile 2.

Following a rough track through woodland and taking brief shelter in a ruined cottage we crossed the Comb Bridges and headed uphill on the road. 

            Another chapter for my Book of Kilns.

Realising we had missed a turning point we turned back which explains the wiggle by mile 3 on the map.

Back over Comb Bridges, and the rain easing off, we found  a path through Windybank Wood. We also had to negotiate several stiles. 

Having crossed several fields we came to a track, past a farm and joined the same track we had started out on.

          Same waterfall, after the rain.

 At the cafe we asked if we could use the dog hut for a Herbie and the ladies said yes so we all bought large coffees too. (Apart from the coffee we shared mince pies, almond slices, 2 flapjacks, cake and sweet and savoury from Mrs A.

On the way home we called in at the Fox and Hounds in Wylam which had a roaring fire, TTL and alcohol free Guinness

Cold and wet we went home. And we didn't get to Manny Mayer's Incline. Saved for another day

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The walk is about 5.5miles, including backwards and forwards. About half the planned walk. In spite of the rain we agreed it was a great area for walks and shall return, soon.