Gadgie Walks: The black dene, the fenced park and a preacher.

The black dene, the fenced park and the preacher. (Northumberland January 20th)

A short walk today based on Stannington, a village a few miles north of Newcastle just off the A1. The walk is covered mostly by OS Explorer 316 Newcastle upon Tyne and a short section of it is on OS Explorer 325 Morpeth and Blyth. Easily done without a map though.

Today's wanderers are: me, Brian, Margaret, Ian, Dave, Harry and John H.

There is a large and free car park next to the Ridley Arms pub in Stannington.

On the way to Stannington we stopped for coffee at the Northumberlandia cafe. No bacon.

Northumberlandia is one of the world's largest earth sculptures, built from stone and soil removed from the nearby opencast.

Northumberlandia's head and breast viewed through what the Times described as a forest.

Cae park and Ridley Arms in Stannington.

Stannington is on the west side of the A1, a very busy dual carriageway (well some of it. Dualluing of the rest has been put off again)

Dangerous to cross we walked north to the junction just outside the village, walked under the road and turned south again on a path just off the main highway and sheltered from the noise by a hedge.

After a half mile or so we took the track on the left to Briery Hill farm, walking under the main east coast line as two trains passed.

As inspectors in Offstile, a government department that looks at the condition of stiles, we gave this one a grade 5. In excellent condition, probably because it was next to an open gate.

leaving the track at the farm we followed the footpath across fields until we spotted another stile that gave access to the woodland at Stannington Banks. This part of the walk is part of the Blagdon Estate, land of the Ridley family. Blagdon comes fro Old English blaec-denu, meaning black valley. maybe there were visible coal seams once, maybe it's just dark.

We followed the footpaths to the Visitor Centre in Plessey Woods Country Park.

Plessey Woods Visitor Centre. Food and drink available but we made use of the picnic tables and benches for our Herbie. Brunch bars, cookies, savoury and cake from Mrs A.

Plessey comes from French (plaisses) and means a parkland surrounded by fences made from woven branches.

There were groups of children playing muddy games or, for the older ones, ticking items off their clip boards. Outside on a cold day, brilliant.

Apparently this area was the favourite spot for John Wesley when he was preaching in the North East.

After the break we headed back along the footpaths that wander the area until we found the right one near Hartford Bridge.

A minor tributary to the major river Blyth.

Footpath close to the river.

The footpath follows close to the river, muddy in places and icy in the more sheltered spots.

The viaduct carrying the main East Coast Line over the river Blyth.

Eventually we reached the A1 again. To avoid death or serious injury we walked the edge of the road a short distance before following the slip road that crosses the A1. Turning north again we walked back to Stannington.

As it was so handy we went to the Ridley Arms which, as usual, had a selection of real ales and non or low alcohol beverages for the drivers.