On Tuesday and Wednesday there was enough rain to cause some local flooding and guarantee most paths would be muddy. Hoping for relatively dry tracks we are off to Rothbury for a day.
The walk is covered by two maps:OS OL42 Kielder Water and OS Explorer 332 Alnwick.
A team of six: Janice, Margaret, Brian, John H, Dave and me.
Weather forecast? Dry. strong winds from the north, so cold.
We left the car park and headed across the footbridge and went to the Newcastle House for breakfast. Taking a table for six we were informed by the waitress that it was reserved for a group of elderly ladies who would not be happy if we were there. Terrified we moved. The ladies appeared, very chatty, one had some fine photographs of the previous nights Northern Lights. Some taken near Cramlington, all very clear, and no threats!
All Saints Church, Rothbury. Built in 1850 on the site of an ancient church, some bits remaining.
Fuelled we left, walking a short distance up the main street before turning off, passing behind the rows of cottages built by Armstrong for his workers.
Flats built by Lord Armstrong for his workers
Just beyond the flats we went through a gate and crossed a field to Hillside Road, turned right and followed the footpath to the woods. So far the walk had been a steady climb.
In the wood we turned left and took the forest trail as it wandered through the trees, passing an important looking radio mast.
Simonside and Rothbury.
We stopped for a chat with a man who told us about the squirrels in the area and in Cragside, red squirrels of course.
Leaving the woodland we walked on one of the carriage ways before turning off and heading for a wall (about 3.5 miles) The gate in the wall is the top of the grassy path that goes downhill and morphs into Physic Lane above the village of Thropton.
We crossed the river, crossed the road and took the footpath along the burn to the footbridge across the Coquet. (4.5 miles)
The stonework on the end of the bridge seemed a dry and fairly comfortable place for a Herbie so we settled down out of the wind.
Footbridge and Herbie. (Cookies, scones, apple pies, almond slices and, of course, sweet and savoury from Mrs A)
From the bridge the path crosses fields towards Great Tosson. Considering the rain that had fallen recently the track was remarkably dry.
Reaching a road we headed into the hamlet, passing the Tosson Lime Kiln on the way.
Shortly after passing Tosson Tower we went through a gate on the right to start the long steady climb up the hillside.
14th Century Tosson Tower, or what remains of it.
The forest track continued uphill for the best part of a mile before levelling off, turning into a forest road and reaching a forest car park.
One of the county's prettiest car parks.
Turning right on the road we came after a few hundred yards, a gate on the left. Not really a right of way and locked, we climbed it, crossed a field and joined a footpath at Whitton Hillhead, feeling a little guilty. Walking a solid farm track we soon came to Dr. Sharp's Folly:
And soon after we were back in the car park. On the way home we stopped at the Shoulder of Mutton in Longhorsley but the real ale was limited so after one we went on to the Ridley Arms in Stannington.
Contains OS data, copyright. Crown Copyright and database right 2024
The walk is 10 miles, two climbs and wonderful views.
No comments:
Post a Comment