This time it is Corbridge

 This time it is Corbridge. July 18th

After a last minute change of mind last week we are off to Corbridge for a walk up towards the famous Wall.

West of Newcastle in the Tyne Valley Corbridge is a small town with a Roman fort and the only bridge to survive the flood of 1771, and a bookshop.

There is a free car park on the south side of the river, just over the bridge.

On the way we stopped at the Coffee Tree in Wylam for breakfast.

                           Car park at Corbridge, large and free. Popular though.

Once we were ready and lightly dressed as it was already warm we set off across the bridge took second left and walked along the shopping street towards the village square.

                      Looking west from the well built bridge.

We passed the church and followed the road beyond the Wheatsheaf pub to St. Helen's Lane.

  St Andrew's, Corbridge. Saxon remains from 774AD, a Roman arch at the base of the tower (possibly taken from the nearby camp or the wall?) Norman and Early English With a peel tower next door once used as the vicarage.

From St Helen's Lane we followed a track  on Hippingstones Lane which passes the Corbridge Middle School, turns east and goes under the A69. After crossing a couple of fields we entered the woods on the banks of the Cor Burn. Making one mistake we had to retrace steps for a short distance, hence the little spike near mile 2 on the map.

We left the burn at Aydon Castle, which was closed like Philadelphia. Entrance for parties, prebooked.

                Aydon Castle, sometimes called Aydon Hall. A fortified manor house, designed to keep out the Scots it has 13th century origins.

We walked on down the road from the castle and just beyond mile 3 turned right to go to Halton Castle.

                   Halton Castle and a topiary pig. Really a peel tower. The tower was first recorded in 1382, the house was added later. There is also a small chapel, the grounds made a Herbie Spot. (Apple pies, cookies and sweet and savoury from Mrs A.)

Going round the buildings we crossed a ladder stile, so much easier, crossed fields and walked through woodland, emerging at the A68 road. 

Almost directly opposite we headed for Stagshaw High House only to be informed, politely, we were off the public right of way, hence another spike on the map.

DETECTORISTS!!!

             Stagshaw Bank Fair dated back to Medieval times. A day of trading and feasting there were three fairs a year. Stopped in the 1920s apparently.

Having crossed a few fields we made it to Portgate, turned south west and followed a track to Fawcett Hill Cottage. A cross roads. Taking the one to Stagshaw High House we walked a few hundred yards before following the finger post  for Sandhoe. At Sandhoe the footpath was narrow, the bracken as high but we made it to a road, crossed it and headed downhill. At the next road we turned right, then left then once under the A69 followed a footpath on the bank of the Tyne passing Corstupitum, the Roman camp, back to Corbridge, the cars and home.

The Tyne near Corbridge.

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The walk is about 10 miles. some up some down some fairly flat.

Embleton to Craster and back

 Embleton to Craster and back.

"It was a sunny day,

Not a cloud was in the sky"

Another heat wave, another walk on the coast to take advantage of a cooling coastal breeze. Take the A1 north, leave just beyond Alnwick for Denwick and follow B1340 and B1339 to the village of Embleton.

Park near the Dunstanburgh Castle Hotel On the side of the road. A septet today, lightly dressed for the promised 24 feels 27C.

                    Not a contender but handy for the pub and free. A couple of benches nearby too, useful when booting up.

                                  Ye olde villagee pumpe.

Once ready we set off up the street next to the pub, turned right at the top of the hill, continued a short distance by road and then took the footpath through Glebe Farm, crossed the burn at Shirewater Low Mill and turned left for Dunstansteads.

On familiar ground here we followed the concrete strip (supposedly built for testing tanks) and walked to Dunstan Square Farm.

                Yes, it's a lime kiln

                   and yes, it's left from WW2.

At Dunstan Square we turned left, walked down the field towards the coast then turnedright, going through a gate and walking behind The Heughs to Craster.

About 3.3 miles into the walk we stopped for breakfast at the Piper's Pitch next to the car park in Craster. Toilets too.

 The Piper's Pitch. Very busy and very good too. Outdoor seating only.

Leaving the pitch the next section took us past the harbour and across the fields to Dunstanburgh Castle.

                             Craster harbour

              Looks like the sort of boat you row across the Atlantic

                         Dunstanburgh, my favourite ruined castle even if built by a Lancastrian.

We stopped north of the castle, above Rumble Churn for a Herbie. ((apple pies, ginger biscuits, almond slices, cookies and sweet and savoury from Mrs A)

         The cliffs behind the castle. Popular nesting site for sea birds

                    and the famous Greymare Rocks of course.

Heading north along the King Charles III/ England Coastal Path/Northumberland Coastal Path, we skirted the golf course before leaving the dunes for the beach of Embleton Bay.

The area was fenced off. A flimsy but effective barrier.

Leaving the beach, happily, the sand was soft, we took the footpath round the golf course, through the holiday chalets to the bird hide overlooking Newton Pool Nature Reserve, Fairly quiet, perhaps the birds felt the heat too. In the next pool we saw maybe a dozen Avocets. A passing walker told us we had just missed a pod of dolphins, Shame. apparently they are seen frequently, I've only seen them once.

                         All quiet on the Newton ponds.

Not far from the hide we passed the square of cottages at Low Newton by the Sea.

The Ship at Low Newton. Pops up frequently in those lists of "Best British Seaside Pubs" in the magazine sections of the heavies. Quite right too.

We walked up the road to High Newton by the Sea, headed for the car park and took the footpath for Embleton. (One post says Emblton, it wasn't me.)

The track starts off well made but then becomes a grassy footpath edging fields of barley until it reaches Embleton. Before heading for the cars we went to  Embleton Quarry. Transformed into a nature reserve with apond and several goats it's well worth a visit.

                           Embleton quarry.

Back at the cars and changed we went to the Dunstanburgh Castle Hotel which had TTL and a beer from Ossett called White Rat. Both excellent thirst quenchers, it had been a hot day.

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the walk is 10.5 easy going miles

 

Walking from Ingram again

 Walking from Ingram again. July 4th

Ingram is a tiny village in the Breamish valley in Northumberland. A1 north, A697 at Morpeth turn left at signpost and after four miles, cross the bridge, turn left, pass the church and use the carpark at the visitor centre/cafe/valley museum.

                 Car park and centre at Ingram. Nice cafe and a room with a history of the valley.

There are nine of us out today, a goodly if not godly team. (Group of nine: an ennead, nonuple or even nonet) On previous occasions we have done today's walk in an anti clockwise direction, but, rebels that we are,  we are off the other way round.

We left the centre, after breakfast, and walked up the lane past the church.

St. Michael's, Ingram. Norman origins, medieval changes and a rebuild in the 19th century.

By the village hall we went through a gate and followed a track almost to Ingram Mill where we turned south east and headed upwards on a good farm track, passing the remains of an ancient cross, hard to see anyway, until we started downhill again and came to the large farm at Foden.

                     Just a small bit of Fawdon. 

The footpath does not go through the farm but uses a gate on the right.(marked). Once through we started a two miles (at least) tramp through fields and bracken covered moorland, contouring Old Fawdon Hill, seeing but not visiting an ancient settlement, until, after 3.5 miles of walking we descended to Rocky Burn. (Which then becomes Fawdon Burn as it approaches the farm.)

              Overcast skies and a strong wind but good views of Northumberland.

WE walked past the delightfully named Thieves Road Plantation (mile 4) and continued on a good farm track before turning north east to the old farm at Chesters.

Two gadgies and Chesters. The farm is being renovated, double glazing in the house and what appear to be small dormitories. (Through the windows). No indication of the developers, perhaps the scouts or an outdoor organisation.

The wind was strong, we hunkered down behind a wall for a Herbie, sharing scones and biscuits.

                 More gadgies and gadgettes.

With the wind on our backs we followed the path from Chesters down to, and through a plantation. The path through the wood was steep and tricky, at least one member tripped.(No)

Easiest part of the plantation. The bridge crosses the Chesters Burn.                                                      Out of the plantation we were faced with a short but steep climb but having reached the shoulder of Ewe Hill we followed tracks downhill to Ingram Farm and then back to the cars at the centre.

On the way home we stopped at The Shoulder of Mutton in Longhorsley, it keeps TTL.

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The walk is about 9 miles with some short steep climbs and great views.