Tracking round Rothbury

 Tracking round Rothbury. February 7th

In an effort to keep on good tracks today's walk is a familiar one starting in Rothbury which has a large car park on the south bank of the River Coquet and a trendy cafe named Bewick's for a breakfast bacon butty.

The walk is covered by two maps: OL 42 Kielder and OS Explorer 332 Alnwick.

A team of ten, an embarrassment of cars, five, not exactly saving the planet but we all had our reasons. And the weather forecast promised us a cold dry day with an east wind offering some chill.

For regular readers, all three of them, this is a familiar car park.

Once ready we walked over the River Coquet using the footbridge. A few hundred yards up the street, next to the church we headed for Bewicks cafe to stoke up with bacon sandwiches, tea or coffee. 

                        Coquet from the footbridge, looking west.

The cafe is close to the church, All Saints. A Victorian building on the site of a pre conquest place of worship.

Once we had warmed up we set off west on the main street, taking the right fork at the first junction following the sign for Pondicherry, a string of houses named for a city in India that was controlled at different times by the Portuguese/Danes/ French? British/French/British/French and finally, in 1954 India. No idea why this hamlet is called Pondicherry perhaps someone stationed in India came home to Northumberland.

Beyond Pondicherry we followed a track for a short distance then a path across fields.

          Another opportunity for Dave to say "You can call me AL". I'm sure one of them muttered "And I can call you Betty".

After a couple of stiles we reached the Physic Lane and walked down to Thropton, crossed the Wreigh Burn, crossed the road and followed the Wreigh Burn to the footbridge over the Coquet.

From the river a footpath took us across fields to the road near Tosson. There, just before the hamlet, is a well preserved Lime Kiln and a couple of picnic benches so we called a Herbie, after only 3.2 miles.

Cherry Bakewells, almond slices, cookies, ginger biscuits lemon drizzle cake and sweet and savoury from Mrs A.

After the feast we walked past the few houses and the remains of the tower to a gate on the right.

Tosson tower, 14th C Next to it was a large car advertising a Mole Hunter. There seems to be more moles about this year.

The track through the gate  climbed steadily through woodland which had suffered in storm Ewon, longest uphill part of the day. Eventually we reached a junction, turned left and staying on a forest road came to a small car park and notice board.

Bonus car park today.

Staying on the forest track we soon reached the road and after a few hundred yards (at mile 6) went through a gate, through a wood and along a path to Whitton Hillhead and then Whitton Farm. From here we walked a good track, passing Dr. Sharp's philanthropic tower and finally reaching the car park.

                    Yes there is a tree growing on the roof.

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The walk is about 8.5 miles. Easy going apart from the woodland climb! Great views.