Ambling again

 Amble Responsibly. May 30th

A return to the Northumberland Coast after several country walks we are off to the small but friendly port of Amble. 

OS Explorer 332 Alnwick and Amble covers the walk.

Head up the Northumberland Coastal route and turn into the town. There is a large, free, parking area next to the cemetery.

                   Not a calendar car park, but plenty of large rocks to sit on as you boot up.

We headed south from the car park, walking on the dunes, which are part of the Charles III/Northumberland Coast/ English coast path.

                  Coquet Island. Nature reserve and onetime weekend  retreat for St. Cuthbert and St. Hilda.

After almost two miles of little ups and downs in the dunes we reached the entrance to Hauxley Nature Reserve.

                       This is at the entrance to the nature reserve. It is designed as a nesting pillar but I've never seen a bird near it.

At the reserve observation platform and cafe we stopped for breakfast. Sadly the cafe stops serving bacon butties at 11am and as we had had a late start we had to make do with a drink or a scone.

The pond at Hauxley Nature reserve.

Rested and refreshed we walked up the road to High Hauxley and continued on the tarmac to the Northumberland Coast Route. Directly across the road the gate led to a series of firm farm tracks. At mile four we sat on the grass, chatted to a set of twins who were walking the St. Cuthbert's Way and had a Herbie. (Skinny whips, biscuits, sweet and savoury from Mrs A). Passing the large farm and cottages at  Hope House we  continued to New Hall, turned left and after half a mile joined St. Cuthbert's Way.

                    Hoping for a good potato harvest.

St. Cuthbert's Way goes almost directly due north and through an estate in Warkworth. We turned left and after a few yards took the unmarked footpath on the right. (just before mile 7).

Walking downhill we reached the River Coquet, directly opposite the Warkworth Hermitage. To get to the Hermitage you need to cross the river on an official looking boat. It was not operating today. Disappointed we walked along the riverside path int Warkworth.

                   Warkworth Castle, high above the Coquet.

It was a warm day, we stopped for ice cream and sat near the church to cool.

               St Lawrence, Warkworth . A Norman church.

                    Medieval gate and bridge, Warkworth. Pedestrians only.

After a short stretch on the river bank we walked up towards the castle, turned left and then left again on the road to Amble.

Fortunately the path leaves the road and heads for the Coquet Yacht Club and the Amble Marina.

             Boats at Amble.

The path crosses the harbour area, goes through a park and back to the cars.

On the way home we called in at the Widdrington Inn, TTL of course.

                         Fairground in the harbour area

                                          Fun in the park.

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The walk is about 10.5 miles, easy going and coast and country.

The above pictures are in the blog courtesy of Nagelpics

Matte's Fen

 Matte's Fen. May 23rd

A while since we have walked from Matfen, a village west of Newcastle and north of Hadrian's Wall. (Matfen,  comes from Old English for the marsh land of Matte, whoever he was)

Although mentioned in the 12th century the settlement is a planned estate village with a 19th century church, a village hall and a large green. There is limited parking near the village shop and cafe.

The walk is covered by OS explorer 316 Newcastle upon Tyne and OS OL 43 Hadrian's Wall.

Car parking in Matfen, close to the village store and coffee shop. And the village green.

Having had a morning coffee we set off,  heading north, taking the road from the village. After a few hundred yards we came to a road junction. On the corner, on the left is a stile, partly hidden by hawthorn hedge and enveloped in nettles. Crossing carefully we followed a fairly well marked path  in a north west direction across several fields. Some meadows, some with crops, barley possibly, (where is Brian when you need him) and oil seed. The path is permissive, the farmer has marked it by poisoning the crops creating a couple of feet of track going across his fields.

                                  Saves walking round the edge or trampling the crop.

And after two miles we were at the village of Ryal. (Rye hill possibly) Although there are only two farms and a few houses the village has a 12th century chapel of ease, possibly built on a Saxon church.

                   All Saints, Ryal, a pretty little church, old but renovated with...       (Nagel pics)

            .... a very fine door and..................

.................Norman grave stones (possibly) built into the wall.

Leaving the village we walked west down the road, Quite steep but going down, much easier for us than for the gentlemen cycling slowly uphill. 

Just beyond Waterworks cottage we turned left up a farm track towards Bingfield East Quarter. A short distance past the farm a fingerpost directed us onto St. Oswald's Way.

                                     Bingfield East Quarter                 (Nagel pic)

                                Bingfield horse.

We walked through a plantation and a couple of fields before settling down just beyond mile 4 for a Herbie. Slim pickings today, Skinny whips and chocolate, come back Mrs A.

We followed in the footsteps of St. Oswald for a mile before turning off and heading for Shellibraes then onward to Great Whittington. The path into the village is not too clear but once found it goes through a builder's yard to the village street.

                       Yes it's a lime kiln, near Shelibraes

                           Great Whittington      (Nagelpic)
 

                                                         

                                          Great Whittington

Leaving the village we followed the fingerpost's direction across fields to the Whittington Mill.

                         Whittington Mill. Early 19th century.  (Nagelpic)

After a few more fields with well marked gates we changed direction at Clarewood and headed north east, passing a Medieval Village (where's Dave when you need him) to a small plantation, and once through that we were back in Matfen.

On the way home we stopped at The Fox and Hounds in Wylam which sells TTL

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The walk is about 10 miles, easy going but there are several tricky stiles.

                                    Nagelpic)

                                  Nagelpic

Newton Under Wood and Nunriding

 Newton Under Wood and Nunriding May16th

It's  several years since we did this country walk in Northumberland. Based on the hamlet of Newton Under Wood It's  a nine mile stroll through fields and woods. 

To get to the start head north on the A1, go through the town of Morpeth, almost, turn left for Mitford and a couple of miles west of the village turn right. Parking on the road side.

The map to use is OS explorer 325 Morpeth and Blyth and it would be useful although the paths are well marked.

Neatly parked off the road at Newton Under Wood. But watch out for grumpy drivers who think you have taken up the whole road.

A lane on the right between the houses sent us on our way, heading east and passing a modern house with the remains of a bastle attached.

                              It's a long time to Christmas

                                  Remains of the bastle.

Reaching a metalled track we turned and headed north towards Newton Mill. The track was made of crushed stone, hence the term "metalled" which comes from Latin for Mined or quarried.

If you follow this route watch out for a post on the left just as you reach the gate to the house. It's hidden but it points the way to the footpath that runs through woodland and field high above the River Font, passing two well named alluvial flats, Nanny's Haugh and Miry Haugh, eventually reaching Nunriding Moor. 

Turning west, crossing fields, turning north, crossing Nun Burn we came to Nunriding Hall. The name means it was a clearing, the work carried out probably by a group of nuns who built a hose there.

A couple of fields later the path turned west and just beyond mile 4 we sat in the grass for a Herbie. Cinnamon sweets, ginger biscuits and a flapjack, few out today.

                 Not the one built by the nuns I suspect.

Herbie Time over we headed almost due north to the Font River. Just before the river, and difficult to spot there is a path on the left (unmarked) leading through a small wood and then across fields to Longshaws.

After crossing more fields we reached Thistlecock Plantation, turned east and walked a metalled track above Nun Burn, leaving it just beyond mile 7 to head south on a "Green Lane" to Throphill Farm. (mile 8)

More horses than people in the fields at Throphill, we chatted to several shires on the way across fields to High Red Houses.

                                Horses and ponies at High Red House.

The direct footpath from High Red House looked very overgrown so we walked back to Newton Under Wood by road.

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The walk is just under 10 miles of fields and woodland. A beautiful country stroll but because the recnt prolonged dry spell has left the ground hard it is at times  a little uncofotable to walk on land that has been pockmarked by cows and churned up by tractors.