Christmas walk with the Greens

 Christmas walk with the Greens. December 21

It's time for the annual Greens walk round Morpeth finishing with a buffet lunch in the Tap and Spile. The Greens are a walking group, there politics are theirs.

We met in the central car park in Morpeth, a parking permit is required, some shops sell them for as much as £1, they last until they fall to bits.

Just one small section of the Morpeth car park, plenty of spaces near the shopping arcade too.

A group of at least twelve, we set off through the shopping arcade, crossed the main street and crossed the river Wansbeck using a footbridge. Turning right we walked the riverside footpath, ignored the stepping stones and were back on the north side by means of a footbridge again.

               I don't do stepping stones. Bridges yes.

We were now on the road for Mitford but we turned right, crossed with care the main street and found a narrow alley (ginnel) that eventually led to Peacock Gap. This section of the walk is through woodland and, not surprisingly, is muddy at the moment.Once through the mud and back on a road we walked through Fulbeck Grange, an estate of large houses, before reaching the road to Pegswood.

This section of the walk crosses Cottingwood Common which was once a racecourse but is now an estate under construction. Desirable and exciting houses.

Leaving the building site we walked round St. Geoge's hospital and into the woods above How Burn.

                     Bluebell woods

We followed the footpath above the burn, eventually breaching a road. Crossing it we were back on the Wansbeck which we crossed on yet another footbridge to the riverside path on the south side. One final bridge and we were back in the town centre, the car park and the pub.

The things we passed along the way. The last three are "Peter's Garden" we were told.

Once changed we went to the Tap and Spile where the lovely Scottish lady had prepared for us a fine spread of quiche, chips, sausage rolls, ham, sausages and a cheese board suitable for Wallis and Grommit.

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