Four go off to Lindisfarne

 Four go off to Lindisfarne. September 27th

Holy Island, also known as Lindisfarne, is a small island off the coast of Northumberland. Famed for the foundation of a monastery in 635AD by St Aidan and for being the home of St. Cuthbert. It is accessible at low tide by either driving across the causeway or walking the muddy Pilgrims' way. It is advisable to check crossing times before you go or you will become an item on local TV news as your car is flooded and you sit it out in the refuge.

The refuge is almost centre, the cars appear to be underwater, the poles mark the Pilgrims'Way

The day after our walk, seven people needed help as they crossed on the Pilgrims Way, be warned, read the signs.

There are four of us out today, Brian, John  H, me and Dave. Dave is an archaeologist and promises to show us new trenches and piles of stones.                                                                       A map is not essential but the island is covered by OS Explorer 340 Holy Island and Bamburgh.

There is a large carpark just as you reach the village. £8.50  for 5 hours, £10  for 24. Less for shorter stays.

                Top. quiet morning in the car park. Bottom; busy at 3.30pm

Before setting off to walk we had breakfast in the 1st Class Food and Post Office, served by a chatty Makem. (Person from Sunderland) Much discussion of football and a good bacon sandwich.

Fed and watered we wandered off, led by Dave to an archaeological site behind the ruins of the Priory.

                   Ruins of the Priory. Aidan set up on Holy Island in 635 AD. His monastery was ruined by Vikings, nobody is sure exactly what and where it was but in 1093 the Bishop of Durham ordered the building of the Priory, now also a ruin.

Site of one of the digs, Looking for foundations of the original?

From the dig we walked to the modern Observation tower which gives a full 360 view of the coast, the sea and Bamburgh Castle. It also looks out on a small island which was the site of Cuthbert's personal hermitage. When the tide is out you can walk across to it.

                    St Cuthbert's little island from the Observation Tower.

Back down from the tower we walked the short distance to the harbour jetty, stopping as Dave pointed out to us the ruins of Osborne Fort.

Osborne Fort, built in 1670 to keep us safe from the marauding Dutch.

Off around the small harbour, several fishing boats tied up, there had been a warning from the Met Office advising fishermen to stay at home because of the strong north wind. Good advice, it was very windy and cold.

                                 Lobster pots

Upturned boats used as storage.

There is a well worn path to the castle, it is run by the National Trust. But having been before we headed to Gertrude Jekyll's small walled garden.

Lindisfarne Castle, built in 1549 and used until 1819. Now a National Trust property.

Late September is not the best time to visit a garden, not many flowers in bloom but it is very peaceful.

Back to the castle and to the Lime Kilns to the south of it.

                         Top of the kiln. Layers of limestone and coal poured in

               Lime Kilns, some of the best in the county. Built in 1860 for cooking lime for fertiliser. The lime stone was quarried on the island, coal was shipped in. Closed about 1900

                                  Kiln interior.

Having explored the kilns we headed north on the coast path, stopping at the bird hide for a Herbie. Apple pies, almond slices and cookies. Mrs A had sent sweet and savoury offerings too.

Lunch over we stayed heading north to the White Pyramid at Emmanuel Head.

It is a Daymark. Built between 1801 and 1810 it acts as a warning to ships to keep off the rocks. Built by Trinity House it is one of the earliest Daymarks in Britain. 

From the pyramid we followed a narrow footpath through the dunes across the island, battling the wind at times. Turning south we  then crossed the island road, walking on the coast, watching sea birds and seals  before heading back to the village, the car park and the Ridley Arms in Stannington. Shuggy Boat Blonde, a good session beer.

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Very easy going and a shortish 6 miles

A walk from Matfen

 Seven go walking from Matfen. September 20th.

Matfen is an Estate Village, west of Newcastle, north of Hadrian's Wall. It has a 19th century church, Holy Trinity, a pub and a village store and cafe. 

Brian, Margaret, John H., John C., Dave,  Harry  and I  are having breakfast and a walk from the village. The walk, most of it across fields, is covered by two maps. :

OS explorer 316 Newcastle on Tyne and OS OL 43 Hadrian's Wall

And it's a low cloud day, with drizzle to come. The paths are generally well marked, one or two gates well hidden and some of the stiles are in need of repair.

                   Car parking by the cafe

                                           Matfen and mole hills

Leaving the village we walked south, turned right at the next road and entered the first of many fields. Fortunately the grass was short and dry, and although the crop had been cut in one field there was a clear footpath across it. Thank you farmer. 

Just beyond Clarewood  we joined St. Oswald's Way. Close to a narrow River Pont we passed the ruin of the Whittington Mill and a couple of friendly horses.

                        One friendly horse

                                  The old mill by the stream.....

Once in Great Whittington we headed up the village street, passing the pub and turning right to find the footpath over fields to the farm at Shellbrae, at just under four miles. We held a Herbie, sitting on a bank under a spreading tree. 

                               Lime Kiln at Shellbrae. Really must write that book....

            Picnic spot. Apple pies, almond slices, cookies and, of course, sweet and savoury from Mrs A.

Back in the fields we rejoined St. Oswald and stayed with him to Bingfield east Quarter. (mile 6) Once through the farm we joined a road, but soon, at a finger post, turned left and headed for Fairspring (mile 7). After as hort stretch of tarmac we took to the fields again for Ryal.

All Saints at Ryal. A 12th century chapel of ease with a great deal of 19th century restoration.

At Ryal South Farm we were back in the fields, walking almost a straight line back toMatfen. One field was being ploughed, we had no option but to walk the edge, the turned earth would have been a nightmare. And from Matfen some of us went home, some went tot a pub.

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The walk is about 10 miles, easy going with a couple of short and fairly gentle climbs.

 

Belsay, Bolam and Beans

 Belsay, Bolam and Beans. August 30th.

Eight of us out today, almost a record. Me, Brian,  Margaret,  Ian, Harry,  Dave, John H. and John C. Out for a new stroll from Belsay a few miles beyond Ponteland. Belsay has a hall, a castle and a beautiful quarry garden. The village is an estate village,  an interesting row of cottages and a primary school.

The walk is covered by OS  Explorer 325 Morpeth and Blyth and 316 Newcastle upon Tyne and are recommended. 

Breakfast in the  Blacksmiths cafe, close to the entrance to the hall. Off road parking close by.

                     Parking near the Blacksmiths.

          The Blacksmiths cafe, be careful how you queue! The parking is for customers not walkers.

Having had some breakfast off we went, back through the village of Belsay to the three way junction. Taking the road to Bolam Country Park we, almost immediately, went through a gate and headed north on the edges of fields. One field was being ploughed, another had a large combine, not exactly bringing in the sheeves but getting in the grain. This section is well marked, easy to follow and heads almost directly north, . Eventually we arrived at a minor road, turned left, then right and came to St Andrew's Church in Bolam.

I like this little church. The tower is Saxon, much of the interior is Norman. The small window is where a WW2 bomb pierced the wall but failed to explode. Many years later the pilot came and apologised for hitting the church, he was jettisoning his load, not aiming for it.

In summer it is a battle to fight through the churchyard to the fields for the next section of the walk. High nettles and assorted weeds and grasses sting or manage to undo your laces but eventually we all found the gate and headed north across fields passing Angerton Steads which has a tennis court, and reaching the dismantled railway. 

A lady exercising a fine looking horse told us the railway was a right of way but be creful, there were several holes in the ground, not all too easy to see. She was right too, we decided they had been dug out by badgers.

                    Very nice lady and beautiful horse.

We walked the railway line for the best part of two miles, stopping at one point for a Herbie. Sitting on a grassy bank we shared cherry tarts, cookies and sweet and savoury from Mrs A.

Break over we continued on the line to a road, turned right then left then right then left and we were at Penny Hill farm.

Penny Hill is in my mind (sorry)

There were, as far as we could see, no markers at the farm and only after a lengthy discussion did we agree on the right way. After crossing fields, with nettles and long grass we came to the road into the village of Whalton.

Somehow at this point we managed to get divided into two groups of four. Harry, Ian, JohnC and I followed the road south from Whalton. At a corner we saw that the next stretch was through a field of broad beans. Not wishing to trample beans or walk the field edges we continued along the road. At a right-angled bend we left the road and continued on a rough farm track, with nettles for about half a mile. Turning  left we were back on the same track we had started out on from Belsay and soon we were back at the cars. The cafe was closed, shame, the others had not arrived. After a short wait the others joined us. Braver than us they had battled the beans to the Ogle Belsay road and headed back to the Blacksmiths.

On the way home we stopped for refreshment at the Blackbird of happy memories in Ponteland

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The walk is about 11 miles, easy going apart from long grass, nettles and beans.