Dukesfield, Dipton and the Devil

 Dukesfield, Dipton and the Devil

Today we're  off to walk from Slaley, a string of a village high above Corbridge. Head west on the A69, turn off at the A68, turn right for Riding Mill and once through there turn left for Slaley.

The walk is covered by OS OL 43 Hadrian's Wall. 

There is no car park in Slaley, we left our cars on the road by the church.

Parking outside St. Mary's Church Slaley. The church is 19th century. 

Having booted up I realised that I had left my camera at home. Two weeks ago I left my flask. Is this the beginning? But after walking 100 yards one of the team of five realised he had left his rucksack so I didn't feel too bad. I used my phone for a few pictures today. Some say you don't need a camera anymore but it's my preference to snap away on it.

Next to the community shop, which has restricted hours, don't expect to buy a tin of beans at 5pm, is the entrance to a footpath leading in a northerly direction and going gently down hill. Having crossed a couple of fields we came to a small wood with a marker, if you follow this route ignore the marker and continue in the fields.

We passed Woodfoot farm and reached a road, turned left and after a hundred yards or so spotted the ladder stile on the right,

               Watch out for this stile, and clamber over.

Once over we followed a woodland path on the edge of Dipton Wood until we reached a road (mile 2). We walked the road for a short distance before coming to this fine entrance, so we entered.

Walk this way.

At the end of the track is a farm, on the right of the farm is the entrance to a lovely long woodland walk above, along and near to the Devil's Water.

We crossed the stream by a footbridge to the path on the west side, walked a path through a field which would have inspired Wordsworth to compose a poem about daffodils until we reached Peth Foot. 

A slight error, we walked on but not far, before it was pointed out we should have used the footbridge to go to the east side.

At about 4.5 miles into the walk we came to the arches of Dukefield  and decided it was a fine spot for a Herbie. (Titans, an ALDI special, ginger biscuits and almond slices.)

A smelting centre for mainly lead ore dug from the surrounding hills.It operated from about 1666 to 1835. Only the arches remain, we sat on the edges of the water wheel pit for lunch, the wheel having gone years ago. The lead ingots were taken to Newcastle for shipping. The water wheel was to power bellows to heat the fire for smelting.

Lunch over we continued following the river to Mire House Farm. From the farm we took the soggy, boggy path through woodland to Steel Hall (mile 6) and from there turned through ninety degrees to head north east to Dukesfield Farm. Once round the farm we followed tracks across fields, then farm track then road, going past the interestingly named Palm Strothers, until we reached Slaley, changed and went home, it was only 3pm.

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The walk is 8.5 miles, field and woodland. A few short climbs but easy going. 

                                                 The start

How green is this valley

 How green is this valley March 21st.

Reduced to a team of three we are having a walk from Ingram in the Breamish Valley. North on the A1, turn off at Morpeth on the A697 and not far beyond Powburn turn left at the signpost for Ingram. After four miles, cross the bridge, ignore the car park on the left but turn left go round the houses and past the church to the car park and visitor centre/cafe/ museum. Free parking!

The walk is covered by OS OL 16 Cheviots and OS Explorer 332  Alnwick and Amble.

Weather forecast is good, dry and warm but overcast.

            Car parking at Ingram. My original photo had a traffic cone on the right but I've cropped it. Better?

By the car at the back of the photo is a duck boarded path through a small wood to the other carpark passing the church.

St Michael's church Ingram. 11th century with many changes
         

 We went this way, turned left, then right and walked through the tiny village of Ingram: a farm and a few cottages. Following the first signpost on the left we headed uphill on a grassy track. Dave, archaeologist and gadgie with a day off, passed us in a truck with a friend. They were off for a dig somewhere but we exchanged greetings.We left the track and followed a soggy footpath. still uphill to mile 2 at which point a steep descent took us to the gate and bridge across Chesters Burn.

A pair of gadgies approach  Chesters Burn.

Once across the burn and through the small wood (The Times would call it a forest: private joke) we crossed a field by footpath to Chesters itself.

Chesters farm house. This isolated building has been used as an outdoor centre and is currently being renovated. 

Beyond the farmhouse we followed a good track heading south for about half a mile before turning east on a footpath over Lumsden Hill. Once over the hill we headed towards Fawdon Dean but seemed to lose our way a little. Having struggled to climb a fence or two and wandered alongside the stream (See the squiggly bit on the map) we finally made it across and sat on a grassy bank near a rabbit warren for a Herbie, no sharing.

Lunch over and well off the route we crossed fields, befriended horses  and finally  hit the footpath that goes round Old Fawdon Hill.

                         Friendly but sorry, nothing for you.

The footpath met a grassy track and soon we were at Fawdon Farm. Turning left we followed a good track on the edge of East Hill which brought us back to the car park at Ingram.

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The walk is 10 miles with several climbs. Great views but it was rather misty today.

 A couple of Harry's pictures:

              Didn't mean to put first in twice.

And some of mine

 Going Green Again March 16th

 A number of gadgies are joining a number of Greens again for a short walk from The Tyne Riverside Country Park.

Head west from Newcastle on the famous Scotswood Road to Newburn, turn down to the left for the car park near the Keelman Pub. A choice of car parks, one before the pub and one after. The walk is covered by OS Explorer 316 Newcastle upon Tyne.

                This car park is a few yards closer to the country park.

We crossed the road behind the above car park and followed the nearby finger post that proclaims "Public Footpath". The path crossed a muddy looking stream and continued through woodland, passing, (about mile 1 )a grubby pond that had little jetties round it for fishermen. Nobody fishing though.

 Not so much as a little boy fishing off a wooden pier..........

Not far beyond the pond the path crosses a field and reaches the hill.

The start of the hill which is about one mile long.

Once at the top we were in Heddon on the Wall, a village quite literally built on a section of Hadrian's frontier marker.

WE chatted to a lady, fresh from church, (Cof E) who told us she had worked on a radio station in Denver for a number of years, talking to famous folk and the occasional president. Had she not had bad hips she might have joined us.

Walking west through the village we spotted a large playground, complete with swings and roundabouts and a picnic bench so we called a Herbie. No sharing yet with the Greens.

                                Herbie time. The children's rides have a base of soft chippings, not so much as a grazed knee when you fall off.

Back on the road after lunch we were led through a gate into a wood. The path wound down and through the trees, making up for the long march up to Heddon. 

Eventually we reached a track at Close House, a golf club.(mile 4)

We crossed the golf course, taking care to avoid flying balls as usual and came to the old railway track that now serves walkers, cyclists and horses.

Wylam at the top, birthplace of the Stephensons and railways..

Rather than having to evade cyclists or horses we took the footpath on the river bank.  It is a section of the Hadrian's Wall Path, long distance trek from Bowness on Solway to Wallsend on Tyne. Narrow and a bit tricky in places but nobody slipped into the water. Near the country park the path joined the track and we were back at the cars. Most went to the Keelman Pub, I hurried home to get ready to watch Newcastle play Liverpool in the Carabao Cup. (Newcastle 2 Liverpool 1)

      The Tyne near Newburn. Site of the Battle of Newburn Ford August 1640

Scotland 1 England 0.

                                                                    ?

                          The Keelman. Probably built as a pumping station. Now a pub and restaurant.

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At just over 6 miles this is a really good stroll out, apart from that hill it's easy going too.

Another ramble through Amble

 Another ramble through Amble. March 14th

Numbers reduced again for a variety of reasons four of us are out on what could be a cold, damp day in Northumberland.

Starting from Warkworth after breakfast at Bertram's, parking by the river, walking coast and country a splendid day is guaranteed for all. 

The walk is covered by OS Explorer 332 Alnwick and Amble.

              Free parking by the River Coquet in Warkworth.

Leaving Bertram's we turned left and headed for the two bridges that span the river, used neither and walked along the bank, up a street and arrived at the main village road near the castle.

Warkworth Castle. 12th century and a Percy stronghold.

Not far beyond the castle we turned left on the road to Amble. The road is close to the river which is home to swans, cormorants, herons and the occasional egret. A few birders out today with their long lenses.

The coastal path leaves the road, fortunately, and wanders round the Amble Yacht club, crosses the harbour square to Pan Point and turns south past the cemetery.

                        The Amble lighthouse

                  In the Amble playground.

Beyond the cemetery we took to the path through the dunes, there is a proper road if you prefer.

 There's a good view of Coquet Island, a nature reserve but once the weekend home of St. Cuthbert.

                              Coquet Island

 At Low Hauxley we joined the road through the collection of beach houses until we reached the path into the Hauxley Nature Reserve.

 It's for birds to nest in. It's next to the path to the reserve.

There are several picnic benches close to the visitor centre at Hauxley so we called a Herbie: Cherry Bakewells, Bakewell slices and scones today.

Lunch over we walked up to High Hauxley, turned left and walked on the road to th next junction. (mile 6)

We crossed the road, went through a gate and joined a footpath.

     Not too obvious bu this marks the beginning of the footpath.

The footpath turns into a farm track, hedges on both sides, like a Green Lane but not stone walled. Passing Hope House, crossing the B6345 we continued on to New Hall, a very big farm with lots of potato crates stored away. Turning left we reached St Oswald's Way and headed north.

                           Follow St. Oswald's Way to Warkworth..

WE kept to the road until we reached a housing estate in Warkworth close to the castle. A footpath goes round the back of the castle and then down a steep path to the river.

                                      Castle and Coquet

And in no time we were back at the car. On the way home we stopped at the Widdrington Arms. The TTL was in such good form we had several, but not the driver.

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#The walk is just over 10 miles, easy going, coast and country.

                               St. Lawrence's Church Warkworth. Norman .

                               Amble art

                                  Amble Yacht Club