We're going to Blanchland

 We're going to Blanchland April 10th

It's  several years since we have had a walk based on Blanchland, the village just in Northumberland.

West on A69, south on A68 near Corbridge and watch out for signs. There is a large car park, donations requested.

The walk is covered by OS Explorer 307, Consett and Derwent

The Premonstratenians, known as the White Canons, founded the Abbey in 1165, Henry VIII had it closed in 1539. The Crewe family built the village in the 18th century. The village church, dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin stands in the ruins of the Abbey. The Lord Crewe Arms is a hotel and pub. and the White Monks still have a cafe.

Blanchland car park. Plenty of space and a box for contributions at the entrance.

Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Blanchland. The church contains the monastic chancel, crossing and north transept, so it is a mixture of 12th century, 13th and 14th, with 19th century repairs. The garden wall of the Lord Crewe Arms is the remains of the Abbey nave.

Aftyr breakfast with the White Monks  we set off past the hotel, across the River Derwent and on the road heading south and going steadily uphill. When the road turned right we continued through a gate and walked south over Buckshott Fell, pssing several sets of Grouse Butts.

                              Grouse Butts

The track turned south west and a spot marked "Old man's Grave" (mile 2) we came to a minor road. Turning left and after about 100 yards we followed the track close to a disused flue line that took us to a disused lead mine. An adder disappeared quickly as we passed, didn't give time for a photo, shame, it was nicely marked.

At the disused lead mines we declared a Herbie, making use of some large stones left from the workings as seats. (Apple pies and sweet and savoury from Mrs A)

Chimney and dam left from the lead mining days. The little white stick marks a tub of grit for grouse.

Lunch over we continued uphill on the Pennine Journey long distance trail for a while. (Not the Pennine Way). Soon we were at the top of Bolt's Law, a height of 540 metres or 1771 feet in proper units. (Blanchland is at 242 metres or 794 feet so we had climbed roughly 1000 feet.

There is a trig point on the summit. Heading north west we crossed fields with a mixture of heather and long grass, guaranteed to trip. At the bottom of the hill we thankfully found a good farm track, followed it until it became a metalled road and stayed on it, passing several attractive cottages. At the point marked 338 on the map we spotted a finger post, made use of it and walked alongside Bolt's Burn through woodland. Leaving the path when we reached a road we crossed the River Derwent and walked a footpath back to Blanchland.

On the way home we stopped at the Wellington in Riding Mill which had TTL, zero Guinness and tea.

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The walk is about 8.5 miles one long steady climb. Worth it for the views.

A warm walk from Wylam

 A warm walk from Wylam March 27th.

A much reduced team,  because of holidays, family birthdays or the talk of poor weather, is walking from Wylam in the Tyne Valley again. Easy to reach, west on the A69, turn off at the signpost for Wylam and head down towards the river. Just before the river, on the left, is a large and free car park.

The walk is covered by OS Explorer 316 Newcastle upon Tyne.

                            Wylam car park.

From the car park we walked down towards the river and took the footpath under the road bridge, continuing close to the water to Hagg Bridge.

Hagg Bridge. Originally built in 1896 to connect the Wylam line with the Newcastle to Carlisle railway it is said to be a model for the Tyne Bridge. The line closed in 1968 and the old track bed is a footpath.

Once on the south side of the river we followed the footpath/cycle path alongside the bank to the Tyne Riverside Country Park at Prudhoe.                                                                                                           This section passes the Spetchells, an artificial mound created from chalk when the nearby factory was used for the production of fertiliser and explosives in WW2. 

The Spetchells. The chalk mound was planted with trees and is now a nature reserve!

      Although we had only got 2.5 miles under our feet we stopped for coffee, sitting outside in the sun. 

Break over we continued for a short distance on the river bank before crossing the railway and walking through woodland to a road. Turning left we walked a short distance down the road to a track that took us to Prudhoe Castle.

Prudhoe Castle built in the 11th century and occupied by the Umfravilles until  in 1381 the last of the line died. His widow married into the Percy family. The Percy family lost it, got it back, restored it and let it out. (The Percy family are the Earls/Dukes of Northumberland) Prudhoe comes from old English and possibly means High Ridge. The castle does stand high above the river. In one of several battles between the English and the Scots the soldiers from north of the border did a lot of damage to the castle orchard.

The castle is closed but there is a footpath all the way round the walls, as the loop at  mile 4 on the map shows.

Leaving the ruin we walked along a footpath close to the road and the industrial area which makes tissue.                                                                                                                                                          The path went through a wood below the Recycling Area but a log made a fine seat for a Herbie (Close to Mile 5)   Titans from ALDI, cookies, no Mrs A                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Crossing the railway again  a series of steep steps took us back to river level and round a large pond.

               The large pond

Back on the track by the Tyne at mile 6 we were soon back at Hagg Bridge from where we followed the dismantled railway back to the car park and home. And, in spite of the forecast, it was  a warm dry day.

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The walk is about 7.5 miles, easy going, river views and a castle.

May the forts be with you

 May the forts be with you. March 20th

Today's walk is the one we meant to do last week but called off because of the weather. Walking from Ingram in the Breamish Valley, starting, not from the visitor centre but from the car park about a quarter mile further on.

Take A1 north, A697 at Morpeth and turn left beyond Powburn. Four miles further on pass the Ingram Farm and stop at the car park a little further on.

The walk is covered by two maps. OS OL 16 The Cheviots, OS Explorer 332 Alnwick.

If you want breakfast there is a cafe at the visitor centre. There are toilets at the car park we used.

There are nine of us out today, an ennead, lovely word.

Slightly cropped  car park photo.

Across the road from the car park a finger posts points to Brough Law, claiming the distance to be 3/4 of a mile. The climb begins immediately and there is no respite, the path climbs about 500 feet, through what was once a wood until it reaches the hill fort on the top.

The remains of Brough Law fort, built between 355 and 155 BC. Thought to have had three defensive stone rings and homes inside. Great views too.

Having admired the stones  we moved on walking south, passing several cairns and enclosures, all marked in Gothic script on the map. Crossing Ewe Hill we took a fairly level route, relaxing for aging legs after the initial climb. The path dipped into Middledean Burn before climbing up to Cochrane Pike, the top is at about 1000 feet.

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 A walk for views

At mile 3 we joined a farm track and were passed by two motorbike riders. One of them, a young lady did not appear to be the happiest of bunnies.

Leaving the track we crossed Rocky Burn and turned north east towards the next hill Old Fawdon Hill.

We meant to go over it but  a change of plan took us, thankfully, round the base. At about 4.5 miles we sat on a grassy bank in the sun for a Herbie. (Apple pies, chocolate bar and sweet and savoury from Mrs A) 

From the picnic spot the remains of a large settlement are visible.

The settlement is here somewhere, very low walls.

Moving on we headed for Fawdon Farm. The track to the farm that we have used for years has been closed off by the landowners, hence the squiggle on the map at mile 5. Watch out for the marker that takes walkers round the forbidden section and joins the farm track.

At Fawdon Farm there is a gate on the left leading to a good farm track  taking you back to Ingram village  and then on to the car park.

On the way home we called in at the Shoulder of Mutton in Longhorsely, it has TTL.

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The walk is under 8 miles, a couple of climbs but on a sunny day like today well worth it.