The Highs and Lows of Newton

 The Highs and Lows of Newton. September 25th

Back to the coast after last Friday’s country walk from Blackhall.

Today’s outing starts from the village of Embleton. Head north, turn off for Denwick north of Alnwick and follow the sign posts for Embleton. Or use a Sat Nav

The walk is covered by OS Explorer 332 Alnwick and Amble and OS Explorer 340 Holy Island and Bamburgh. 

We parked on Front Street, next to the Dunstanburgh Castle Hotel which serves breakfast and TTL.

Definitely not for the calendar but it's where we parked by the Dunstanburgh Castle Hotel.

After breakfast in the hotel we walked up Front Street, turned right, past the Greys Inn, took the first turn on the left and almost immediately, went across  stile  on the right and through a small plantation out to some fields.

        Thr first stile of the day, and there were several awkward ones.

We walked the edges of recently harvested fields  for the best part of two miles until we reached the road leading to Dunstan Square. Through the farm yard, through a gate, across fields to a low gap in the Heughs and we were facing the North Sea, and Dunstanburgh Castle.

                            The horses of Dunstan Square
              Below.              Dunstanburgh castle, built on the orders of Thomas of Lancaster in the 14th century, damaged in the Wars of the Roses and left to go to ruin.

We walked on the footpath round the castle (King Charles III/England Coastal Path,  and after a short distance on the dunes descended to the beach of Embleton Bay where we found......

Still alive if not exactly kicking, we threw it back into the sea although the incoming tide may have returned it.

About half way round the bay we left the soft sand and took to the footpath round the edge of the golf course, through the holiday chalets and to the square of cottages at Low Newton by the Sea. 

The open square of cottages at Low Newton. Managed by the National Trust and the Ship Inn in the corner is a favourite of the Sunday supplements. We had a Herbie: cookies, Skinny Whips and Mrs A supplied sweet and savoury.

Moving on after about 5.5 miles walking we followed the footpath near the sea and round Newton Point to Link House Farm. From here we followed the road to High Newton by the Sea.

Village Green at High Newton.

There is a large car park just outside the village and at the entrance there is a footpath that we followed round the edges of several fields. The path is marked with bright yellow arrows and is easy to follow because it is fenced on both sides, no walking across fields. Crossing Kelsor Hill, more of a bump really we came to a difficult stile:

Tricky one this.

Had we known we could have avoided the stile by using a gate less than 100 yards away. Instead we walked the edge of a ploughed field, joined a good grassy path to North Farm, mostly a collection of holiday homes, turned left and walked along the road to Embleton.

The end of the road is nigh.

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The walk is about 10 easy going miles, sea views and a splendid castle even if it is ruined

Black and Green

 Black and Green. September 20th

This easy walk has been done before, but why not again. It's with the Greens, a fellow walking group who lay on a great Christmas walk and buffet in a pub.

The walk starts from Blackhall Mill near Consett. Cross the Tyne going south on the A1 and navigate round the next intersection, head west and arrive. Park near the Riverview Bakery, enjoy one of their bacon sandwiches and start the walk.

The walk is covered by OS Explorer 307 Consett and Derwent Reservoir.

Across the bridge into Blackhall, there is some parking on the right but it was full. The roads near the cafe were also full so it was a bit of a cheek leaving a car in the cafe park but we did go in at the start and end of our walk. Well worth it too, a top class bacon sandwich in the morning and great cakes in the afternoon.

Riverview in Blackhall. Always busy and not surprising it's so good.

Leaving the cafe we walked along the road for a short distance, parallel to the River Derwent.      

Leaving the road we took a footpath on the edges of fields with a crop of maize ready to cut.

Grown for manimal feed rather than cornflakes I'm told

Not quite as high as an elephants eye.

                               Alpacas.

Crossing the river we were close to the remains of  Vindomoa Roman fort, we didn't stop most  roman forts look alike.
Back across the river we entered Hepper Hill Park Wood and followed the footpath going steadily uphill to Hoods Close. Being a warm sunny early autumn day the walk through the woods was a pleasure. Once out of them we crossed fields to the village of Whittonstall, built on one of the highest spots around. The village had provided a small picnic spot complete with table and benches so we called a Herbie. (No sharing it's a Greens walk)

Herbie spt in Whittonstall

Moving on down the village road we turned in at Lawson's Farm, a collection of holiday homes which looked very comfortable and well maintained.

Across a couple of fields and back to the woods, Ryehill Woods this time. A narrow footpath which became a track through the farm at Hollings.

Looking south at Hollings

Arriving at a road we turned right then joined the dismantled railway for a short time before taking the track through Milkwellburn Wood all the way back to Blackhall.

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The walk is about 9 miles, easy going with acouple of short climbs. But if you like a woodland walk this takes a lot of beating

Support your local footpaths

 Support your local footpaths. September 4th

Several of the team are away for various reasons, mostly holidays, so a few of us are having a very local walk. Starting from Holywell, a village near Seaton Delaval, walking cross country to Blyth and back along the coast to Seaton Sluice.

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

It is difficult to find a car park in Holywell. Fortunately a friend invited me to leave my car on his drive. No photo though, invasion of privacy!

Assuming you start the walk on the main street, opposite the Fat Ox say, head east turn off the main road at the Milburn Pub, walk to the very last street, East Grange, and turn left.

At the end of the road, between two houses, is a footpath that took us round the edge of a field and past the Holywell Pond Nature Reserve. All quiet today, a few ducks and geese and the vandalised hide is still being renovated.

                             The pond, centre of image

Not far beyond the pond we came to a cross paths and turned left on the Tyne and Wear Heritage Trail. The first mile is on an old railway track and leads to The Avenue, once the drive to Seaton Delaval Hall. Crossing the road and going a few yards to the right we continued on the road towards Seaton Red House Farm.

 

Once positioned at the entrance to Seaton Delaval Hall, I was told. Now next to the road that goes towards Seaton Red House Farm.

WE continued on our way, roughly north west on tracks and fields to Lysdon Farm.  The path is next to the recently reopened Northumberland Line, we became trainspotters for a while.

Freight train taking fuel to Ellington Power Station.

We walked the edges of a couple of fields to South Newsham Road, turned right and headed for the cafe at South Beach.

Really good restaurant and cafe at South Beach. Although tempted we didn't have the fish and chips, just coffee. tea and a milk shake.

From Blyth South Beach we walked along the metalled Eva Black footpath/cycle path that runs between the beach and the road.

             The memorial to the men who were tragically killed in a road accident some years ago. 

When we reached Seaton Sluice we crossed the road and headed for Holywell Dene.

                          Seaton Sluice

 Starting on the north side of the Seaton Burn we followed the stream, crossed to the south side, followed the stream and crossed to the north side again.

An upended post directed us across fields , back to the cross paths on the Tyne and Wear Heritage Trail, past the hide and back to Holywell.

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The walk is about 9.5 miles, easy going. Fields, woodland and coast a great walk.