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.

Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2026

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.

A little damp in Wylam

 A little damp in Wylam. August 28th

The weather forecast has suggested there will be thunder and showers for the day in the north east of England. The few gadgies who are out have decided on a short walk near home with cut offs if the heavy rain starts.

Starting from Wylam, west of Newcastle in the Tyne Valley using OS Explorer 316 Newcastle upon Tyne, this is a familiar walk mostly along the river side. 

Park for free down by the Wylam Bridge.

The path by the car park was a railway line, now a horse/cycle/walkers track and we set off  on it, heading west.

After about half a mile we crossed the Tyne on the Hagg Bridge, 19th century predecessor of the Tyne bridge.

                     Hagg Bridge. The line it carried joined the Newcastle to Carlisle railway on the south side of the river.

Not long after crossing the Hagg Bridge we took a footpath on the left, crossed the railway, walked through woodland , crossed a road and continued on footpaths through more woods high above the industrial area of Prudhoe until we came to the castle.

Prudhoe Castle. Dating back to the 11th century, owned then by the d' Umfravilles who came over with William it is now a ruin run by English Heritage. Only open to pre-booked tours. However we walked round the outside, which explains the loop on the map.

Leaving the castle we headed down to the Tyne Riverside Country Park for coffee.

Art at the Tyne Riverside Country Park. Next to the picture is a dog washing area, hot and cold and shampoo and everything for your pooch.

 We crossed Ovingham Bridge, controlled by lights for vehicles but there is a footbridge parallel to it.

                                          The Tyne at Ovingham.

After a slight detour to admire the Bridge End Pub and restaurant  we took a path that, after a short flight of steps, brought us to the track into Whittle Dene. 

There are a number of small cottages in the dene and at mile 4, close to a ruined building that could have been a mill once we settled down for a Herbie. (Skinny whips and apples)

Lunch over we headed back down the dene to Ovingham, just as the promised rain started. Crossing to the south side of the Tyne we followed the tarmacked path back to Wylam, passing the famous Spetchells which are artificial low hills made from the waste produced by a nearby factory that made fertiliser and explosives in WW2.

 Now covered in shrubs trees and flowers they are a nature reserve.

The path, next to the river took us back to the Hagg Bridge and the car park. And then we went home!

Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2026

The walk is about 7.5 miles, easy going, woodland and riverside.