Billy no mates walks the Carey Burn..June 6th
(Cheviots)
Regular readers may have noticed there was no blog last week. Nine out of ten gadgies were otherwise engaged with holidays or family commitments. I opted for a bike ride. However, as my wife has to visit the dentist next Friday for some uncomfortable surgery I have opted to take myself off alone today, Monday June 6th. I need to keep fit for the up and coming gadgie assault on the West Highland Way, in July.
I have chosen a shortened version of a favourite walk, the Carey Burn to Broadstruther and up Cold Law. I love this walk, particularly the Carey Burn. The walk starts at the Carey Burn Bridge in Harthope Valley. To get there from base, A1 north, A697 at Morpeth, turn into Wooler, turn first left into Cheviot Street and right at the first fork. Turn right at the sign for Langleeford, go down the hill past Skirl Naked and park on the side of the road by the bridge.
The map is OS OL 16, The Cheviot Hills and the parking area is at NT 976249.
NT 976249 and a piece of camera cord. Carey Burn Bridge in the background
One of the joys of walking in a group is that you can have different conversations with different members of the party. Like a lot of older people we grumble about our aches and pains but discuss politics, history, football, cricket and the wit and wisdom of grandchildren.
One of the joys of walking alone is that you can have deep meaningful discussions with yourself, and you never lose an argument. You can think about all those things you should have done and all those things you shouldn't have done. Some people may like to walk alone tied to an ipod or something, not for me though, I prefer the silence or the bird calls. Enough philosophy, the walk:
On the right hand side of the road, by the bridge a finger post set me off up the Carey Burn.
The start of the walk, just before the bridge.
The Carey Burn. The footpath is not marked on OS maps but seems to have been adopted, there are some yellow markers along the way.
An easy section, in some places the path is narrow and rocky.
There has not been much rain recently but the waterfall is always worth stopping for.
R and R for the grouse shooters. The season starts on August 12th. In previous years there have been swallows nests in the shed, but not this year.
Beyond the shed the path enters a plantation. In previous years we have seen adders here and I hoped they would be sunning themselves today but they were all in the woodpiles.
The Carey Burn, from both sides of the bridge
He must drink Carling, the Crag is out of focus
Broadstruther in the centre
This track looks fairly new and I don't remember it. There is also a large parking area, for the grousers presumably.
They razed paradise and put up a parking lot.
I followed the track which went round a square shaped enclosure with a few trees. In the enclosure there is a bird trap. It is designed to catch harriers and other birds that might take a grouse. They can only be used at certain times of the year and must have a door permitting escape in the times when it can't be used.
Bird trap. The bird, tempted by bait, enters the trap through the open centre section and goes down a wire chute. Once in the trap it can not escape.
The track turned east and went downhill past an area replanted with deciduous trees that will make a change from the conifer plantations that dot the area.
At the foot of the hill I turned left on the road and within minutes was over the bridge and back at my car.
MATRIX MMXVI T
steps miles
LIDL3D 16187 7.2
NAK 16242 6.15
OUTDOOR GPS 6.7
Contains OS Data, Copyright. Crown Copyright and database right 2016
(Cheviots)
Regular readers may have noticed there was no blog last week. Nine out of ten gadgies were otherwise engaged with holidays or family commitments. I opted for a bike ride. However, as my wife has to visit the dentist next Friday for some uncomfortable surgery I have opted to take myself off alone today, Monday June 6th. I need to keep fit for the up and coming gadgie assault on the West Highland Way, in July.
I have chosen a shortened version of a favourite walk, the Carey Burn to Broadstruther and up Cold Law. I love this walk, particularly the Carey Burn. The walk starts at the Carey Burn Bridge in Harthope Valley. To get there from base, A1 north, A697 at Morpeth, turn into Wooler, turn first left into Cheviot Street and right at the first fork. Turn right at the sign for Langleeford, go down the hill past Skirl Naked and park on the side of the road by the bridge.
The map is OS OL 16, The Cheviot Hills and the parking area is at NT 976249.
One of the joys of walking in a group is that you can have different conversations with different members of the party. Like a lot of older people we grumble about our aches and pains but discuss politics, history, football, cricket and the wit and wisdom of grandchildren.
One of the joys of walking alone is that you can have deep meaningful discussions with yourself, and you never lose an argument. You can think about all those things you should have done and all those things you shouldn't have done. Some people may like to walk alone tied to an ipod or something, not for me though, I prefer the silence or the bird calls. Enough philosophy, the walk:
On the right hand side of the road, by the bridge a finger post set me off up the Carey Burn.
Beyond the shed the path enters a plantation. In previous years we have seen adders here and I hoped they would be sunning themselves today but they were all in the woodpiles.
I looked carefully for the shaggy longhorns, but didn't see any.
The bridge over the Carey Burn. Cross it and follow the footpath.
The footpath continues across open land and eventually reaches a second footbridge, crossing the Broadstruther Burn.
Bluebells on the side of the path
Eweratio on the bridge at the Broadstruther Burn. "Those behind cried forward, and those before cried back"
They moved and I walked up the track to Broadstruther.
Broadstruther. Once a farm, now a lodge for grouse shooters .Empty today.
Normally we stop at Broadstruther and declare a Herbie Spot, but as I had only been walking for an hour and a half I decided to carry on, having said farewell to the inhabitants.
The friendly folk of Broadstruther
Looking back at Broadstruther.
Boundary stone at the foot of Cold Law.
At the fence line I turned north east and walked up Cold Law. It is possible to walk on either side of the fence. If you choose the left you must, at some point, cross the wire fence.
Follow the fence up Cold Law. The shapes on the hillside are areas that have been burnt off to encourage the growth of heather to feed the grouse.
Another boundary stone on the way up Cold Law.
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Cold Law
Just beyond Broadstruther there is a marker on the left hand side of the road. A footpath leads across the moor until it meets a gravelled farm track which approaches a fence line.
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At the fence line I turned north east and walked up Cold Law. It is possible to walk on either side of the fence. If you choose the left you must, at some point, cross the wire fence.
Almost at the top of Cold Law this outcrop made an excellent Herbie Spot. I ate my sandwiches and flapjack, sitting in the sun, admiring the Cheviot Range in the west.
Cold Law has a trig point at 1483 feet
Hazy views of the Cheviot and Hedgehope from my Herbie Spot.
From the top of the hill I continued north east along a fence line, passing Carling Grags.
I followed the track which went round a square shaped enclosure with a few trees. In the enclosure there is a bird trap. It is designed to catch harriers and other birds that might take a grouse. They can only be used at certain times of the year and must have a door permitting escape in the times when it can't be used.
The track turned east and went downhill past an area replanted with deciduous trees that will make a change from the conifer plantations that dot the area.
At the foot of the hill I turned left on the road and within minutes was over the bridge and back at my car.
MATRIX MMXVI T
steps miles
LIDL3D 16187 7.2
NAK 16242 6.15
OUTDOOR GPS 6.7
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