An ordinary day in Northumberland June 29th
An area of high pressure has sat over the British Isles for at least a week, giving the media lots to write or broadcast about, causing moorland fires, particularly on Saddleworth near Manchester. The only part of the country to miss out on twelve hours a day of sunshine is the north east coast, again. The breeze off the north sea lands a misty cloud (Called a haar locally) which spreads inland for about half a mile. So we four ordinary chaps are off into the countryside for a walk.
The walk is one we have done before, starting in the village of Edlingham in Northumberland. To find it head north on the A1, take the A697 at Morpeth and at a cross roads where the Alnwick road goes from that town to Rothbury, turn right and after a mile turn left into the tiny village.
Edlingham is a very small string of a village but it has a lovely little 11th century church, a ruined castle and a disused but still handsome railway viaduct.
A map is advisable, OS Explorer 332, Alnwick and Amble covers the walk and there is room for a few cars to park, Yorkshire style, near the church which is at NZ175970
Today's team is made up of Dave, John H., Harry and me.
This week's car park Number 249 in my collection of northern car parks.
Once booted up, and it was so warm we only needed t shirts but as gadgies we no longer favour shorts, it's the fear of tics, we walked a short distance up the lane that passes as the main village road before turning right and crossing two fields to Birsley Wood. The footpath stays outside the wood which has a notice forbidding entry to ordinary people anyway. After a few more fields we came to the farm at Birsley Woodside and just beyond it took the footpath on the left. Part of the path follows The Devil's Causeway, the course of a Roman road.
Legionnaires Nagelus and Emmetticus walking the Roman road. There is no paving left but the course is easy to pick out as it crosses fields.
Unfortunately the footpath seems to have vanished along with the Romans here and we meandered across fields before coming to a more modern track which crosses a disused railway line.
A new house, not marked on the OS map, but follow the track away from it to...…...
this house which was once a railwayman's cottage. That is the old railway bed through the fence.
We walked along the track to the junction with Garmintedge Bank where we turned right and walked up the bank for about a half mile. For a country lane it was quite busy and we don't like walking on roads so we turned right at the first opportunity and walked the road to Hill Heads farm. The footpath turns left here, between the farm buildings and is not easy to spot. We crossed a couple of fields and a rather fine bridge that once spanned the railway.
A fine bridge that once spanned the railway. The old track below is now thick woodland.
After crossing a field we turned left on a track that brought us to Lemmington Mill. The stream was well over boot depth but fortunately we spotted the footbridge. Passing the mill we walked up the bank and turned left to Lemmington Hall where we called a Herbie and sat in the sun for lunch.
Lemmington Branch, described in Pevsner as a "late 18th century eyecatcher". It's also a farm.
The fields took us close to the front of Lemmington Hall, a mid 18th century house built by William Newton for some local gent. Restored in the early 20th century it became a nunnery in 1947 but is now a retirement home.
Front of Lemmington Hall.
The field in front of the house has a large monumental column and several grave stones which have initials and a year but nothing else.
The column in the field at Lemmington Hall. Built and erected in Surrey in 1786 as a memorial to the parents of James Evelyn (distant relative of diarist John) it was brought to Lemmington in 1928, as an ornament. The base has a carving of a serpent devouring its own tail, a symbol of eternity apparently.
One of the grave stones.
Close to the hall we went through a gate like good boys and found ourselves at the junction above Lemmington Mill. A signpost said Edlingham was a mile and a half away so we followed it across fields, coming first to the viaduct;
Castle and viaduct, overexposed
The castle at Edlingham is classed as a fortified manor house but it is impressive and dates from the days of cross border scraps between the English and their northern neighbours. It is thought to have been built between 1295 and 1300.
Edlingham Castle
And beyond the castle is the church of St. John the Baptist, started at about the time of the conquest, added to in the 14th and 17th centuries.
St. John the Baptist, Edlingham.
On the way home we visited the Anlers Arms at Weldon Bridge because it was a hot day. The pub had its usual three beers on hand pump: Rigg and Furrow, Black Sheep and Ghost Ship. Very refreshing.
Contain OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2018
And a Matrix MMXVIII VI6
steps miles
NAK 24242 9.19
iPhone 20473 9
Dave's 3D 19854 8.42
"""" USB 18627 8.52
"" NAK 18631 8.52
Sm 19144 8.46
etrex 20 9.05
OUTDOOR 9.0
AND A FEW PICTURES FROM DAVE
An area of high pressure has sat over the British Isles for at least a week, giving the media lots to write or broadcast about, causing moorland fires, particularly on Saddleworth near Manchester. The only part of the country to miss out on twelve hours a day of sunshine is the north east coast, again. The breeze off the north sea lands a misty cloud (Called a haar locally) which spreads inland for about half a mile. So we four ordinary chaps are off into the countryside for a walk.
The walk is one we have done before, starting in the village of Edlingham in Northumberland. To find it head north on the A1, take the A697 at Morpeth and at a cross roads where the Alnwick road goes from that town to Rothbury, turn right and after a mile turn left into the tiny village.
Edlingham is a very small string of a village but it has a lovely little 11th century church, a ruined castle and a disused but still handsome railway viaduct.
A map is advisable, OS Explorer 332, Alnwick and Amble covers the walk and there is room for a few cars to park, Yorkshire style, near the church which is at NZ175970
Today's team is made up of Dave, John H., Harry and me.
Once booted up, and it was so warm we only needed t shirts but as gadgies we no longer favour shorts, it's the fear of tics, we walked a short distance up the lane that passes as the main village road before turning right and crossing two fields to Birsley Wood. The footpath stays outside the wood which has a notice forbidding entry to ordinary people anyway. After a few more fields we came to the farm at Birsley Woodside and just beyond it took the footpath on the left. Part of the path follows The Devil's Causeway, the course of a Roman road.
Unfortunately the footpath seems to have vanished along with the Romans here and we meandered across fields before coming to a more modern track which crosses a disused railway line.
We walked along the track to the junction with Garmintedge Bank where we turned right and walked up the bank for about a half mile. For a country lane it was quite busy and we don't like walking on roads so we turned right at the first opportunity and walked the road to Hill Heads farm. The footpath turns left here, between the farm buildings and is not easy to spot. We crossed a couple of fields and a rather fine bridge that once spanned the railway.
After crossing a field we turned left on a track that brought us to Lemmington Mill. The stream was well over boot depth but fortunately we spotted the footbridge. Passing the mill we walked up the bank and turned left to Lemmington Hall where we called a Herbie and sat in the sun for lunch.
The back of Lemmington Hall. We sat on a wall on the left and shared pork pies, chocolate cookies from the co-op and almond roca from www.jesmondcakecompany.com
We also discussed the word ordinary at great length, a word I said I objected to when used to compare celebrities with "ordinary" people. I don't like the use of the word "icon" either to describe footballers and film stars. I had some support. Gadgie chat eh, the alternative can be politics.
Lunch consumed we continued on the road to the next junction, turned right and walked uphill to Broome Wood where we turned right.
We crossed several fields, one containing a herd of excitable young cows, and passed under the building marked as Lemmington Branch on the map.
The fields took us close to the front of Lemmington Hall, a mid 18th century house built by William Newton for some local gent. Restored in the early 20th century it became a nunnery in 1947 but is now a retirement home.
The field in front of the house has a large monumental column and several grave stones which have initials and a year but nothing else.
One of the grave stones.
Close to the hall we went through a gate like good boys and found ourselves at the junction above Lemmington Mill. A signpost said Edlingham was a mile and a half away so we followed it across fields, coming first to the viaduct;
The castle at Edlingham is classed as a fortified manor house but it is impressive and dates from the days of cross border scraps between the English and their northern neighbours. It is thought to have been built between 1295 and 1300.
And beyond the castle is the church of St. John the Baptist, started at about the time of the conquest, added to in the 14th and 17th centuries.
St. John the Baptist, Edlingham.
On the way home we visited the Anlers Arms at Weldon Bridge because it was a hot day. The pub had its usual three beers on hand pump: Rigg and Furrow, Black Sheep and Ghost Ship. Very refreshing.
Contain OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2018
And a Matrix MMXVIII VI6
steps miles
NAK 24242 9.19
iPhone 20473 9
Dave's 3D 19854 8.42
"""" USB 18627 8.52
"" NAK 18631 8.52
Sm 19144 8.46
etrex 20 9.05
OUTDOOR 9.0
AND A FEW PICTURES FROM DAVE
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