Gadgie Walks

Alnham and Ewartly Shank. (Northumberland) Sept 28th.
Reduced again by holidays and family commitments, John H., Dave and I are revisiting an old favourite and walking from Alnham, a tiny hamlet in Northumberland. To find it head north on the A1, turn on to the A697 at Morpeth and much later turn left for Whittingham. Drive through this village and follow narrow roads until you spot a sign for Alnham. Turn right and right again at the sign that say "The Church." There is limited parking on the verge outside the church.
St. Michael's dates back to Saxon times. Next door is Tower House, once the vicar's peel. Church and house were renovated in the 19th century and the latter is now a private residence.

Today's car park, number 312 in my book of northern parking spaces. It is free!

St. Michael's Alnham, currently undergoing renovation. There are the stumps of two Celtic crosses in the churchyard.

The well hidden Tower House. Across the road a green mound is the remains of Alnham Castle and three quarters of a mile to the west is Castle Hill, a pre Roman Hillfort. (Multivallate too!)

The weatherman has promised us a fine day and he is right, hardly a cloud in the sky, no wind and it is warm for September. An Indian Summer.

The map to use for this walk is OS OL 16 The Cheviot Hills.

Just beyond the Tower House, on the right is a stream and across it a footpath that climbs through heavy autumn undergrowth to a gate. Beyond the gate the track heads north across the moors but being rebels, we three continued walking alongside the field wall for some time before heading across country to the farm track.

In December1863 Nellie Heron, having tended a sick man in Alnham headed home, against advice, five miles across the moors to Hartside. Unfortunately she was caught in the storm and died from hypothermia. There is a small memorial to her on the moor which we have visited in the past but not today. Should any reader wish to find it it is at GR NT978134.

There are several tracks across the land but they all seem to finish at Cobden Corner, once a building, now a hard to spot ruin in a plantation. From here the track heads downhill and over fields to Alnhammoor Farm. Near the farm we came across three other walkers who were slightly lost but being good gadgies we put them on the right path.

Although quite early we called a Herbie Spot and settled down on a bank overlooking the River Breamish for lunch.

View from our picnic spot. We shared flapjacks, Mr. Kipling Chocolate cakes and Belgian frangepanes.

Lunch over we continued on our way west in front of the farm, down to the Shank Burn which we crossed on a footbridge made of a couple of railway sleepers and headed west.

Alnhammoor Farm.

The track is well posted and leads across the side of Little Dod until it meets a well made gravel road.

The path across from Alnhammoor

Not sure what the restrictions are. No mountain bikes? No tanks?

This device allows quadbikes to bypass gates but animals won't walk over it. I believe they have them in Canada, probably much larger.

The road heads downhill and crosses the Shank Burn before climbing up to a plantation.

Beware the gravel path. The stones can act like ball bearings as one of our team knows.

Through the plantation we came to the wonderfully named Ewartly Shank. Not much sign of human life but several dogs in the kennels warned us off.

Approaching Ewartly Shank.

Beyond the farm we followed the road, ignoring the footpath over fields, past experience telling us it is very boggy. At the point marked CG on the map we left the road and headed almost due south on a footpath marked with more traditional posts.

DON'T Follow this direction, look for marker posts!

Approaching Pigdon's Leap on Spartley Burn

The more usual marker.

Beyond Pigdon's Leap we turned south east and followed the path until we hit a farm track that took us to Hazeltonrig Cottages.

Footbridge just before Hazeltonrig Cottage

Hazeltonrig.

From the cottages we came across the sting in the tail. A short but steep climb up a track followed by a footpath across a field, through a plantation which was very dark until I realised I was wearing sunglasses and a couple more fields before we were back at the church.

Changed we headed for the Shoulder of Mutton pub in Longhorsley. Friendly staff and several beers including Directors, Tyneside Blonde and a most refreshing soda and lime.

The Shoulder of Mutton, Longhorsley

This plaque is on a cottage opposite the Shoulder of Mutton. Emily Davison was the lady unfortunately killed by the king's horse in the Derby. A very brave lady she was buried in Morpeth and a statue to her was recently erected there.