Gadgie Walks

Warking in the rain with the Pittdown men.
(Northumberland) Sept 21
Reduced in numbers yet again by late holidays and family commitments the gadgie team is reduced to three, John H., Dave and me.
Storm Bronagh is meant to be passing over Ireland and Britain on Thursday so in case she turns up late we have opted for a relatively gentle and local walk from Wark up the North Tyne Valley.
(A69 west, turn north at Hexham for Chollerford and follow signs to Wark.)
The maps for the walk are OS OL43 Hadrian@ Wall and OS OL 42 Kielder Water and Forest.
There is a small parking area (Yorkshire variety) across the road from the Battlesteads Hotel and we started our walk from it.

This week's car park in Wark, across the road from......

…. The Battlesteads hotel and bar. It also has an observatory, bookable and very good by all accounts.

Once booted up and having donned exra lagging for the first time since spring we set off up the main street, turned left past the Grey Bull Pub, The Black Bull Pub and the village green, heading for the bridge over the North Tyne.

Village green, Wark

North Tyne at Wark, full after the heavy rain Bronagh brought, unless they had opened the sluice gates at Kielder.

Having crossed the river we turned left along the bank for a short distance before leaving the riverside path and walking the road uphill, slightly, to the junction where we turned left

We followed the road to the junction at Thorneyhirst, turned right then left into fields. The footpath is quite well marked with the usual yellow arrows and on some sections it is part of one of the "Daft as a brush" trails*.

We followed the path across fields to Heugh, passing the ruined Bastle until we were close to the High Countess Park where we turned left and walked through woods at Brooks Heugh.

The ruined bastle (fortified house) is the left side of the also fairly ruined house.

The path followed the line of the river, at times close to it. There were a few trees lying across the path, victims of the last storm.

Looking slightly out of place this timber cabin is next to the river

Once out of the wood we climbed the bank on to the dismantled railway track and walked past the remains of Redesmouth Station to the village, turned left, crossed the bridge and settled down for a Herbie.

This used to be the platform at Redesmouth station

Herbie spot, just off the road over the bridge at Redesmouth; Titans from ALDI, Mr. Kipling cakes and cookies. I regretted not having brought soup this week, it's getting colder. (The weather, not the soup)

Lunch over we continued up the road heading north west until we spotted the marker on the right just bbefore Redeswood Cottages.

This well made farm track took us in a semi circle to Rede Bridge, crossing the river of the same name and uphill to Crossing Cottage.

Rede Bridge

Topiary peacock at Crossing Cottage. (Look carefull)

A short distance beyond the cottage we turned right onto a very straight and green track, possibly once a drove road or ancient green lane.

So straight it looks Roman, but isn't

The track took us to Buteland, a large farm which had a couple of mobile Shepherd's huts as holiday homes. I believe they were made popular by the last Prime Minister

Shepherd's hut for a holiday anyone? Comes with a supply of quinoa and zucchini

Buteland also has outdoor art. This fine example is made from discarded horse shoes and chain for the mane and tail.

We turned left at Buteland and followed a track across fields to the road near Buteland Building.

Here we turned right and followed the road for a short distance before taking a footpath on the right across fields until we met another very minor road. Turning left we followed the track to Lowshield Green farm, saying hello to the pony there.

My little pony at Lowshield Green

There is in this area a Holy Well which we intended to see. We left the road near Pittland Hills and wandered across fields in search of the magic well. Unfortunately we took the wrong path and so I was never able to cure my arthritic knee. Keep on with the turmeric and exercises.

Several fields later we came to Birtley, a long strung out village with a fine football pitch and a church dedicated to St. Giles. It has Norman origins and Victorian additions.

St Giles, Birtley

Across the road from the church there is a stile that cuts a corner off on the road back to Wark. So we took it across fields until it met the road again and we walked into Wark.

The path through the stile is better than walking the road.

Back in Wark and changed we retired to the Battlesteads which offered Jarl, Bitter and Twisted, Seraphim and Wainwright, plus some refreshing soda and lime for the driver.