A walk in the woods again (Northumberland) January 18th
Another favourite and fairly local. The forecast is for a bright cold day and shorter daylight hours still suggest we don't travel so far. 
Thrunton woods is another good place to walk but we started in the village of Whittingham which is easily found: North on the A1, turn off onto A697 at Morpeth and turn left at the signpost for Whittingham. We parked on the roadside- free.
On the way we stopped at the Running Fox in Longframlington for breakfast. Very popular and not surprising as it is a branch of the Running Fox at Felton.
Grand turn out today; a gerontology of gadgies or an octet of gadgies or a limp of gadgies were the more polite collective nouns offered.
Eight of us: John H., John Ha., Brian, Harry, Ben, Dave, guest walker John Lockey and me. A map is advisable and the one to use is OS Explorer 332 Alnwick and Amble.

Car parking in Whittingham. I feel disappointed that one of my readers made no comment on last week's super car park shot.

It was suggested three letters were missing from this bin

Having booted up we set off back along the road we had just driven down and continued on the track past Whittingham Lane and on to the road that skirts Thrunton Wood. In one of the fields on the right were two large flightless birds. Not sure whether they were Ostriches, Emus or Rheas we decided on the last. Brian said one of them was Welsh called Dia.

The Welsh Rheas

Is this the way Thrunton crag?

Even looks cold on the track on Thrunton Crag

At the first gate we turned right into the wood and followed the forest road uphill. Several breaks in the trees gave beautiful views of the Cheviots to the north.  Benches provided to allow you to sit and admire.

Looking over the Cheviots

At one point we had a brief look for the famous McCartney’s Cave but it remains as elusive as before. The problem was a rough scramble down, it might be better to search from below.

Out of the wood and onto heathery moorland we arrived at a cairn near Hard Nab. Room inside for the team, we declared a Herbie. The temperature was rarely above freezing all day and although the woodland walk was relatively warm the wind on the tops was cold, the cairn offered shelter for the traditional exchange of goodies.

Hunkered down out of the cold wind.

We shared chocolate cakes, flapjacks, cookies, ginger biscuits from Ben, mini apple pies and cheese scones from Mrs A.

Lunch over we headed down a track just beast of south. We missed the footpath off to the right but followed another one heading generally west across trip you up heathery moorland.

After walking through a sparse wood we followed a farm track down to Lorbottle Hall which had a model railway track and locked gates. Fortunately we were all able to squeeze over the fence and through the gap on the right.

Leaves on the track at Lorbottle prevented services from running

Locked gates but we squeezed through the fence on the right

There were several calls of "You can call me Al"

Turn left here

From Larbottle we followed the road for some distance before turning left at a sign post just before Dancing Hall and taking the farm track over fields to Crosshill.

Back on the road, past the entrance to Callaly castle and then on the track to Callaly Mill. From here we followed a footpath across the fields to the road back into Whittingham passing St. Bartholemew's Church.

Aren't they always slow?

St Bartholemew's. Nellie Heron is buried here. In the 19th century she died on the moors having been caught out on a bitterly cold night. "The hunt for Nellie Heron " has had more hits on this blog than any other walk.

Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2019

Changed we headed home, stopping at the Shoulder of Mutton in Longhorsley to check on their hand pulled offerings. Two  this week; Directors and Ossett Blonde. Being a Yorkshire Ale the Blonde was in fine condition, well worth sampling at least twice.

SUPER MATRIX MMXIX 1c

                                                                          Steps                          miles

NAK                                                               29625                              10.75

Dave’s NAK 1                                               23648                              10.82

“”” NAK 2                                                     23580                               10.79

“””” USB                                                       23943                               10.95

“””” SM                                                         24460                               10.81

Etrex 3h 43m walk 1h 22m talk                                                           11.2
A mini Gallery