Biddlestone, Alwinton and Rooklands.(Northumberland) March 8th
Warning; mud and Lauder Grass*
The forecast is for a dry day, breezy and overcast. Today's ramble is from Newton near Alwinton in the Cheviots. There are seven of us, John C., John H., Ray, Ben, Harry, Dave and me. Normally we do this walk from Alwinton village but for a change we are starting in Newton, not so much a hamlet, more a couple of houses, and walking anti-clockwise over Bleak Law to Puncherton to Old Rooklands to the River Alwin and back to the start. Newton/New Town is the commonest place name in Britain. To find this one A1 North, A697 at Morpeth, turn left at Weldon Bridge for Rothbury. Through Rothbury to Thropton and look out for signs to Newton.
There is not a lot at Newton, a farm and a few houses. We parked on the road side near the farm at GRNY943071
Booted up and wearing waterproof tops at least as it looked like rain, we set off. A short distance down the road we spotted a gate with a footpath marker on it and crossed a couple of muddy fields, turned left on a road, turned right ,left again and walked up to Biddlestone Home farm. An outhouse looked more like an old school and the single doored hemel was most impressive.
Outbuilding at Biddlestone Home Farm
A one doored Hemel. (Hemel is a northern word for a farm building open on one side.)
An interesting collection of buildings at the farm, we found the markers that should have taken us round the place but the footpath was heavily overgrown so we wandered around a little, turned up a track for a few yards and then walked through a wood to the remains of Biddlestone Chapel.
The Selby family were once the land owners round Biddlestone, they built, starting in the 18th century, a fine house which was demolished in the 1950s, leaving the Roman Catholic Chapel.
Biddlestone means "dwelling in a valley" or possibly "Valley of Bidel" Recorded in 12th century as Bitnesden
Biddlestone Hall, demolished in the 1950s
The Chapel, all that remains of the hall. Originally a medieval tower house with the upper section added to make the chapel. Inside is an Anderson air raid shelter from WW2
Having admired the chapel we continued east past Biddlestone, a small collection of stone built houses and turned left up the road past Harden Quarry now operated by Tarmac for the extraction of aggregate.
The track led us on to the open moors. Harry and I were in front of the other five, not paying an awful lot of attention to them as we headed for the cottage we could see head, Singmoor. At one point we turned round but the others were not to be seen.
A distant view of Singmoor house
For the young, this is a mangle, used for squeezing water out of washed clothes.
At Singmoor the two of us headed west, on a marked path but we left it and wandered across the moorland, down the steep sided Biddlestone Burn, up the equally steep sided other side to Gills Law and on to the farm at Puncherton.
The others, following the map we had been given correctly, had headed north to a cairn and boundary stone before heading west to Bleak Law and then turning to join us at Puncherton.
Sins being forgiven we all crossed the moor to the ruined farm at Old Rooklands where we called a Herbie.
Preparing to lunch at Old Rooklands. We shared Titans, Ben's ginger biscuits, flapjacks and cherry slices. Unfortunately Mrs A is on holiday. I hope she is having a good time.
The ruined farm at Old Rooklands
Lunch over we followed the narrow footpath above Rookland Sike to the road in the valley of the River Alwin.
We stayed on the road to Clennel, walking behind the caravan site before taking the footpath across fields and uphill to Newton Wood, a narrow strip of timber. On the other side we were back at the cars.
Changed we headed for the Shoulder of Mutton at Longhorsley. Three ales on offer today, Directors, Jennings Cumberland and Ossett Blonde. The Directors was in fine condition.
One of our number asked the bar maid if she served coffee. When she replied in the affirmative he asked for a flat white.
“Is that a milky coffee ?” she asked. Civilisation and an obsession with the bean has not got to Longhorsley. Great.
Contains OS data Copyright. Crown copyright and databaseright 2019.
Super Matrix MMXIX 3b
Steps miles
NAK 26220 9.51
Etrex 3h 41 min walk 5o min talk 9.00
Dave’s NAK1 20725 9.91
“””” NAK2 20781 9.83
“””” USB 20996 9.94
SM 21444 9.82
Warning; mud and Lauder Grass*
The forecast is for a dry day, breezy and overcast. Today's ramble is from Newton near Alwinton in the Cheviots. There are seven of us, John C., John H., Ray, Ben, Harry, Dave and me. Normally we do this walk from Alwinton village but for a change we are starting in Newton, not so much a hamlet, more a couple of houses, and walking anti-clockwise over Bleak Law to Puncherton to Old Rooklands to the River Alwin and back to the start. Newton/New Town is the commonest place name in Britain. To find this one A1 North, A697 at Morpeth, turn left at Weldon Bridge for Rothbury. Through Rothbury to Thropton and look out for signs to Newton.
There is not a lot at Newton, a farm and a few houses. We parked on the road side near the farm at GRNY943071
Not really a car park, not even a lay by, but we parked.
Booted up and wearing waterproof tops at least as it looked like rain, we set off. A short distance down the road we spotted a gate with a footpath marker on it and crossed a couple of muddy fields, turned left on a road, turned right ,left again and walked up to Biddlestone Home farm. An outhouse looked more like an old school and the single doored hemel was most impressive.
An interesting collection of buildings at the farm, we found the markers that should have taken us round the place but the footpath was heavily overgrown so we wandered around a little, turned up a track for a few yards and then walked through a wood to the remains of Biddlestone Chapel.
The Selby family were once the land owners round Biddlestone, they built, starting in the 18th century, a fine house which was demolished in the 1950s, leaving the Roman Catholic Chapel.
Biddlestone means "dwelling in a valley" or possibly "Valley of Bidel" Recorded in 12th century as Bitnesden
Having admired the chapel we continued east past Biddlestone, a small collection of stone built houses and turned left up the road past Harden Quarry now operated by Tarmac for the extraction of aggregate.
The track led us on to the open moors. Harry and I were in front of the other five, not paying an awful lot of attention to them as we headed for the cottage we could see head, Singmoor. At one point we turned round but the others were not to be seen.
At Singmoor the two of us headed west, on a marked path but we left it and wandered across the moorland, down the steep sided Biddlestone Burn, up the equally steep sided other side to Gills Law and on to the farm at Puncherton.
The others, following the map we had been given correctly, had headed north to a cairn and boundary stone before heading west to Bleak Law and then turning to join us at Puncherton.
Sins being forgiven we all crossed the moor to the ruined farm at Old Rooklands where we called a Herbie.
Lunch over we followed the narrow footpath above Rookland Sike to the road in the valley of the River Alwin.
We stayed on the road to Clennel, walking behind the caravan site before taking the footpath across fields and uphill to Newton Wood, a narrow strip of timber. On the other side we were back at the cars.
Changed we headed for the Shoulder of Mutton at Longhorsley. Three ales on offer today, Directors, Jennings Cumberland and Ossett Blonde. The Directors was in fine condition.
One of our number asked the bar maid if she served coffee. When she replied in the affirmative he asked for a flat white.
“Is that a milky coffee ?” she asked. Civilisation and an obsession with the bean has not got to Longhorsley. Great.
Contains OS data Copyright. Crown copyright and databaseright 2019.
Super Matrix MMXIX 3b
Steps miles
NAK 26220 9.51
Etrex 3h 41 min walk 5o min talk 9.00
Dave’s NAK1 20725 9.91
“””” NAK2 20781 9.83
“””” USB 20996 9.94
SM 21444 9.82
· * Lauder Grass are those clumps of moorland grass that are difficult to
walk on. Sometimes called Dougalls after the dog on The Magic Roundabout they
are named, for us, after Alan Lauder, fellow gadgie, who always complains about
them.
Gallery from Dave
Gallery from Dave
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