Haughs, Peels and Bastles. (Northumberland) April 5th
Although the clocks have sprung forward to Summer Time winter has returned. On Wednesday we had a sprinkling of snow, on Thursday we had sleet but today is cool, dry and breezy.
There are seven gadgies setting out today, John x 4, Ben, Brian and me, walking from Greenhaugh, village in the North Tyne valley, a few miles before Kielder Water.
To get to the start A69 west, A68 north, turn left for Bellingham, drive through that small town and turn right some miles further on for Greenhaugh. Or find your own route.
The map for today is OS Explorer OL42 Kielder Forest.
A Haugh is a piece of flat land near a river, a Peel is a small fortified tower, common in the borders and dating back to the time when the Scots and the English were foerever invading each other, pillaging and so on. A Bastle is a fortified farmhouse, from the same period.
We stopped in Bellingham for breakfast, visiting the Heritage Centre Café. This café is in two old railway carriages, the one we sat in looked as if it had been a dining carriage, the seats and tables looked original and the posters on the walls, advertising places in Northumberland looked genuine.
The ladies who served tea/coffee/bacon sandwiches were all very friendly. Unlike carriages on trains today, nobody was looking at a laptop, ipad or smart phone. They were talking!
Café at the Heritage Centre, Bellingham, plus an extra car park this week.
Greenhaugh is a hamlet with a pub and a school. Opposite the pub is a parking area by the roadside.
Parking in Greenhaugh on a cold but bright April day. The wall is just the right height for booting up and of course the parking is free.
Once ready we walked south east down the road before turning right down a lane, passing on the way the Love of Joy, a Buddhist retreat for meditation, open to all. The building used to be Greenhaugh Hall. Nobody in robes of any colour but several rows of flags.
The Love of Joy retreat, Greenhaugh.
We followed the lane down to the Tarset Burn. Fortunately there was a footbridge as the water in the ford was over boot height.
At Boughthill Farm we turned North West over rough ground, passing the remains of a Peel, not much to see, just a large grassy mound. Carrying on we came close to Thorneyburn Church, a 19th century building. Close by was a yurt and a fine looking caravan.
The man in the caravan explained we were slightly off the path but rather than retrace steps we clambered over a wall. taking care as it was defended with barbed wire, and continued over Brier Hill and down to the edge of Kielder Forest
Kielder Forest is said to be the largest man made forest in Europe and is next to Kielder Water, said to be the largest man made lake in Europe.
We followed the forest road for some distance, passing the site of an iron age settlement, before taking the footpath along the bank of the Tarset Burn, passing the remains of a Peel before we came to Comb where we called a Herbie. Not far away, on the other side of the river is Black Middens, a fairly well preserved bastle, but we gave it a miss.
Comb. Activity centre, weddings and corporate bonding sessions.
Lunchtime near the Comb. Titans, cookies, flapjacks, Ben's ginger biscuits and scones from Mrs A.
After lunch we followed the forest road north east for the best part of two easy going miles before turning right on to a grassy track past the delightfully named Lightning Bog, turning right onto another grassy track and then hitting a track that could have been Roman it was so straight.
John, Ben, me,John, Brian, John
John, John, Brian, me Ben and John.
We turned off the straight road at a signpost on the right and walked to Heathery Hall farm and across fields to a minor road where we turned left. Soon we came to Gatehouse Farm which has two bastles.
Two bastles at Gatehouse. The top one has the typical outdoor steps. Animals below, humans above.
Across more fields to the Sneep Farm, down to the Tarset Burn again which we crossed by means of a footbridge, uphill to Burnbank and then along the road back to Greenhaugh.
Granny flat at Sneep farm
Greenhaugh village street. The Holly Bush Inn is in the centre.
Changed we went to the pub in the village. Pub, restaurant and hotel it had three hand pumps on the bar but only one ale on offer. "Nels Best." Following a gadgie tradition stretching back at least three years the birthday boy bought the drinks. Painful for a Yorkshireman.
Not having Dave with us there is no matrix but my GPS came in at 10.1 miles, 3hrs 46 minutes walking and 53 minutes talking.
Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and data base right 2019
And a few more
Although the clocks have sprung forward to Summer Time winter has returned. On Wednesday we had a sprinkling of snow, on Thursday we had sleet but today is cool, dry and breezy.
There are seven gadgies setting out today, John x 4, Ben, Brian and me, walking from Greenhaugh, village in the North Tyne valley, a few miles before Kielder Water.
To get to the start A69 west, A68 north, turn left for Bellingham, drive through that small town and turn right some miles further on for Greenhaugh. Or find your own route.
The map for today is OS Explorer OL42 Kielder Forest.
A Haugh is a piece of flat land near a river, a Peel is a small fortified tower, common in the borders and dating back to the time when the Scots and the English were foerever invading each other, pillaging and so on. A Bastle is a fortified farmhouse, from the same period.
We stopped in Bellingham for breakfast, visiting the Heritage Centre Café. This café is in two old railway carriages, the one we sat in looked as if it had been a dining carriage, the seats and tables looked original and the posters on the walls, advertising places in Northumberland looked genuine.
The ladies who served tea/coffee/bacon sandwiches were all very friendly. Unlike carriages on trains today, nobody was looking at a laptop, ipad or smart phone. They were talking!
Café at the Heritage Centre, Bellingham, plus an extra car park this week.
Greenhaugh is a hamlet with a pub and a school. Opposite the pub is a parking area by the roadside.
Once ready we walked south east down the road before turning right down a lane, passing on the way the Love of Joy, a Buddhist retreat for meditation, open to all. The building used to be Greenhaugh Hall. Nobody in robes of any colour but several rows of flags.
We followed the lane down to the Tarset Burn. Fortunately there was a footbridge as the water in the ford was over boot height.
At Boughthill Farm we turned North West over rough ground, passing the remains of a Peel, not much to see, just a large grassy mound. Carrying on we came close to Thorneyburn Church, a 19th century building. Close by was a yurt and a fine looking caravan.
The man in the caravan explained we were slightly off the path but rather than retrace steps we clambered over a wall. taking care as it was defended with barbed wire, and continued over Brier Hill and down to the edge of Kielder Forest
We followed the forest road for some distance, passing the site of an iron age settlement, before taking the footpath along the bank of the Tarset Burn, passing the remains of a Peel before we came to Comb where we called a Herbie. Not far away, on the other side of the river is Black Middens, a fairly well preserved bastle, but we gave it a miss.
Black Middens Bastle
All that remains of a Peel
After lunch we followed the forest road north east for the best part of two easy going miles before turning right on to a grassy track past the delightfully named Lightning Bog, turning right onto another grassy track and then hitting a track that could have been Roman it was so straight.
John, John, Brian, me Ben and John.
We turned off the straight road at a signpost on the right and walked to Heathery Hall farm and across fields to a minor road where we turned left. Soon we came to Gatehouse Farm which has two bastles.
Across more fields to the Sneep Farm, down to the Tarset Burn again which we crossed by means of a footbridge, uphill to Burnbank and then along the road back to Greenhaugh.
Greenhaugh village street. The Holly Bush Inn is in the centre.
Changed we went to the pub in the village. Pub, restaurant and hotel it had three hand pumps on the bar but only one ale on offer. "Nels Best." Following a gadgie tradition stretching back at least three years the birthday boy bought the drinks. Painful for a Yorkshireman.
Not having Dave with us there is no matrix but my GPS came in at 10.1 miles, 3hrs 46 minutes walking and 53 minutes talking.
And a few more
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