On the banks of the Allen (Northumberland)     May 31
Doesn't have the same ring as the Ohio but that is where we gadgies have been today on a walk of great variety, meadows, woodland, short, steep climbs and descents and real ale as a reward.
Five of us out, Brian, John H., Dave, Ben and me, starting a walk from near Ridley Hall in Northumberland. Easy to find from base, head west on the A69 and turn left at the signpost for Ridley just before Bardon Mill. The narrow road goes under the Newcastle- Carlisle railway, turn left at the entrance to Ridley Hall and there is a National Trust car park.
On the way we stopped for breakfast at Brockbushes Farm Shop/restaurant, so nice it deserves a picture;

                    Brockbushes Farm Shop on the A69. Smart looking white car in the centre.

                Classy car park near Ridley Hall. Run by the National Trust there is a charge for non members unless.....................

                 ……………. the ticket machine is out of order, a Yorkshire car park.
The walk:
  Leaving the car park we walked back towards the A69 passing the entrance to the hall, under the railway and turned left at the corner of the road, taking the footpath alongside the river. Crossing a field we came to the tiny village of Beltingham which has a church, St Cuthbert's, dating to the 15th century but with much 19th century restoration. The village also has connections with the Bowes-Lyon family and was, on occasion, visited by the Queen Mother.

                 Beltingham village, St Cuthbert's and a very old Yew Tree.
Taking the road west out of the village we soon arrived at Partridge Nest Farm from where we headed south across several fields before coming to a minor road.
here we turned east and after a short walk on the road turned right at the sign post and headed for Plankey Mill.

Follow this sign post across fields and down to Plankey Mill.

Plankey Mill is a popular picnic spot, but it was very quiet today, a couple of children swinging on a tree. Nice and quiet so we called a Herbie.

             The River Allen at Plankey Mill

                  Lunch time at Plankey Mill; frangepans, flapjacks, Ben's ginger biscuits, cookies and fruit cake.

Replenished we walked across the fields, meadows really, covered in flowers, on the bank of the river to the woods kept by the National Trust.                                                                                             

                                             To the woods

We stayed on the path near to the river. In places it is very steep, but fortunately only for short stretches. We avoided the steep track to Staward Peel but walked under several crags and finally up a slope known as Jacob's Ladder until we came out on the A686 road.

Just beyond what was once Staward Station on the long closed railway line we took the footpath on the left across fields to Gingle Pot.

Ruins of Gingle Pot, once a resting place on a drove road. The outline of the road is grassy but visible.

Beyond Gingle Pot a gate, with markers, served as the entrance to more woods. Descending a steep path to the stream, we crossed by a footbridge  and followed an equally steep path up to fields and Harsondale Farm. Turning right along the farm track we soon came to the footpath over the fields to Silly Wrea Farm. (Means the Happy Nook or the Nook where Sallows or Shrubby Willows grow; take your pick.)

This farm has for years continued to use real horse power for the work. Unfortunately today there was little evidence of them today.

                    Implements at Silly Wrea, obviously horse drawn

From the farm we took the track going north west over fields until we joined the road that took us back down to Plankey Mill.

Having crossed the river we turned north and walked the woodland path alongside the water back to the free car park.

Changed we headed for the Boathouse at Wylam which had its usual large selection of hand pulled beers and a most refreshing iced lemonade and lime.

              Beer lovers heaven, the Boathouse at Wylam

Top class walk, lots of variety, fields, woodland and pretty village. And at this time of the year an abundance of wild flowers.

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

Averaging out the readings on the several pedometers and GPS devices carried today the walk is about 11 miles, hard going in places, a bit slippy on the slopes after the rain this week but a good walk.

No matrix but more pictures.