Six go Searching for McCartney's Cave....again (Northumberland) July 5th.
Six gadgies heading north for a walk round Thrunton Woods and the village of Edlingham.
Brian, John H., John C., Ben Harry and me, looking forward to a stroll on a warm but cloudy day, or so the local weatherman says.
To reach the start from Newcastle go north on the A1, turn onto the A697 at Morpeth and turn right at the crossroads with a sign post for Edlingham. After a couple of miles turn left into the village. There is some parking on the grass verge near St. John The Baptist's church. The church has 11th century origins, behind it is the ruined castle and beyond that a disused railway viaduct.
On the way we stopped at the Running Fox café and bakery in Longframlington, great coffee of the filter variety and other options beyond my understanding.
The map for the walk is OS Explorer 332 Alnwick and Amble and the church is at GR NU114090 approx.
Holy car park Mike! And free
Once changed we started off up the road from the church for a short distance to a sign post on the right. Following it across fields on the edge of Birsley Wood we soon came to Birsley Woodside farm and took the road for a short distance . Soon we spotted the sign post on the left and crossed fields walking at one time the line of a Roman road, named The Devil's Causeway. No paving left but the line of the road on the hillside is clearly visible, and straight.
Mr Grump in a field near Birsley Wood.
Leaving the Roman road we headed down hill, plodged across a shallow stream and followed a path close to High Learchild to the A697, which we crossed, with care, headed north and turned left on the very minor road to Thrunton.
reaching the edge of the plantation we turned left and soon turned right on the footpath we met.
Entrance to Thrunton Wood.
Soon we were on a forest track that climbed steadily past Wedderburn's Hole and Thrunton Crags. Breaks in the trees gave us fine views of the Cheviot Hills to the north.
A view of the Cheviots from Thrunton Woods.
Leaving the woodland we followed a footpath Close to Callaly Crag and Hob's Nick to reach a large cairn just beyond Hard Nab where we stopped, five miles into the walk, for a Herbie.
Today's Herbie spot. We shared Ginger biscuits from Ben, flapjacks, Mrs A's scones and biscuits from www.jesmondcakecompany.com. Iced with a cartoon cat on each one.
Refuelled we headed in a southerly direction on a footpath going downhill through bracken. At the bottom we crossed a narrow stream, home to a pretty Mayfly, and began the steep ascent to Long Crag. The footpath here is steep, rocky and difficult in places, but fortunately it was dry.
Once on the ridge we walked a mile or so before pausing at a Trig Point to admire the views all round, sea in the distance to the east, low hills on each other side.
Trig Point and view
Moving on we headed downhill through the wood on a stony footpath which needed care for those with arthritic knees. We wandered on, quite separately, until we hit a forest track which brought us to a small car park.
Hope for the future.
Turning right we followed the old road to Rough Castles. A sign post pointed across a field in the direction of Newtown, so we followed it, recrossed the A697 and walked over fields to the farm. Once past he farm we turned right and several fields later were at Desmesne, the farm just west of Edlingham. Down the road and we were back at the cars.
On the way home we stopped at the Shoulder of Mutton in Longhorsley to rehydrate after a humid day. Spitfire and Directors on offer and for some a pretty good alcohol free lager from Heineken.
And we didn't find the cave
Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2019
In the absence of Dave a restricted matrix;
Nakosite 36469 steps 13.43 miles
OUTDOOR GPS 13.2
Brian 12.87
John C 12.7
Six gadgies heading north for a walk round Thrunton Woods and the village of Edlingham.
Brian, John H., John C., Ben Harry and me, looking forward to a stroll on a warm but cloudy day, or so the local weatherman says.
To reach the start from Newcastle go north on the A1, turn onto the A697 at Morpeth and turn right at the crossroads with a sign post for Edlingham. After a couple of miles turn left into the village. There is some parking on the grass verge near St. John The Baptist's church. The church has 11th century origins, behind it is the ruined castle and beyond that a disused railway viaduct.
On the way we stopped at the Running Fox café and bakery in Longframlington, great coffee of the filter variety and other options beyond my understanding.
The map for the walk is OS Explorer 332 Alnwick and Amble and the church is at GR NU114090 approx.
Once changed we started off up the road from the church for a short distance to a sign post on the right. Following it across fields on the edge of Birsley Wood we soon came to Birsley Woodside farm and took the road for a short distance . Soon we spotted the sign post on the left and crossed fields walking at one time the line of a Roman road, named The Devil's Causeway. No paving left but the line of the road on the hillside is clearly visible, and straight.
Leaving the Roman road we headed down hill, plodged across a shallow stream and followed a path close to High Learchild to the A697, which we crossed, with care, headed north and turned left on the very minor road to Thrunton.
reaching the edge of the plantation we turned left and soon turned right on the footpath we met.
Soon we were on a forest track that climbed steadily past Wedderburn's Hole and Thrunton Crags. Breaks in the trees gave us fine views of the Cheviot Hills to the north.
Leaving the woodland we followed a footpath Close to Callaly Crag and Hob's Nick to reach a large cairn just beyond Hard Nab where we stopped, five miles into the walk, for a Herbie.
Refuelled we headed in a southerly direction on a footpath going downhill through bracken. At the bottom we crossed a narrow stream, home to a pretty Mayfly, and began the steep ascent to Long Crag. The footpath here is steep, rocky and difficult in places, but fortunately it was dry.
Once on the ridge we walked a mile or so before pausing at a Trig Point to admire the views all round, sea in the distance to the east, low hills on each other side.
Trig Point and view
Moving on we headed downhill through the wood on a stony footpath which needed care for those with arthritic knees. We wandered on, quite separately, until we hit a forest track which brought us to a small car park.
Turning right we followed the old road to Rough Castles. A sign post pointed across a field in the direction of Newtown, so we followed it, recrossed the A697 and walked over fields to the farm. Once past he farm we turned right and several fields later were at Desmesne, the farm just west of Edlingham. Down the road and we were back at the cars.
On the way home we stopped at the Shoulder of Mutton in Longhorsley to rehydrate after a humid day. Spitfire and Directors on offer and for some a pretty good alcohol free lager from Heineken.
And we didn't find the cave
Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2019
In the absence of Dave a restricted matrix;
Nakosite 36469 steps 13.43 miles
OUTDOOR GPS 13.2
Brian 12.87
John C 12.7
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