Greenleighton (Northumberland ) October 29
A midweek walk for Dave and I on the Wallington Estate. The walk starts in a disused quarry at Greenleighton. A bit off the beaten track to get there drive through Ponteland and Belsay, turn left into Scots Gap, turn right almost immediately and at Rothley watch out for the sign post on the left for Greenleighton.
The map for this walk is OS OL 42 Kielder Water and Forest.
There is a free car park as you near Greenleighton in a disused quarry. It is gated and watched over today by a small herd of cattle.
Car park of the day at Greenleighton……………...free!
Leaving the car park, having closed the gate of course, we turned left and followed the sign posts on this well marked walk.
Initially passing a quarry we turned left once through a gate and into a field, walking down the side of the wall and turning through a right angle at the plantation. A gate led us into the wood and the footpath follows the edge through a couple of gates before emerging into a boggy field.
The path across the field is marked at regular intervals and heads north before turning east towards Fontburn Reservoir.
They thought we were the farmer with feed.
The day started well but there was one short heavy shower
Wall crossing with stile
Fontburn reservoir
Once inside the reservoir perimeter fence we turned left on what was designated a Waterside Walk. A muddy path because of the recent rain, it is a walk through a nature reserve but all we saw were several mallards.
At one point the path emerges into a field near Newbiggin Farm. This section is closed to the public between April 10 and May 10 because of lambing.
Soon we were back on the track running alongside the water, there were several fishermen trying their luck. The track brought us to the north end of the reservoir dam. In the field on the left were two deer, quietly feeding before being disturbed by a post van heading to a farm.
Look carefully, the deer are at the bottom of the picture!
We crossed the dam which has a good view of the railway viaduct on the dismantled line and the waterworks before we came to the visitor centre at the south end of the dam.
Centre shop, mainly fishing stuff
Viaduct and works
Reservoir
As there were several picnic tables and the sun had come out we decided to have lunch. Trackers and Oh Henry bars were on the menu.
Lunch over we continued on the path round the water's edge until we came to a gate.
Through the gate and head south.
The path across the fields is well marked , passes a fine example of a shake hole and eventually comes to the top of the cliffs above the quarry. From here we walked to the trig point and then down to the track we had started out on and back to the car.
View of Simonside
Looking down on Fontburn
Disused quarry
Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2019.
A relatively short walk by gadgie standards but also a bit of an exploration to see if it can be extended for a future day out for the team.
A Matrix
steps miles
NAK 17668 6.41
Dave's NAK 1 15395 7.28
""""""""""""""2 15378 7.28
S M 15372 7.28
OUTDOOR GPS 6.47
And some photos
A midweek walk for Dave and I on the Wallington Estate. The walk starts in a disused quarry at Greenleighton. A bit off the beaten track to get there drive through Ponteland and Belsay, turn left into Scots Gap, turn right almost immediately and at Rothley watch out for the sign post on the left for Greenleighton.
The map for this walk is OS OL 42 Kielder Water and Forest.
There is a free car park as you near Greenleighton in a disused quarry. It is gated and watched over today by a small herd of cattle.
Leaving the car park, having closed the gate of course, we turned left and followed the sign posts on this well marked walk.
Initially passing a quarry we turned left once through a gate and into a field, walking down the side of the wall and turning through a right angle at the plantation. A gate led us into the wood and the footpath follows the edge through a couple of gates before emerging into a boggy field.
The path across the field is marked at regular intervals and heads north before turning east towards Fontburn Reservoir.
Once inside the reservoir perimeter fence we turned left on what was designated a Waterside Walk. A muddy path because of the recent rain, it is a walk through a nature reserve but all we saw were several mallards.
At one point the path emerges into a field near Newbiggin Farm. This section is closed to the public between April 10 and May 10 because of lambing.
Soon we were back on the track running alongside the water, there were several fishermen trying their luck. The track brought us to the north end of the reservoir dam. In the field on the left were two deer, quietly feeding before being disturbed by a post van heading to a farm.
Look carefully, the deer are at the bottom of the picture!
We crossed the dam which has a good view of the railway viaduct on the dismantled line and the waterworks before we came to the visitor centre at the south end of the dam.
As there were several picnic tables and the sun had come out we decided to have lunch. Trackers and Oh Henry bars were on the menu.
Lunch over we continued on the path round the water's edge until we came to a gate.
The path across the fields is well marked , passes a fine example of a shake hole and eventually comes to the top of the cliffs above the quarry. From here we walked to the trig point and then down to the track we had started out on and back to the car.
Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2019.
A relatively short walk by gadgie standards but also a bit of an exploration to see if it can be extended for a future day out for the team.
A Matrix
steps miles
NAK 17668 6.41
Dave's NAK 1 15395 7.28
""""""""""""""2 15378 7.28
S M 15372 7.28
OUTDOOR GPS 6.47
And some photos
Many thaks, looking to try this walk soon
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