Seven go to Allenheads (Northumberland Durham) August 7th
The weather forecast suggested it could be one of the year's hottest days. It wasn't fortunately, we had a fine walking day, light clouds and a breeze. The chosen walk is from Allenheads in Allendale in Northumberland. To get there A69 west and turn off left a few miles after Hexham and follow signs for Allendale. Drive through that small town and continue for another dozen miles to Allenheads at the top of the valley.
There are seven of us; Dave, Brian, John H., John L., Harry, me and a new gadgie, Ian, friend of John L.'s.
The map for the walk is OS OL Explorer 31 North Pennines and it is advisable to take a copy, or at least a section, neatly photocopied and laminated.
Allenheads is a village at the head of the East Allen valley, once the centre of the area's lead mining industry but now a tourist centre. Housed in some of the old industrial buildings are a Heritage Centre, closed because of......, an old steam pump, closed because of........, a great little cafe, the Hemmel (the name suggests it could have been a barn) and a pub, The Allenheads Inn. The buildings, with some lovely stone built cottages are set round an open area which is also a car park of the Yorkshire variety.
Must be a prizw winning car park. No open doors, no dents and a pub behind.
Ancient steam pump, information and little train from mining times.
The walk:
We walked on the road past the Inn for a short distance, turned left up a lane and almost immediately turned right down a path which crossed several fields to a house where we turned sharp right, then left and were back on the road. After a short walk on tarmac we turned left, crossed the very young River Allen, negotiated a gate without Ben and started the long haul up the track marked as the Carriers Way. There are many of these old tracks crossing the north of England from East to West, sometimes known as Green Lanes. This one starts as a gravel track as it climbs over Allendale Common, becomes a grass track and finally a footpath as it reaches the watershed between Allendale and the Wear Valley.
Still a footpath as it descends, eventually reverting to a track as it goes through some ugly territory near the valley road. The sides of the track are littered with the rubbish left after trees have been cleared, looks like the sftermath of a bomb.
The track joins the road near the Killhope Lead mining Centre (closed because of.......) but the large stone blocks near the buildings made almost comfortable seats for a Herbie.
Killhope mining centre. The building was the ore crushing mill, the wheel is 34 feet in diameter. Shame the place was closed because of.....
Lunching in the sun at Killhope. Guest Ian was not aware of the sharing tradition but was delighted to be given flapjack, Rington's ginger biscuits, almond slices, Titan bars and cake with apple. He thinks he will come again.
Lunch over we heade west, a move that seems to be in the wrong direction, but the track joins the Weardale Way and turns to head southeast, passing Kidd's Dam and several other items of industrial archaeological interest to some.
Eventually the footpath crosses fields as it nears Killhope Burn Bridge.
Upper Weardale
A sheep of colour befriends Brian.
We left the Weardale Way at Heatheryburn bridge, crossed the stream which will become the River Wear and climbed up to the road, turning left when we reached it.
Heathery Burn Bridge in the very centre of the photo.
Same bridge, a little closer.
We walked up the road to Lanehead and sitting on a grassy bank near the old school enjoyed a mini Herbie.
HS2 over we headed up a green lane in the direction Puddingthorn Moor, went through a gate on to the open moorland and started the tiring walk through the heather, which is just coming into bloom and gives the moor a colourful wash.
Follow this sign
Having reached the ridge we turned east on a rough track which became an even rougher path, went through a gate in the wall and headed for the road.
Puddingthorn is a grouse moor ( I nearly stood on one) and shooting starts on August 12th, "guns" must be socially distanced but not the birds.
We got to the road in No-man's land, midway between two counties;
Looking a bit worn
At this point John L, Ian and I decided to take a short cut and walk the mile and a half down the road to Allenheads. The hard lads crossed the road, headed east then north then west to reach the village.
Changed we sat outside the Allenhead Inn, which was busy, and took alcoholic or non-alcoholic refreshment after a longish walk on a warmish day.
Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2020
Distances
John L., Ian and me claimed 11 miles and the chaps walked nearly 13. We climbed about 2200 feet .
The following day I weighed myself with this result:
I have broken the 12 stone barrier (76.2 kg) It won't last, not with all those Herbie Delights.
The weather forecast suggested it could be one of the year's hottest days. It wasn't fortunately, we had a fine walking day, light clouds and a breeze. The chosen walk is from Allenheads in Allendale in Northumberland. To get there A69 west and turn off left a few miles after Hexham and follow signs for Allendale. Drive through that small town and continue for another dozen miles to Allenheads at the top of the valley.
There are seven of us; Dave, Brian, John H., John L., Harry, me and a new gadgie, Ian, friend of John L.'s.
The map for the walk is OS OL Explorer 31 North Pennines and it is advisable to take a copy, or at least a section, neatly photocopied and laminated.
Allenheads is a village at the head of the East Allen valley, once the centre of the area's lead mining industry but now a tourist centre. Housed in some of the old industrial buildings are a Heritage Centre, closed because of......, an old steam pump, closed because of........, a great little cafe, the Hemmel (the name suggests it could have been a barn) and a pub, The Allenheads Inn. The buildings, with some lovely stone built cottages are set round an open area which is also a car park of the Yorkshire variety.
The walk:
We walked on the road past the Inn for a short distance, turned left up a lane and almost immediately turned right down a path which crossed several fields to a house where we turned sharp right, then left and were back on the road. After a short walk on tarmac we turned left, crossed the very young River Allen, negotiated a gate without Ben and started the long haul up the track marked as the Carriers Way. There are many of these old tracks crossing the north of England from East to West, sometimes known as Green Lanes. This one starts as a gravel track as it climbs over Allendale Common, becomes a grass track and finally a footpath as it reaches the watershed between Allendale and the Wear Valley.
Still a footpath as it descends, eventually reverting to a track as it goes through some ugly territory near the valley road. The sides of the track are littered with the rubbish left after trees have been cleared, looks like the sftermath of a bomb.
The track joins the road near the Killhope Lead mining Centre (closed because of.......) but the large stone blocks near the buildings made almost comfortable seats for a Herbie.
Lunching in the sun at Killhope. Guest Ian was not aware of the sharing tradition but was delighted to be given flapjack, Rington's ginger biscuits, almond slices, Titan bars and cake with apple. He thinks he will come again.
Lunch over we heade west, a move that seems to be in the wrong direction, but the track joins the Weardale Way and turns to head southeast, passing Kidd's Dam and several other items of industrial archaeological interest to some.
Eventually the footpath crosses fields as it nears Killhope Burn Bridge.
We left the Weardale Way at Heatheryburn bridge, crossed the stream which will become the River Wear and climbed up to the road, turning left when we reached it.
We walked up the road to Lanehead and sitting on a grassy bank near the old school enjoyed a mini Herbie.
HS2 over we headed up a green lane in the direction Puddingthorn Moor, went through a gate on to the open moorland and started the tiring walk through the heather, which is just coming into bloom and gives the moor a colourful wash.
Having reached the ridge we turned east on a rough track which became an even rougher path, went through a gate in the wall and headed for the road.
We got to the road in No-man's land, midway between two counties;
Changed we sat outside the Allenhead Inn, which was busy, and took alcoholic or non-alcoholic refreshment after a longish walk on a warmish day.
Distances
John L., Ian and me claimed 11 miles and the chaps walked nearly 13. We climbed about 2200 feet .
The following day I weighed myself with this result:
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