St. Cuthbert's Cave. (Northumberland) Oct 16th

 An introduction;

St. Cuthbert was a 7th century monk and bishop who lived for part of his life on Holy Island, also called Lindisfarne, off the Northumbrian coast. When he died some of his fellow monks carried his body, in a coffin, around the north east until they finally decided Durham was a suitable resting place. The small church they built was eventually replaced by the Norman/Gothic Durham Cathedral of Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Cuthbert. His shrine is behind the high altar.

Today's walk is from Belford, small town in Northumberland, to St. Cuthbert's cave, supposedly one of the places the monks rested on their travels. Today's team comes within the present government  limits during the crisis, there are six of us; Margaret, Brian, John Ha., Ian, Dave and me.

To reach Belford head north on the A1 and turn off at the sign post. Just before entering the town there is a farm shop, restaurant, called Sunny Hills which is where we stopped for breakfast. Having eaten we drove down the high street, turned left on the Wooler road and parked outside the old Community Hall, which looks abandoned.

                       Sunny Hills. Does a Vegan breakfast for interested parties.

The map for this walk is OS Explorer 340 Holy Island and Bamburgh but is not essential.

               Parking in Belford. Not picturesque but free.

                                      The start.

Once we were booted up, but not over dressed, it was a warm day for October, we set off up the lane next to the car park.  Soon we were close to West Hall, a farmhouse on the site of a 15th fortified house (bastle) which was rebuilt in 1837 and is now an attractive crenelated farm house.

                                        West Hall farmhouse.

A little further on we passed a Lime Kiln! Another one.

 

                 This week's lime kiln.

The track goes beneath Sunniside Crags and through a section of woodland until it reaches a junction where we turned left.

                                  A section of woodland.

Not far along the track we had to stand well into the side as a shepherd on his quad bike, assisted by three collies, drove his herd along the way.

                          Avoiding the sheep.

 Soon after the sheep incident we were at Swinhoe Farm where we took the track on the right, heading north west, going alongside fields and through woodland as it passes the Swinhoe Lakes. This section of our walk is on St. Cuthbert's Way, a 62 mile meander from Melrose in Scotland to the coast and supposedly similar to part of the trail followed by the monks.

                                   Swinhoe Lake.

Beyond the lake we were in fields again and reached a junction where we turned left. Going right leads to Greymare Farm and Detchant. From this junction you can see over to the coast, Holy Island and Bamburgh castle are visible in the distance. The track passes a small lake on the right which has a large hut belonging, I think, to a fishing group but once used by a small party of vegetarians I walked with as an illicit Herbie spot.  A Herbie spot is an appropriate term come to think of it. Walking through more woodland and across stretches of open land we came to Raven's Crag and headed south. The footpath we took on the left hand side is not sign posted but is fairly clear. It goes round the side of Holburn Moss, home to a very large number of birds today.

                                    Holburn Moss

The footpath crosses Greensheen Hill and there is a trig point at the highest point. Looking west are the Cheviot Hills.

                   A short film from Cecil B. D'Algar

On past occasions we have Herbied at the trig point but as there was a coolish breeze we continued on our way, climbed over a ladder stile and settled down under the crags to share the day's spoils: Titan chocolate bars, Twix bars, Kipling slices, and savoury slices and apple and cinnamon cake from Mrs A.

                   Today's Herbie Spot. Unusually we were joined by about a dozen people, including several children out for the day.

Lunch over we followed the wall to a gate which took us back on to St. Cuthbert's Way. It also took us to St. Cuthbert's Cave.

                    St. Cuthbert's Cave. Legend has it the monks carrying his mortal remains rested here. Legend also has it that his mortal remains remained intact.

Down from the cave we walked along the forest track, still on the long distance footpath and went past another impressive sandstone crag, Cockenheugh 

                                       Cockenheugh.

Because the trees in the plantation are being felled this part of the track is very muddy for some distance until it reaches Dick's Old Wall. The grassy farm track leads back to Swinhoe Farm. We walked through the farm yard, (still on St C's Way), past the Swinhoe riding school and through a gate into fields.

                            Horses at Swinhoe

The footpath crosses several fields, one of which contained two bulls, another of which contained ewes and rams, or tups if you prefer.

 We walked past West Hall again and were back on the lane to Belford. Changed we headed for the Cook and Barker a hotel in Newton on the Moor, just off the A1. It had Timothy Taylor's Landlord, end of a perfect day.

                     Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2020.

The walk is about 10.4 pleasant and easy going miles.