Gadgie Walks

Sunnyhills and Cuthbert's Cave (Northumberland)

April 23rd.

Things are slowly getting back to normal. Five gadgies out for a Friday walk; Brian, John H., John Ha., Harry and I are following a favourite route from Belford in Northumberland.

Belford is a fair sized village north of Alnwick. Easy to find, head up the A1 and turn off at the sign post. When you reach the village turn left and visit the Sunnyhills farm shop and tea room. Still under some restrictions we had to consume our bacon and coffee outdoors but the recent warm spell of weather continues so al fresco dining was a pleasure. Is a bacon sandwich dining?

Having fed we drove up the main street and turned left down the Wooler road. A few hundred yards along, on the right is a rather dilapidated building that looks as if it was once a community hall or maybe a club. There is room in front for half a dozen cars and a convenient wall to sit on as you change your shoes for boots.

Neat parking, especially from the reverse parker.

On the left hand side of the hall, as you look at it, is a good track, the beginning of the walk. We followed the track, passing the crenelated farm house, Craggy Hall and a lime kiln, all below Sunnyside Crag.

Crenelated farm house, Sunnyside Crag and lime kiln.

After walking through a stretch of woodland we reached a junction, turned left and headed for Swinhoe Farm.

At the farm there are two tracks, we took the right hand side one and walked along in the pleasant sunshine to Swinhoe Lakes.

Swinhoe Lower Lake. Very quiet bird wise.

We had joined the Northumberland Coast Path at Swinhoe farm, this section is also part of St. Oswald's Way. Beyond the lakes we walked through Virgin Hill Wood, and across a field until we reached a four way junction.

Looking east there was a hazy view of Holy Island.

Not Holy Island but the sandy road leading to it.

We took the track for Holborn and walked alongside a couple of fields before coming to Shiellow Wood, passing a small lake that had a small cabin next to it on previous walks. A JCB machine was parked in its place. The track curves round, goes below Raven Crag and then heads south.

On the left, when the track overlooks Holborn Farm, there is an unmarked but visible footpath. We followed it, uphill but not steep, past Holborn Lake and on the ridge of Greensheen Hill.

Turn left at this view of Holborn Farm.

Holborn Lake.

A short distance beyond the trig point on Greenshee Hill we crossed a ladder stile and settled down in the rocks for a Herbie. Warm sunshine and a view over the Cheviots which still had one or two tiny patches of snow on them.

Hazy Cheviots (with snow)

Sunny Herbie time. We thought the temperature was about 20C. We shared Snickers, Apple pies and cake and a savoury tart from Mrs A who had not joined us today.

Lunch over we walked on to a gate in the corner of a wood and joined St. Cuthbert's Way. The path through the wood goes to St. Cuthbert's Cave.

St. Cuthbert's Cave. It is roped off and there are notices asking people not to enter because a fire lit inside the cave had caused, possibly, structural damage to the rocks.

I don't know for sure that the Saint's body rested here on its long journey to Durham where his remains lie behind the high altar.

Leaving the cave we walked to the bottom of the hill and turned left on St. Cuthbert's Way. The saint's way turns off to the right but we remained on the forest track back to Swinhoe Farm.

At the farm we walked through the yard, back on the Northumberland Coast Path and St. Oswald's Way.

We walked over a small hill with a radio mast at the top and crossed several fields before reaching the crenelated farm house again and the track back to Belford and the cars.

On the way home we sat in the sunshine in the beer garden of the Cook and Barker hotel which still had Timothy Taylor's on offer.