Gadgie Walks: Five go off to camp, almost

Five go off to camp, almost. (Northumberland) March 25th

After last week's lay off, caused by Covid mostly, John C., John H., Harry, Dave and me are having a walk close to Haltwhistle, starting from a hamlet called Halton Lea Gate, a new experience for me.

To get there: A69 West, on thye Haltwhistle by pass turn left and best of luck finding it. There is some parking on the roadside.

The map to use is OS OL 43 Hadrian's Wall and is essential.

The forecast, as for the early part of the week is good, temperature rising as high as 17C.

And Harry excused himself as he had a cold and thought it might be covid but I didn't want to change the title.

The walk is one of the dozen or so devised by the walkers of Haltwhistle, this one is walk number 9. They are all good walks of varied lengths and can be found with a bit of googling or even print copies if you try hard enough.

At the east end of the village is a rough lay by big enough for two or three cars:

Today's car park at Halton Lea Dale, once a small mining community, producing coal from drifts.

Once ready for the day we walked back towards the village for a couple of hundred yards before turning right, passing a bungalow, climbing two wobbly stiles and heading uphill towards Clover Hill Farm. Several horses were in the field and recent rains, followed by a dry period made the ground bumpy, ankle turning terrain. At the farm we chatted with a man holding a saw. He pointed the way with it so off we went heading north and going downhill until we hit a road.

Just three of the horses of Clover Hill.

Turning left on the road we walked downhill to a bridge crossing the Hartley Burn. (mile 1)Before the bridge we turned left into fields, crossing the stream by means of a footbridge and following an almost undefined path which passed an old mine shaft before heading uphill towards the ruined farm at Hill House. (mile 2 almost)

Rusting horse drawn hay rake at Hill House. My uncle had one of these, many years ago!

Hill House

Beyond the tumbledown farm buildings we crossed a couple of fields, walking downhill and slightly off the official path, before crossing a stream and climbing up to Haining House. Through the yard and beyond until we reached a road at point 217 on the OS map.

Crossing the road we headed east through fields until, close to the Pennine Way (long distance footpath) we chose a sunny bank as a Herbie Spot, sitting facing the sun on a day when the temperature was closer to a summer's day than the end of March.

Herbie time. Not much sharing, apple pies and flapjacks. We passed a pleasant half hour or so discussing ailments: arthritis, eye problems, hernias, back ache. The joys of ageing generally.

Break over, back on our feet, we continued surrounded by beautiful panoramic views of Northumberland, until we reached a road. (Mile 4)

Turning left we followed the road for a while until we reached the confluence of the Hartley Burn and the South Tyne.

South Tyne.

The footpath here followed the river. On the north side of the Tyne we saw the few remains of the old WW2 Prisoner of War Camp.

Remains of the POW camp. It held mostly German Officers who apparently crossed the Tyne...........

Leaving the river bank (beyond mile 5) we climbed through Birch Wood and crossed Oxen Hill to a road, turned right, crossed the Hartley Burn again and turned left into fields. For a short distance we followed the Pennine Way and leaving it, headed overland to the road (Mile 7). Turning left we walked uphill until we reached the sign post directing us back to Clover Hill and the cars.

Changed we headed for a pub we had visited before, the Wallace Arms at Rowfoot, but it was full of elderly walkers so we moved on to the Wellington at Riding Mill which served a very refreshing soda and lime, or beer for non drivers.