Gadgie Walks: A Good walk on a Friday

A Good walk on a Friday. (Northumberland)

April 15th.

Once more to Rothbury dear friends once more. A Good Friday walk for six little gadgies on a familiar path, with a slight variation. We are John H., John Ha., Harry, Dave, Brian et moi

To reach the start A1 North, A697 at Morpeth on the road to Wooler, turn off at Weldon Bridge. In Rothbury turn left down Bridge Street, cross the river and turn right into the large and free car park.

The maps for the walk are: OS OL 42 Kielder Forest and OS 332 Alnwick and Amble.

The car park at Rothbury. Free and busy because today is a Bank Holiday in the UK

Leaving the car park we walked back towards the road bridge across the River Coquet but just as we reached it almost turned back on ourselves and started the day with a short climb up the road that became a track that crossed the fields that hit the junction near The Tower in Gothic font. This part of the day is on St. Oswald's Way.

From here we took the road left but soon turned right onto the track that passes Sharp's Folly.

Sharp's folly. It could do with a trim on the top.

Beyond the folly we followed the track named Hillhead Road on the OS map, crossing fields to Curlew Cottage which had a fine children's play house. (St Oswald has left about half way to the cottage)

Curlew cottage house of fun.

Beyond the cottage the path goes round Whitton Hillhead Farm and then gently drops to a track running parallel to the road that runs the edge of the wood on the side of Simonside.

A reminder of the damage done by the winter storms.

Taking care of her baby

The path from here heads roughly north across fields (with stiles) until it reaches the small collection of houses named Newtown. Turning left here we followed the road for a short distance before taking the footpath across fields (a lot of fields today) to the River Coquet. Walking along the bank we soon came to the footbridge, crossed and took the footpath that follows the river and then the Wreighburn to the village of Thropton.

They are playing Pooh sticks in the Coquet

River Coquet near Thropton

Thropton. It has a good pub too.

At Thropton we turned right and crossed the Wreighburn using the footbridge attached to the narrow road bridge. Having safely crossed we headed uphill towards the Cross Keys pub hoping there would be seating for a Herbie. As there wasn't we returned to the bridge and took the footpath close to the bank. We did however, declare a Herbie as several of the team were feeling peckish. No seats so we sat on the ground.

Herbie time. We shared flapjacks, Skinny whip bars, ginger biscuits from jesmondcakecompany.com a maker of fine vegan cakes. We also had savoury tarts and chocolate cake sent today by Mrs A as she had stayed at home to supervise work on the house.

After the break we followed the footpath over a rickety rackety footbridge which was quite troll free, crossed a road, negotiated a stile and headed across fields towards Snitter Mill. Near the mill we turned sharp right, turned left on a road, passed a small holding with a wayside fruit, veg and egg stall before turning right at a large house called Lynnholm.

The track here was lined with gorse bushes in full bloom, narrow and scratchy in places but we walked on. Finding a sign post we turned right and walked uphill on a narrow footpath through the heather, good for cleaning boots but also lethal if you are not careful. Still, falling onto heather is not too painful.

Eventually we reached one of the many tracks and carriage drives that cross the moors above Rothbury, turned right and walked steadily downhill to the road that goes back into Rothbury. Walking down the main street we soon came to the lane just before the church that took us to the river. Crossing the river by the footbridge we were back at the cars.

On the way home we stopped at the Shoulder of Mutton in Longhorsley which had Directors, Timothy Taylors an Yorkshire Blonde on offer. Heaven in a pint glass.

Footbridge near the car park