Hartburn and the Wittons

 Hartburn  and the Wittons (Northumberland)      April 8th

And the pride of the Tyne

Another fairly local walk covered before, but another good one. A sextet of gadgies walking from the village of Hartburn a few miles west of Morpeth in lovely Northumberland.

Today's team: Me, Harry, Brian, Margaret, John C., John H. And some met in the Kirkley cycle cafe for .morning coffee.

Today's map OS Explorer 325 Morpeth and Blyth, advisable.

The walk starts a short distance to the west of Hartburn. At a bend in the road there is a parking area (marked on OS map) with room for several cars. Not a prize winner but free.

                                        Car parking near Hartburn

                              Follow the sign post.

Once we were already, and road diversions round Morpeth had caused some delay, we set off from the car park, following the signpost down the edge of a field  to join the track through woodland, crossing a stream and passing Garden House.

                                  The Hartburn, we used the footbridge not the ford.

Continuing through Longwitton Dene  we then turned west and walked the edge of a field or two before reaching Southwitton farm. The footpath went round the buildings and in theory then headed north but we misread the map and walked the edge of another field , crossed a burn and carried on to the farm at Hill End.

               Just two of the horses in the area. There seems to be an increasing number kept on farms.

Beyond the farm we crossed a road and were back in fields heading for Hill Top then on to enter Broomfield Fell wood. By the side of the track there was a table with a bench and two plastic chairs, a comfortable Herbie Spot. (Shortly after mile 4). Slim pickings today: Tunnocks tea cakes for a change, sweet and savoury flapjacks and small almond flavoured buns. 

                                   2038 

Lunch break over we followed the footpaths through the wood and across rough ankle breaking moorland (mile 5) before heading north to the farm at South Healy.

From this farm we took the well made road  then tracks and fields through High Healy Wood and Low Healy Wood until we arrived at the village of Nether Witton. (Witton is OE, means settlement in woodland)

                                              Strange fruit

                        The old mill at Nether Witton

From the village we followed the road just west of south for a short distance before taking a path on the left hand side through Oldpark Wood (mile 8). 

Leaving the wood we walked close to the line of the Devil's Causeway, once a Roman road and consequently straight, but nothing was visible of the ancient way.

From here the walk crossed more fields and a road before we headed west, passing but not seeing, the Holy Wells before we found ourselves in the valley below the Garden House and soon we were back at the cars.

Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2022

Slightly over 10 miles of easy walking, views of Northumberland, fields and woodland. A good one.

The following have nothing to do with gadgie walks but I liked them so they get a free ad. 

The statues are connected with the Born Free Foundation, the trust established by the Adamsons and commemorated in the film Born Free starring Virginia McKenna, Bill Travers and some lions. They are on display in Exhibition Park Newcastle until the end of June. Well worth a visit, better than pickled fish and unmade beds.