Greenleighton

 Another day, another reservoir. Greenleighton in Northumberland Aug5th.

(Or there and back again)

Only three of us out today, holidays and families again. John H. , Dave and I are repeating a walk from Greenleighton in Northumberland which crosses open fields and circumnavigates Fontburn Reservoir. An easy walk, covered by OS Ol42 Kielder Water and Forest.

From base go through Ponteland and Belsay to Scots Gap, turn right on B6342 and watch out for sign post for Greenleighton on the left. Car parking is provided in an old gated quarry.

Shortly after I arrived a large Mercedes pulled i to the car park. My immediate reaction was to think John had won the lottery but I was wrong. Several other cars arrived, disgorging a group of elderly walkers, just like us. One of them, obviously in charge asked where I was going and when I told him he said the Greenleighton walk was closed because of extensive damage caused by storm Arwen (November 2021).

I had missed the sign on the gate which had this information and an apology. Eventually John and Dave arrived and we decided to miss out the Fontburn area nature reserve and walk across fields to the dam.

                  Full and free, Greenleighton quarry car park.

We walked along the track at the back of the car park, uphill slightly, went through a gate and followed a fence line until we reached the corner of the field. No gate but a dodgy wooden fence so we walked the edge of the field to a gate, went through and hit the moor.

The field, and the moor were not nice even pastures but bumpy potholed land with draining ditches running across. The heather was in bloom and pretty but the roots are like traps and the knee began to complain.

Eventually we reached the woodland on the side of Fontburn reservoir, the fence was down so we went in, went down the slope and found the footpath, complete with footbridges and walkways.

Easy walking alongside the reservoir.

We passed one gate, marked with Waterside Walk marker and continued to the end of the footpath, left the wood and walked the track to the reservoir.

                    Information boards at the top. Bottom photograph is of "Goats on the roof", sanctuary for rare animals. It was very quiet.

We made use of a picnic table which overlooked the low water of the reservoir and shared Titans, Snickers and Almond slices.

                                      Fontburn. Very low but still supporting anglers.

We discussed what to do. I said I was just going to return to the car because the knee was complaining and I had promised to take my wife out to celebrate her birthday.

The others decided to have a short walk too and we went back along the track to the wood, entered, left at the next gate and followed a rough track up to the trig point.

                                            Trig point and quarry

Beyond the trig point we followed a fence, went through a sliding gate and walked the rim of the quarry back to the cars.

                      Lift a few inches and slide

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

Very short walk. 4.5 miles.

And we had a very spicy curry.