The folks who walk on the hill

 The folks who walk on the hill. January27 Northumberland.

The Algar Variation

MUD WARNING

Days are slightly longer lightwise but we are still having a walk near home. A repeat but a good walk from St Andrew's Church in Bolam. Well almost a repeat as Brian has come up with a slightly different route.

Drive through Ponteland and just after Belsay turn right for Bolam Lake. Beyond the visitor centre turn right up the hill for the best part of a mile before taking the lane on the left down to the parking area at the church.

On the way call in at the Blacksmiths cafe in Belsay, close to the entrance to Belsay Hall for breakfast.

The Blacksmiths at Belsay, a five star bacon sandwich.

A good turn out: Brian, Margaret, Ian, Harry, John Ha, John H, John C  and me.

Useful maps: OS Explorer 325 Morpeth and Blyth and OS OL 42 Kielder Water and Forest.

Bolam comes from Old English  Bolum meaning place on the round hill or maybe Old English for tree trunks.

                   St Andrew's church Bolam. Saxon tower, 12,13th c nave

                            Small window where a WW2 bomb pierced the wall but failed to go off.

      We started the walk going through the churchyard at the west end of the building through a well overgrown section before going through a gate into fields. heading north we past Angerton Steads with its own tennis court, crossed the long dismantled railway and reached Low Angerton.

                        Ofstile gave this fine example an outstanding grade

                                 Booted up pheasant at Low Angerton.

  Normally at this point we head north on the road, cross the River Wansbeck and then head west across fields but this is the Algar Variation number 1 "Gadgies". We headed west on the farm road from Low Angerton, recrossed the dismantled railway, found the fingerpost on the right and crossed fields to the farm at Bickerton.

               This magnificent creature is at Bickerton Farm, along with his flock.

Having crossed more muddy fields we came to Highlaws Farm turned north and crossed the Wansbeck by footbridge.

                 The Bridge on the River Wansbeck.

Back on the route of previous walks we headed west across fields with  a crop of oil seed just bursting through, to Middleton Mill, followed the farm track, turned left at the road, crossed the river again and followed the finger post on the right.

Not far from the post, slightly uphill there is a curved animal shelter that made a comfortable Herbie Spot. No seats as such but sit mats come into their own.

             Lunch time: apple pies, chocolate biscuits, cookies, savoury and sweet cakes from Mrs A.

Lunch and politics over we headed off to the farm at Middleton South.

              Foxy Loxy at Middleton South. There is also a hound and a huntsman.

More fields and a standing stone later we came to a stone wall. If you follow this walk there is a stile almost at the west end of the wall, and there is a gate in the middle of a pool of muddy water.

Following the track past Half Moon Plantation we turned right at the second gate, close to the entrance to Salters Nick and walked the muddy trail to Shaftoe Grange.

                                 Shaftoe Grange. These Shaftoes were distantly related to the famous Bobby

                               Piper's chair, overlooking the crags.

Moving on we came to East Shaftoe Hall

                     East Shaftoe Hall, the left end is 14th century.

Beyond the hall we followed the farm track initially north then east to Bolam West Houses. TYhe track is partly paved with concrete sleepers from an old railway in Glasgow.

From Bolam West Houses we had to walk along the road before we could join the footpath round Bolam Lake. ( The footpath at the west end of the lake doesn't appear to have recovered from storm Arwen in 2021). A path through the trees at the visitor centre took us to the road and the last threequarter mile walk back to the church.

                    Visitor centre at Bolam Lake and some comfy furniture.

Once changed we headed for the Blackbird Inn in Ponteland for beer, tea or alcohol free drinks for the drivers. I took a young lady to the Blackbird one day in September 1965. Been together since!

           Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and data base right 2023.

The walk is about 10 miles, easy going, little climbing but muddy this time of year.

                                First snowdrops

 Six set off for Slaley. (Northumberland)

Friday 13th January

MUD WARNING FOR MOST OF THIS WALK.

Slaley is a linear village on a hilltop near Hexham. Its name comes slaeve- lech, Old English for " muddy area on cleared ground." To reach the village take A69 west, A68 at Corbridge roundabout and at next roundabout turn off for Riding  Mill. Drive through the village and take the road on the left posted Slaley.

There are six out : Brian, Margaret, Ian,  Harry , John H and me.Morning coffee at Brockbushes Farm Shop at the Corbridge roundabout. Well worth a visit.

The walk is covered by OS 43 Hadrian's  Wall. And it would be very useful. Most of the walk is across fields or woodland tracks. Recent rain and the time of year ensure your boots will be muddy. Mostly well posted but some of the disc markers are faded, direction unclear. Furthermore there are many stiles, some ladder type but most are wooden steps and are in a poor state or slippy. take care, especially of your knees.

We parked on the main street by the church of St Mary the Virgin, an Anglican church dating back to 1832 but built on the site of an older Medieval place of worship.

St Mary's Church and a parking spot.

Booted and coated against the biting wind we set off east, passing the Community shop, the Community pub (Rose and Crown), the small school and the open square of bungalows for the elderly before turning left through a gate into a field. The first stile was fine but the second one was very wobbly, Harry and I wandered around, found we were actually in the wrong field and made use of a ladder stile. Heading North East we arrived at Peel Flatt farm, carefully watched by a lady who had the nerve to think we were lost. As if.

                                       Peel Flat.

We continued North East for a short distance before turning west and following the  Black Burn  to East Woodfoot the West Woodfoot. Turning north for a short distance on the farm road to a finger post we headed west to the B6306, close to the Traveller's Rest.Turning right at a junction we followed the track downhill towards the Devils Water. (Very muddy track too.)

                                            Devils Water.

We followed the footpath on the bank of the river  (Part of a Pennine Journey not the Pennine Way) for a while before settling on a fallen tree for a Herbie. (Apple pies, biscuits, sweet and savoury from Mrs A).

                            Packing up post Herbie.

We continued on the same Pennine Journey until we reached a junction at Redlead Mill. Offered a short cut to save 0.75 of a mile it was accepted  and we walked a soggy path South East past ancient lead mining works to Steel Hall.

                                       Once a hive of industry mining lead

                                                 Hall Burn off the Pennine Journey.

Walking through plantation and then field we arrived at Dukesfield  Hall, on to Middle Dukesfield , East Dukesfield, Palm Strothers and back to Slaley.

Changed we went to the Wellington in Riding Mill which had Blacksheep, an IPA and coffee for the drivers.

                           Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2023.

The walk is about 9.5 miles. Easy going but muddy!

 And the first walk of 2023.

Northumberland and North Tyneside.

January 6th.

We are starting the year  with the walk that has become a tradition, interrupted only by the pandemic. Starting in Blyth the walk follows the coast to Tynemouth where it turns west and follows the river to North Shields, or more precisely the Low Lights pub just off the quayside. No map needed but Morpeth and Blyth OS Explorer 325 and Newcastle upon Tyne OS 316 explorer cover the walk.

Great turnout  for the first walk of the year, a team of ten: John x4, Brian, Margaret, Ian, Ben, Janis and me. A decagage or an octogadge with two gadgettes.

We met at the Coastline Restaurant, South Beach, Blyth. Some came by car, some by bus. The Coastline has a Fish and Chip Restaurant/Takeaway and a cafe serving bacon butties in a stottie*, five star awarded.

 Coastline Fish and chips, Cicarelli's cafe and a car park. (free!)

Once fed and wrapped against a cold breeze off the land we headed south into a low sun. The walk starts near Blyth Battery which dates back to WW1 and is now a small but excellent museum.

Top: searchlight housing, bottom gun.

Beyond the battery there is a choice; The Eve Black cycle path/footpath through the dunes or the sandy beach. We chose the sandy beach. Soft sand can be a problem but we trudged on, passing Gloucester Lodge farm, so called because the Gloucester Regiment were housed nearby during the Napoleonic wars.

When we reached Seaton Sluice we crossed the stream and headed towards the Kings Arms pub. The footpath goes round the back of the pub passing some interesting looking art work.

                                    Kings Arms Gallery

From there we followed footpaths round Collywell Bay to St. Mary's lighthouse.There are some seals on the island home to the light but we didn't see them.

                       St. Mary's Island and light.

Continuing south some stuck to the promenade, some walked the grassy edge of the pitch and put before descending to the prom and finding enough shelter for ten walkers to enjoy a Herbie.

Lots of sharing: apple pies, panetone, chocolate cake, Christmas cake, biscuits and more.

Overindulged we moved on to Whitley Bay.

      Spanish City at Whitley Bay. Closed for years it has been renovated and reopened               Following the footpath we came to Cullercoats, home to The Dove Marine Lab, part of Newcastle University. Further on we were above Tynemouth Long Sands. Just beyond the Gibraltar Rock pub, at the entrance to Tynemouth Castle and Priory  we headed downhill to the promenade on the bank of the Tyne.

                              Tynemouth castle.

A statue of Lord Collinwood stands high above the river.

                                Admiral Lord Collingwood. Newcastle Royal Grammar School and Nelson's second at Trafalgar.

The promenade curves round the bank to North Shields where we headed for the Low Light pub. Famous for its pies and also for beer. Some of us consumed Low Light beer, it went down well.

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Note on the map. It is a very old one. Somethings on it no longer exist, like Newsham Golf Course. An old railway line is being upgraded to carry passengers and a new station is being built at Newsham.

We walked from North to South and not as shown on the map and we started at South Beach.

The walk is 9.5 miles, much on hard ground.

* A stottie is a round flat bread bun. North East dialect term apparently connected to "to stott" or bounce. The bun was tested by throwing it to the floor to see whether or not it would bounce Health and Safety would have a fit.