All in all, it's just another walk on the wall.

All in all its just another walk on the wall.

Northumberland May 12th

We have guests and are taking them to Hadrian's Wall on an overcast day. A grand total of eight walkers, biggest team for some time and including the two guests, Anne and Bob from Essex, Margaret's sister and her husband.

The walk starts with breakfast at the Sill, restaurant, visitor centre and hostel behind the Twice Brewed pub on the Military Road, aka B6318. Head west from Newcastle on the A69. There are several places to turn north to the A6318, the last at Bardon Mill. Keep on west to Twice Brewed, the Sill, a fairly new building is behind it and if you want to see a brilliant museum and Roman Fort Vindolanda is close by.

The map for this walk is OS OL43 Hadrian's Wall.

The car park at the Sill works on number plate recognition, payment on leaving. A full day cost £5, reasonable as there are four in each car.

                    Car park at the Sill

After a bacon sandwich or tea  or coffee we set off. Crossing the B6318 we walked up the road towards  Steel Rigg but before reaching it, at the first farm on the right we took the footpath across fields to the car park, rejoined the road, over the hill and then turned right on a farm track. (mile 1).

We followed the track, grassed in places across several fields, heading generally east. There were several other walkers out, including half a dozen teenagers doing the Duke of Edinburgh award. They looked very happy.

                                Crag Lough. The wall runs along the top

                               And a lime kiln!

After just over four miles of easy walking on grassy tracks we came to the King's Wicket. Appropriate so near to the recent coronation. Nothing to do with cricket, it's a gate in the wall. The banks on the north side made a good picnic site so we called a Herbie.

                   Herbie time at the King's Wicket. We shared cookies, blackcurrant and apple pies, savoury buns and chocolate cake from Mrs A. A party of Germans asked for directions. As Harry explained the route along the Hadrian Path Brian reminded him "Not to mention the Wall"  Good joke.

The ladder crossing received an excellent from Ofstile.

After lunch we crossed to the south side of the wall and joined the Hadrian's Wall Path, a 74 mile long distance walk from Bowness on Solway to Wallsend on Tyne. Turning west we followed the path alongside the ruins of the great wall. 

                         Remains of a turret, two between every ..............

                    milecastle. The milecastles and turrets are all numbered. This one is number  37 or XXXVII as the Romans didn't call it.

The path follows the side of the wall, passing Housesteads Roman fort. There is a museum near the wall and a visitor centre down the hill. We didn't stop, been there, got the T shirt.

Gate in the north side of Housesteads, or  Vircovicium as the Romans called it. Worth a visit but Vindolanda is better.

Close to the fort is the only section of wall people are allowed to walk on:

 Dave walks the wall. When built it was about 9 feet high. (3 metres)

The wall path crosses the Pennine Way, another long distance walk at Cuddy's Crag. The path does go up and down, in some places the down bit is steep, in some places stone stair cases have been added to prevent erosion and make life easier. 

After a downhill stretch to Hotbank the wall, and path begin the climb to Highshield Crags above Crag Lough.

Crag Lough from below and above. My favourite stretch of wall.

The footpath  now follows a bit of a roller coaster as it travels along the top of the Whin Sill. Again some sections have stone steps in them which make the downhill bit easier. At last we reached the tree.

            Sycamore gap, made famous in "Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves". In the film Kevin Costner made it fro Dover Beach to the wall in seconds before going on to see Maid Marion in Alnwick.

After admiring the tree some of us continued on the wall, some of us took the lower path avoiding a steep climb and descent as the trail nears Steel Rigg. Back on the road we were soon back at the cars and once changed headed for the Twice Brewed Inn.

      The Twice Brewed, restaurant, pub and brewery. Good selection of beers produced on site.

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

The walk is about 8.5 miles with some steep ups and downs  but worth it for the scenery.

Four photos from Harry;

And some from me

Beach, Dunes and a golf course

 Beach, Dunes and a golf course. May 5th

Northumberland

The planned walk for today was intended to be a birthday celebration for one of the team, a glass of brandy on Windy Gyle, a point in the Cheviots on the English/ Scottish border.

However the local weather forecast said it would be wet, breezy and cold up there so six of us opted for a leisurely stroll from Warkworth.

Warkworth is a pretty village some 20 miles north of Newcastle, easily found by following the Northumberland Coast route, starting on the A189.

It has a ruined castle, several pubs and cafes and a car park alongside the River Coquet, free too. The name comes from Old English Werce-worthe. Werce's settlement. Some had breakfast in Barnards cafe. Well worth a visit.

A map is not necessary but the walk is covered by OS Explorer 332 Alnwick and Amble.

The riverside car park, worthy of the calendar this year.

Leaving the car park we walked east along the river bank passing the church and arriving at the old bridge.

              St Lawrence's church. An almost complete Norman church.

The medieval road bridge, closed to traffic. A modern bridge lies behind.

We  crossed the bridge and immediately but carefully crossed the road and walked uphill for a short distance before taking the footpath on the right to avoid the few cars heading to and from the car parks. (Also free)

There are toilets at the car park. We took the path down towards the beach but before crossing the dunes turned south and walked the path along the river bank. At mile 2 we turned north and hit the beach heading north. Easy to follow, keep the sea to your right.

Top: rotting hulks near Amble

Bottom Buildings on quay at Amble. They don't seem to fit but what do I know.

The tide was out, the sand was firm as we walked on. The beach was empty, not surprising as it was cold and misty.

Few walkers on the beach on this misty, moisty morning.

At Birling Carrs two of us climbed the short bank to the caravan site to escape the rocks which are sometimes slippy. The others, much braver continued over the rocks and back on to sand. We joined them at the other side of the camp. and continued on our way in a light rain to the River Aln.

Alnmouth across the river. Once a small but thriving port it is now a holiday village. In 1806 a storm caused a diversion of the river. What would have been an almost perfect Oxbow lake for Geographers washed a way, the river straightened out and the village church was toppled . It was a 12th century place of worship.

In 1779 John Paul Jones American naval captain fired his cannon at the church.

WE climbed up to the cross on Church Hill, site of the old church, and walked to the remains of an19th century lying in chapel where we stopped for lunch. (mile 6 or there abouts)

                    Herbie time: apple pies back on the menu with cookies, chocolate. Savoury buns and chocolate cake from Mrs A.

The rain had stopped and we set off on St. Oswald's Way/ England Coast Path/ Northumberland Coast path. Not far from the chapel are the remains of the guano shed, built before the great storm to store guano, used as fertilizer and built away from the village because of the smell.

                  Ruins of the guano shed.

We followed the path through the dunes and the caravan site. After 7.5 miles the path goes round the edge of Warkworth golf course. At the path leading back to the town we turned right and headed for the cars.

                Bridge tower at the end of Warkworth's ancient river crossing 

Warkworth Castle, a Percy stronghold.

On the way home we called at the Widdrington Inn. The pub had Timothy Taylor's Landlord and it was good. The innkeeper was busy decorating the place for the coronation of Charles III to be held on May 6th.

Nature notes

Blue bells, cowslips, a few remaining daffodils and a lone avocet. And sadly, a dead seal.

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

The walk is just over 9 easy going miles.