BOLAM

 A stroll from St. Andrew's, Bolam

July 7th

Holidays and domestic arrangements have reduced numbers again. Five of us are going for a well worn walk from the  church of St Andrew in the tiny village of Bolam.

Head north on the A1, turn off for Morpeth and turn left at the golf course.  Turn right at Walton and pull into the area infront of the church at Bolam.

The walk is covered by OS Explorer 325 Morpeth and Blyth.

Today's car park infront of St. Andrew's. This gem of a church has Saxon origins and Norman additions. And yes it's the one pierced by a WW2 bomb that failed to go off. (Tiny window between the cars)  The pilot returned 60 years later and apologised.

We walked through the churchyard and found the heavily overgrown path at the back. The grass and nettles were waist high, the cunning brambles were at tripping level. The gate to the fields was blocked but we clambered over a low barbed wire fence and continued in long grass before getting into the sheep mown fields. Heading north we passed Angerton Steads, crossed the dismantled railway which is difficult to detect (mile 1) and headed for Low Angerton.

                                Great sign

We turned west and walked along the farm road, crossing the invisible dismantled railway again, ignored the first finger post and having found the tatty second one turned right into the fields.

Watch out for this finger post and follow it.

The footpath took us across fields to Bickerton where a small flock of turkeys were running around.

                                    Warm turkeys. Plenty of time yet..........................

Turning north we walked through the farmyard at Highlaws, crossed the also invisible Devil's Causeway, a Roman road, and on to a footbridge over the River Wansbeck. (mile 3)

                            River Wansbeck near Highlaws.

Once safely across we headed west across fields, followed by a herd of bullocks in the first field and battling through a field of oats in the second.

  harry battles the oats. The footpath has been left through the field for walkers. Two years ago it was a field of oil seed, higher and tougher.

We eventually made it to the farm at Middleton Mill, walked the farm track to the road, turned left, crossed the Wansbeck, followed the post on the right and headed for the animal shelter for a Herbie (near mile 5)

Lunchtime in the three sided shelter. Skinny whips, malt loaf, sweet and savoury from Mrs A.

Having rested, it was a hot day, we walked on to Middleton South farm and took the footpaths around the edges of fields, ignoring the Standing Stone until we came to a gateless stone wall. It does however have a proper stone stile. Once over we followed the path to a gate, turned right, and for a change went through the Salters Nick, a relic from the ancient tracks, and continued east to Bolam West Houses.

                        Salters Nick.

Turning right on the road at Bolam West Houses we came to Bolam Lake Country Park, followed a footpath round the edge and made a stop at the visitor centre for an ice cream. It was a hot day.

                       Bolam Lake

Having cooled we walked the last mile to the church and cars. Instead of going to the pub we headed for the Blacksmiths Cafe at Belsay. Are we getting older?

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

The walk is about 10 easy miles.