Coast and country

 Coast and country again, and why not. August 25th

Down to a team of three for various reasons, we are repeating a coast and country walk from Alnmouth in Northumberland.

 But as an aside, last week I past the 250000 mark for the number of times the gadgie blog has been read. Minute by influencer and celebrity  standards but satisfying for me.

Alnmouth is reached by heading north on the A1 and turning east at Alnwick.

The walk is covered by OS Explorer 332, Alnwick and Amble.

There is a large parking area next to the beach. £3.50 for a day and tickets are sold by a cheery human being.

Parking close to the beach at Alnmouth, 

Having booted up we set off north along the sandy beach, plenty of people around, some in the water, some playing cricket, some playing, some just sitting. After about threequarters of a mile we spotted the footpath up to the England Coastal Path/ St. Oswald's Way probably too. (Not the path through the little gate, just beyond that. We soon reached the Alnmouth Golf Course Club House, Foxton Hall. (mile 1)

From the club house we walked up the road, passing some very modern looking houses, crossed the road and crossed the ladder stile or used the gate.

Looking over the River Aln to Lesbury . A flood plain with some meanders too. 

Having admired the view we walked downhill on a path through a field of rye which was ready to be harvested. Across a field with a herd of sheep and we were in Lesbury.

                     A peaceful spot in Lesbury

St. Mary's church Lesbury. 13th century origins but 19th century rebuilding.

We walked the main street of the village, passing the closed pub (sad sight) and turned left at the roundabout.

This modern bridge replaced the 15th century one next to it. Ugly in my humble opinion and it doesn't fit well in the area.

Once over the Aln we walked uphill, taking the right fork after a while and going through an estate, spotting the narrow lane that took us down to the park where we stopped for a Herbie. No sharing!

After a sandwich and drink we went under the East Coast Main line and walked uphill on a footpath through a field that had been cut. A slight diversion near the top of the hill to admire the view and then back on the field edge footpaths to Wooden Farm.

                         Express on the way to Edinburgh

Looking down on the River Aln and the small town of Alnmouth and the North Sea.

Beyond the farm we crossed the railway (level crossing), crossed the road and walked along the footpath/cycle path that links Hipsburn with Warkworth. 

Crossing the B1338 we walked through the Alnmouth Football, Cricket and Croquet grounds until we reached a footbridge across the Aln and were back in Lesbury.

                              The Aln at Lesbury

Having completed a circle from Lesbury we retraced our steps to the Golf Club. We spotted a pair of egrets flying above the river. We decided that instead of going to a pub on the way home we should try the club house, which welcomes visitors.

Two real ales on offer, Northumberland Gold and Tyneside Blonde and tea for the unfortunate driver.

John heads for the golf club bar. For future references for certain gadgies, it does bacon sandwiches for breakfast.

Rehydrated we followed the footpath on the low cliffs back to the car park, passing a WW2 relic.

                                         WW2 pillbox

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The walk is an easy going 8 miles with good views and a good hydration stop.

Clockwise from Belford

 Clockwise from Belford August 18th

Turn out hit again by holidays and family commitments three of us are repeating the well worn route to St Cuthbert's Cave.

Head north on A1, turn off for Belford. Halfway through the village turn left on the Wooler road. Almost immediately there is parking on the right in front of the village hall.

The walk is covered by OS Explorer 340 Holy Island and Bamburgh

On the way we stopped at Carnaby cafe and shop on the A1. Bacon sandwiches and tea.

Not a winner but a free carpark in Belford. (having camera problems)

The walk starts on the left of the building in the photograph. We walked down the lane for a short distance before going through a gate on the left and walking alongside a stream. We passed West Hall, a crenelated Victorian farmhouse built on the site of an old fortified building. Look carefully, there is evidence of a moat.

                         West Hall

The footpath crosses fields, crosses a couple of stiles, climbs a small hill to a radio mast and then goes down to Swinhoe Farm.

All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin. Belford is in an agricultural area, Swinhoe Farm seems to have produced a good crop this year.

There is a cross roads of tracks at he farm, we took the one heading south west and walked alongside fields, passing  Detchant Coalhouses and Dick's Old Walls before reaching woodland. The track passes Cockenheugh, a rocky outcrop. At the only junction in this area take the right fork which eventually leads to St Cuthbert's Cave.

              St Cuthbert's Cave, a natural cave. Legend has it that the monks of old, on their journey carrying the saint's remains, paused here to avoid Viking raiders. It's a popular picnic spot.

We looked but didn't visit the cave, having seen it a number of times. Beyond the cave, at mile 4, we turned right and climbed the short steep hill to narrow footpath on the ridge of Greensheen Hill.

               Trig point on Greensheen Hill( 205m or 673 feet)

The heather is in full bloom at this time of year making for a colourful walk. we met and passed a small group of people on a guided walk. They didn't seem too keen on exchanging the usual pleasantries, perhaps they were southerners. 

Just beyond Holburn Moss(mile 5) the track turns, passes Raven's Crag and enters woodland.

                                   Holburn Moss

The track turns east the south east before emerging from the fly ridden wood.  Just beyond the wood is a fishing/birdwatching site called Graymare. It would have made a good Herbie Spot but was marked as private so, being good gadgies we sat on the grassy bank at the side of the track for lunch. (Apple pies, cake and cheese scones from Mrs A)

And it started to rain, not heavily but enough to force us into waterproofs and we continued on our way.

As we approached Swinhoe Lake a flock of young mallards waddled on the track before turning into the lake.

                          Fuzzy ducks.

A little further on we were met by a farm vehicle (and driver) herding more ducks along the track. The driver explained he was herding them back to the lake, they had been feasting in his grain store.

Duckherding back to the lake.

Soon we were at Swinhoe farm again. This time we took the track to the left. After a short distance we took the right fork and a little further on, at a finger post, took the footpath through woodland (mile 9) to Craggy Hall, passing a lime kiln on the way.

                                  A Lime Kiln!

Soon we were back at the car park in Belford. Changed we headed for the Widdrington Inn, a bit out of the way but it did have Timothy Taylor's Landlord.

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The walk is just over 10 miles. easy going with a couple of very short climbs.

 

Up and down the South Tyne

 Up and down the South Tyne. August 11th

A walk last done several years ago. Today's  ramble starts in the village of Slaggyford in the South Tyne Valley. 

West on A69, turn off for Alston on the Haltwhistle bypass and eventually Slaggyford gets a mention. There is a car park just over the level crossing by the station.

The map to use is OS OL 43, Hadrian's Wall but you could manage without it.

                           The car park (and it's free)

            Slaggyford station. Narrow gauge trains run up and down to Alston. Check for open days

We went back over the crossing passing a converted chapel with some fine stained glass windows and turned right at the village. After walking on the road past the caravan site we turned left, crossed the river, walked through a farm yard and headed uphill.

                                             The South Tyne

                               Williamston

From here the footpath heads north, sometimes through fields, sometimes through woodland, passing The Bog until  we reached Eals Bridge.

                             And there's a Lime Kiln on the way

                                 Eals Bridge.

Beyond the bridge we walked on the road to the hamlet of Eals, took the left fork  and after a while crossed over fields (mile 4)  to Tewsbank Woods. Once over a footbridge we followed the narrow steep path uphill, tricky in places, needing care. Many of the trees at Hag Wood have been cut down and replaced.  We followed a rough path through the wood and eventually reached Lambley Viaduct.

(A more sensible route is the one on the map that crosses a field towards Asholme Farm, involves a stile but takes you to the old railway line, avoiding muddy paths through woodland)

                              Lambley Viaduct, now a country walk

                                South Tyne heading north

The railbed is closed at the end of the viaduct, the old station beyond being private property. It is necessary to take the path down  at the end of the bridge, go underneath it and then climb back up to the old railway. 

Exhausted we called a Herbie (mile 6) and shared apple pies, biscuits, scones and cake.

Lunch over we headed back to Slaggyford on the old railway line, in part it is the South Tyne Trail, in part it is A Pennine Journey but the best part about it is that it is flat.

                           Kearsdale Hall ?

An alternative route back is to go to the village of Lambley and join the Pennine Way which is on an old Roman road now called the Maiden Way. Plenty of stiles on this route though.

Back at the station in Slaggyford we were in time to see the last train of the day pull out on its way to Alston.

                     Take the last train to Alston..........................

On the way home we stopped at the Fox and Hounds in Wylam. They were serving Tim Taylor's Landlord and refreshing soda and lime for the drivers.

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

The walk is about 10 miles, mostly easy going apart from that bank beyond Eals.