Gadgie Walks: MURDER MOST FOUL

Murder most foul and a Scout camp November 17th

VERY, VERY MUDDY

After a damp and breezy week the forecast suggests it will be a good day for a walk. Today's exercise starts at Newbrough, a village west of Hexham and on the north bank of the Tyne.

Head west on the A69, just beyond Hexham turn north for Warden, cross the river and continue west to the village of Newbrough, one of the few in England to have a town hall. Parking is on the roadside. The OS OL 43 Hadrian's Wall covers the walk and could be useful. By all means stop at Brockbushes on the Corbridge roundabout for morning coffee and food.

Newbrough is one of the few villages in England to have a town hall. We parked outside it, not one for the calendar. There are some convenient benches for booting up though, and toilets.

Once ready we walked west along the road, crossed a bridge and turned right through a gate to follow a muddy, leaf strewn footpath which climbed steadily, turned right, crossed a minor road, crossed a soggy field and arrived at another minor road.

Muddy and leaf covered, but posted.

Heading north we walked steadily uphill until we came to a fork in the road. Taking the right fork, with a sign saying Carr Edge, we went on to that farm, went round the buildings and crossed a watery and hoof chewed up field to a wood. (mile 2)

Not far into the wood we left the path briefly to admire (in some cases) the cairn erected to the first Boy Scout camp.

Baden Powell held the first camp for boys on Brownsea Island in 1907 but the first official Boy Scouts camp was held in Northumberland near Humshaugh in August/September 1908. Three of us had been scouts so were pleased to admire the cairn, the others were indifferent.

Back on the very muddy path through the wood and across a field we got some foot relief on reaching a road. Turning left, then almost immediately right across more soggy field and wood we reached the road near Walwick Hall. The road is the so called Military Road and at this point is built on the Roman Wall itself.

Some where near the hall, in 1826 a man named Joseph Hedley, a quilter by trade and 76 years old was brutally murdered by a person or persons unknown. His fame as a quilter was well known, his work was to be found around the world. His cottage has been rebuilt at Beamish, home of the great Museum of Northern Life.

This is not Walwick Hall, I just liked the building.

Turning rat the junction beyond the hall we followed the B6319 to Walwick Grange. A stile here pointed the way into some soggy fields but fortunately a low row of large stones provided us with a Herbie Spot.(Skinny whips, cookies, a lovely muesli biscuit and savoury bun from Mrs A)

We walked the very muddy edge of a ploughed field (mile 5) to Park Shield, turned left , turned left again (mile 6) then went down a track to a large electricity sub station.

You don't expect a substation on a country walk. There is a path round it.

Once round the substation we took a footpath across the Stanegate (Roman Road south of and usually parallel to the Wall). Joining a grassy track we reached the village of Fourstones, walked the road for a while and then turned left down towards the River Tyne, crossing the Newcastle to Carlisle Railway.

Railway crossing, sadly we didn't have to phone as the route was clear. There is a pub nearby, The Railway, but it seemed to have been closed for some time.

The footpath on the bank of the river was not exactly mud free but it was easy walking.

River Tyne (South)

There were a number of painted stones nestling at the foot of several trees. No explanation but very pretty.

After about half a mile the path went under the railway and took us through the last bit of mud back to Newbrough. Changed we went to the Fox and Hounds in Wylam, TTL and zero alcohol Guinness.