A Wansbeck wander

A Wansbeck wander March 2nd

 Nearly all the gadgies are otherwise engaged this week so no Friday walk. Instead I've joined the Greens again for a walk from Morpeth to Bothal and back. 

The map for the walk is OS Explorer 325 Morpeth and Blyth.

We met in the large car park between LIDL, Home Bargains and the shopping centre. It's free but requires one of those discs that shows the time you arrived, maybe not on Sundays. But I parked at the back of the Tap and Spile where you can stay all day without a disc.

                 Top: main car park. Bottom: Behind the Tap and Spile, use the steps.

Once the eleven of us had met  we set off from the main car park, back to the road between park and LIDL, turned left and followed the road beyond Morrison's  for a while before taking the more pleasant path through the woods. Garlic growing, snowdrops still in bloom. Turning left we took the footpath past a filled in sink hole and circled the pond near Pegswood.

               Woodland walk, February Fair Maids and the pond.

Having crossed a roasd we were soon in Pegswood, once a mining community, the pit closed many years ago. Turning right at a junction we followed the path alongside the main East Coast line, went under it and walked across fields churned up by horses.

        Underneath the arches and a friendly horse

Having crossed another road we walked through more woodland to the village of Bothal. After four miles we decided the sunny churchyard, which had several benches, would make an excellent Herbie Spot. (Greens don't share yet)

Bothal is an Estate village. Not much more than a row of cottages. The church of St.Andrew dates to the 13th century. The castle is still used and dates to the 14th century.

Lunch over we climbed up  the road out of the village, took the left fork and crossed the River Wansbeck.

                                 Wansbeck

                               And a waterfall.

At about mile 5 we walked the edge of a ploughed field and then a woodland track high above the river. At Park House we went on the edge of a field of leeks before we reached a crossing point at the railway.

                       Leeks. Leek and potato soup, a favourite.

Once across the railway we followed the road/track down to the river, passing this delight;

At the river we turned left and made use of the footpath a few feet above the road, went under the road bridge and crossed into the town on the next footbridge, passing the clock tower .

Morpeth clock tower, 17th century and it doesn't lean .Admiral Lord Collingwood, the man who led the fleet into battle at Trafalgar and took command when Nelson fell had a house beyond the tower. It's still there.

Back at the cars we changed footwear and went to the Tap and Spile.TTL and zero Guinness.

Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2025

The walk is just over 8 miles, easy going with a couple of short climbs.