Railways and a battle

Railways and a battle.January 30th

It seems to have been raining for the last two weeks. No flooding in the North East but the ground is so wet we cancelled our proposed walk across country from Scots Gap and opted for a day out on relatively firm tracks from Wylam.

Wylam can claim to be the birthplace of railways. George Stephenson, William Hedley from nearby Newburn built Puffing Billy in 1813, two years before George Stepenson produced Blucher (which should have an umlaut on the u). But George went on to greater things, including the Liverpool to Manchester line. They were both financed by the Blackett family.

Wylam is west of Newcastle, follow the A69, turn off at the signpost for the village and head down towards the station. There is a car park on the left as you approach the River Tyne, and it's  free.

The map is covered by OS explorer 316 Newcastle upon Tyne

The Coffee Tree on the main street welcomes walkers and several yummy mummies this morning too.

Car park down by the river on the north bank. Free!

The car park is next to the dismantled railway line which used to join the Newcastle to Carlisle track a few miles to the west so we set off east on a good solid base towards George Stephenson's Cottage. Tyhe track is on the Tyne and Wear Heritage Way.

This is where George sat and watched his mum's kettle boil. (That was James Watt really)

Not far from the cottage, which is occasionally open to the public, we went through a gate into Close House Golf Course. Not many golfers out today in the rain. The path goes close to the Close House Club House before heading up a road  to the edge of Heddon on the Wall.

                                             Nice bench in Close House.

At Heddon Banks farm we walked through a small estate before heading downhill on Station Road. There may well have been a station at the bottom once but it has gone. At Heddon Haugh we rejoined the Tyne and Wear Heritage Way/ Hadrian's Wall Path and walked east to the Tyne Riverside Country Park. There is a cafe there and the Keelman's Pub but as the rain was easing off we bravely continued towards Newburn Bridge. Just before reaching the bridge there is a memorial to The Battle of Newburn Ford.

August 28th 1640, during the Second Bishops' War. Outnumbering  the English four to one the victory went to the Scots who then continued to Newcastle, laid siege to the town and left cannon ball marks still seen on St. Andrew's Church.

We crossed the Tyne at Newburn, turned west on the riverside path and found a couple of benches for a Herbie. For what seemed like the first time for several days the rain stopped as we shared apple pies, cookies and sweet and savoury from Mrs A.

                                                                   Newburn Bridge.

The path on the south side of the Tyne is "The Keelmen's Way, named for the men who ferried coal in Keel boats down to larger ships. It goes round the edge of Ryton Golf Course and reaches Wylam after three miles at the railway station. Back across the river, back to the car park and off to the Fox and Hounds for TTL or zero alcohol Guinness for the drivers. And it had started to rain again.

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Start and finish at the red dot. Herbie by the river, south bank just after 5 miles.

The walk is a bit under 9 miles.Easy going with one climb out of Close House.

                            

A castle, the coast and a chapel

 A castle, the coast and a chapel. January 23rd

Unusually for Britain it has been a wet week so a shorter walk nearer home has been the suggestion. Walking from the village of Warkworth up the coast to a spot opposite Alnmouth and back through the dunes. Head north on the Northumberland Coastal Route to Warkworth. (A189). There is parking by the river, close to the church, free.                                                                                       

    The map, if needed is OS Explorer 332 Alnwick and Amble

              St Lawrence church, a fine Norman building and the car park by the river.

Dressed in waterproof jackets and over trousers (unusual for me I don't like them) we walked to Bertrams cafe for breakfast and a discussion on the walk and the weather, it was raining but not too heavily.

Having fuelled up on bacon sandwiches or teacakes we set off, going through the bridge tower and crossing the fourteenth century bridge which is now reserved for pedestrians, a modern version spanning the River Coquet is beside it.

  .  The River Coquet and the ancient Bridge Tower and wet gadgies and one gadgette.

Once across the river we also crossed the road and headed up towards the car parks.  Approaching the dunes and the beach we discussed the walk and decided, in spite of the rain, to follow the  long version and headed south towards the river mouth.

Amble and the river mouth, the sea is somewhere out there.

Turning north and thankfully now having the strong wind at our backs we walked on the beach. The sand was firm, we saw two noble dog walkers on a beach that is usually busy. We walked on the beach for three miles, the only tricky bit being Berling Carrs. a stretch of seaweed covered low rocks which are difficult to cross, especially if your knee won't bend. It is possible to go round them by climbing up to the caravan site and once through it rejoining the beach.

At the mouth of the Aln, opposite the village of Alnmouth we scrambled up to the cross which marks the area where the 12century church once stood.

 The site of St. Waleric's church. A storm in 1806 changed the course of the river, and cut off the church which eventually disappeared.

Heading south a few yards we came to the ruined 19th century "lying in chapel" and as the rain had stopped we decided it made a good site for our Herbie.

                   !9th century chapel and Herbie spot. Apple pies, cookies and, of course, sweet and savoury from Mrs A.

Lunch over we followed the King Charles III/England Coast path going south behind the dunes. The dunes offered some shelter from the wind. 

17th century guano shed. Built well away from the village to store imported guano used as fertiliser. The building fell out of use after the storm of 1806.

The path wanders alongside fields and continues by the golf course. Normally we follow a firm path which crosses the course, goes under a footbridge and passes a bell which is rung to warn players that walkers are going through. Today we took a short cut, disappointingly as I like to ring the bell but I was at the back, too late to protest.

Soon we were back at the cars, it started to rain again. Once we were free from waterproofs we decided to return to Bertrams for coffee and cake rather than go to the pub. It was only 3pm.

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The walk is about 8.5 miles, easy going. Sea views and green fields.

                     The last three by kind permission of Harry!

New Year, new walk.

New Year and a new walk. January 16th

It's not often we have a new walk but this one is and fairly local too. Based on the village of Lonhorsely in Northumberland, easily reached by heading north on the A1, turning off on the A697 at Morpeth and driving on a few miles.

The map to use is OS Explorer 325 Morpeth and Blyth.

Britain does not have a climate, it has weather. Today is sunny, warm for the time of year but some of the paths have icy patches, some are muddy and some of the fields have a frosty coating, some don't. Ah well.

Longhorsely comes from Old English horsa-lea, a horse pasture, and presumably a long one.

We parked opposite the church, St Helen's, was built as the village school in the 19th century. The porch was brought from the old village church, 18th century on medieval foundations. Next to the church is Horsley Tower, dating back to the  16th century

                           Not really

Leaving the village we walked a few hundred yards west before turning in to admire Archie's Pond and continued on a slightly slippy path through woodland.

Archie's pond with camera strap.

Leaving the wood we crossed fields to Viewlaws farm and carried on  over fields to the road south of Todburn East.

Once across the road we walked along the Devil's Causeway, heading south on this Roman road which stretches from Corbridge to Berwick. At Todburn Moor we turned south east across fields until we reached High Southward Edge where we back with the Devil.

                                       Northumberland

When we reached Linkham Lane, a farm track we halted and sat on a grassy bank for a Herbie. No sharing today, except for Janice's chocolates!

After a bout threequarters of a mile on the track we spotted the gate on the left that took us past a small lake and along the edge of Hare Dean Wood.

                      Unnamed pond by Hare Dean.

Spotting yet another gate we walked down a flight of earthen/wood steps into the dean and headed north across fields to the road near Muckley.(mile 6)

                      Follow the sign

Once we had found the way through the collection of cottages at Muckley we crossed several fields and a stream before finishing the day on a short stretch of road back to Longhorsely.

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The walk is about 7.4 miles, easy going with a lot of stiles, some being tricky with a glazing of ice.

Some muddy sections too, and lots of Lauder Grass.

Horsely Tower in the background