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.

Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2026

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