A little damp in Wylam

 A little damp in Wylam. August 28th

The weather forecast has suggested there will be thunder and showers for the day in the north east of England. The few gadgies who are out have decided on a short walk near home with cut offs if the heavy rain starts.

Starting from Wylam, west of Newcastle in the Tyne Valley using OS Explorer 316 Newcastle upon Tyne, this is a familiar walk mostly along the river side. 

Park for free down by the Wylam Bridge.

The path by the car park was a railway line, now a horse/cycle/walkers track and we set off  on it, heading west.

After about half a mile we crossed the Tyne on the Hagg Bridge, 19th century predecessor of the Tyne bridge.

                     Hagg Bridge. The line it carried joined the Newcastle to Carlisle railway on the south side of the river.

Not long after crossing the Hagg Bridge we took a footpath on the left, crossed the railway, walked through woodland , crossed a road and continued on footpaths through more woods high above the industrial area of Prudhoe until we came to the castle.

Prudhoe Castle. Dating back to the 11th century, owned then by the d' Umfravilles who came over with William it is now a ruin run by English Heritage. Only open to pre-booked tours. However we walked round the outside, which explains the loop on the map.

Leaving the castle we headed down to the Tyne Riverside Country Park for coffee.

Art at the Tyne Riverside Country Park. Next to the picture is a dog washing area, hot and cold and shampoo and everything for your pooch.

 We crossed Ovingham Bridge, controlled by lights for vehicles but there is a footbridge parallel to it.

                                          The Tyne at Ovingham.

After a slight detour to admire the Bridge End Pub and restaurant  we took a path that, after a short flight of steps, brought us to the track into Whittle Dene. 

There are a number of small cottages in the dene and at mile 4, close to a ruined building that could have been a mill once we settled down for a Herbie. (Skinny whips and apples)

Lunch over we headed back down the dene to Ovingham, just as the promised rain started. Crossing to the south side of the Tyne we followed the tarmacked path back to Wylam, passing the famous Spetchells which are artificial low hills made from the waste produced by a nearby factory that made fertiliser and explosives in WW2.

 Now covered in shrubs trees and flowers they are a nature reserve.

The path, next to the river took us back to the Hagg Bridge and the car park. And then we went home!

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

The walk is about 7.5 miles, easy going, woodland and riverside.