Black and Green

 Black and Green. September 20th

This easy walk has been done before, but why not again. It's with the Greens, a fellow walking group who lay on a great Christmas walk and buffet in a pub.

The walk starts from Blackhall Mill near Consett. Cross the Tyne going south on the A1 and navigate round the next intersection, head west and arrive. Park near the Riverview Bakery, enjoy one of their bacon sandwiches and start the walk.

The walk is covered by OS Explorer 307 Consett and Derwent Reservoir.

Across the bridge into Blackhall, there is some parking on the right but it was full. The roads near the cafe were also full so it was a bit of a cheek leaving a car in the cafe park but we did go in at the start and end of our walk. Well worth it too, a top class bacon sandwich in the morning and great cakes in the afternoon.

Riverview in Blackhall. Always busy and not surprising it's so good.

Leaving the cafe we walked along the road for a short distance, parallel to the River Derwent.      

Leaving the road we took a footpath on the edges of fields with a crop of maize ready to cut.

Grown for manimal feed rather than cornflakes I'm told

Not quite as high as an elephants eye.

                               Alpacas.

Crossing the river we were close to the remains of  Vindomoa Roman fort, we didn't stop most  roman forts look alike.
Back across the river we entered Hepper Hill Park Wood and followed the footpath going steadily uphill to Hoods Close. Being a warm sunny early autumn day the walk through the woods was a pleasure. Once out of them we crossed fields to the village of Whittonstall, built on one of the highest spots around. The village had provided a small picnic spot complete with table and benches so we called a Herbie. (No sharing it's a Greens walk)

Herbie spt in Whittonstall

Moving on down the village road we turned in at Lawson's Farm, a collection of holiday homes which looked very comfortable and well maintained.

Across a couple of fields and back to the woods, Ryehill Woods this time. A narrow footpath which became a track through the farm at Hollings.

Looking south at Hollings

Arriving at a road we turned right then joined the dismantled railway for a short time before taking the track through Milkwellburn Wood all the way back to Blackhall.

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

The walk is about 9 miles, easy going with acouple of short climbs. But if you like a woodland walk this takes a lot of beating