Belsay and Milbourne

 Belsay and Milbourne November 6th

WE have not done this walk for a while but today nine of us are setting out for a farmland walk from Belsay. To get to the start go through Ponteland village and continue  past the Hawk Inn and the Highlander Inn to Belsay. Turn left by the entrance to Belsay Hall and park on the roadside close to the Blacksmiths cafe for breakfast.

The walk is covered by OS Explorer 316 Newcastle upon Tyne and is useful although there are plenty of markers. (And stiles)

              Roadside parking near the Blacksmiths cafe.

Booted and fed we set of down the road in the above photo which leads to Beechfield Farm, which has an old MG. 

On the way to the farm we passed the Belsay woodland burial ground.

Back on the road soon, hopefully

We walked through the farm yard, through a gate and started a trek over fields, heading a little west of south, crossed a stream and started a couple of miles of road walking past West Newham farm and on to Robsheugh Farm. Beyond that farm we turned left back into fields and headed for High House.

A few hundred yards before the High House we spotted a pile of logs, some of which had been cut into moveable sections so we lined them up against the fence and sat down for a Herbie. (Little birthday cakes and Mrs A's offwring of sweet and savoury.

High House Horse and a proper stile.

Moving on we walked through woodland behind Milbourne House, seeing only from the back.

                       Back of Milbourne Hall built in 1807

Out of focus woodland at Milbourne Hall

Having crossed a couple of fields we came to the village of Milbourne, reaching the road near the church.

Holy Saviour church, Milbourne dates from 1869.

Not far down the village road  we came to the Milbourne Methodist Chapel. We took the footpath on the left  and after a short climb through woodland came to open fields.

Milbourne Methodist Chapel, 1903.

 Crossing the fields we reached the farm at East Newham which has:

A well? Not in use but there is an old electric motor on one side.

Turning left on the road we reached Middle Newham and a footpath on the right  which passes a few bumps of earth which are the site of a Medieval Village. Another marked track across fields  and we were back at East Beechfield Farm and the road back to the cars. And back into the cafe for tea and cakes! And home.

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The walk is a little under 9 miles, easy going apart from some stiles which need repairing.

              Distant view of Belsay Hall. The house is open to the skies, there is also acastle and a beautiful Quarry Garden

                                     This stile is a disgrace