Walking with Shepherds Walks

Steel Rigg to Housesteads

Guided walk date – 06/09/09

The day dawned grey, and despite the forecast for brightening conditions stayed grey, however after a dreadfully wet week we were relieved that the rain stayed away, other than a little light drizzle in the wind.

We lost two, due to the ingestion of something dodgy the night before, before the walk had even begun.  So a slightly diminished group left the car park in good spirits, despite the warning from the leader that conditions for the first half of the walk would be very wet underfoot.  She was proved right, and after picking their way carefully round the first few wet patches everyone gave up and just marched through the rest.  An evening of scrubbing boots and gaiters was looming.

The sun refused to shine, even a little, to help illuminate the crags for the photographers.  Some thought that the moody conditions suited the character of the whinstone, others would have preferred some sun!  For all it had been a few years since they had seen this particular stretch of the wall.
 
A group of cattle was approached with some trepidation, especially after the spate of fatalities at the hands of such beasts over the last couple of months.  We had no dogs with us to interest them, so the cattle kept on munching and we kept on marching, without having to beat a hasty retreat.

The first half of the walk allowed us the opportunity to see where the second half would take us, as well as affording good views of the famous loughs, and the edge of Wark Forest.  Everyone was secretly relived to climb up onto the line of Hadrian’s Wall trail at the half way point and leave the mud behind!  The going may have been better underfoot but the challenge of the rather undulating terrain then began. The higher ground did give us great views in all directions and we were happy to watch the rain clouds sweep through the North Pennines without bothering us.

Lunch was taken in as sheltered a spot as we could find, with a great view of Houstesteads fort.  We discussed the wonders of Roman technology with the aid of some modern technology!  The walk leader was quite clearly redundant, as between David and Lesley’s teenage son (left at home) and ‘google’ we got the answer to the million dollar question, thanks of course to the invention of the mobile phone.

With modern technology back in pockets, we set off to walk on top of the only stretch of wall where such things are allowed, and continued westwards taking the numerous ups and downs in our stride.  Blustery winds added to the atmosphere and the dips in the wall provided welcome shelter along the way. 

We all made it back to the car park, looking rather windswept but healthy, after a great walk.

• To find out more about the guided walks in Northumberland that are coming up please click here.

Felton to Amble - YouTube Film

Source to Sea - Part 4 - Felton to Amble

uided walk date - 06/09/09

The group met at Amble tourist information centre at amble and boarded the bus to head for the start of the walk at Felton and were dropped off by Brian on the bridge over the river Coquet.  The old Felton bridge dates back at least till the 15th century, it is a superb structure, the bridge has three arches and is available to people on foot as it was replaced as the main vehicle crossing by a steel and concrete span in 1927 to cope with the increasing traffic on the great North road.

Walking through the village the weather was kind as we turned to head for Mouldshaugh farm and on to drop down to the River once again, we followed a wooded path close to the river, the bank side and part of the path  had been recently washed by further high water over the last three days but the route was good underfoot and the group make excellent progress towards the weir at Guyzance where we stopped to pay our respects to the memorial for ten eighteen year old soldiers were drowned practicing a river crossing in 1945 while training with their Duke of Wellington Regiment.  From there we turned North across a remarkably well preserved   rig and furrow field system to view the remains of Brainshaugh Priory which was established in 1147 and inhabited by the White Cannons of Alnwick.

A gentle rain started just before our lunch stop and stayed with us on and off for the rest of the afternoon as we crossed the flat corn fields heading for Warkworth, during the flooding of September 6th 2008 the “Black Bridge” on the Western approach to the village was washed away and has remained impassable since,  the group headed North crossing the East Coast main line rail track and entered the village from the Alnwick road, the first structure we came across was the old  bridge over the Coquet  with  it’s lovely warm sandstone , originally built is late 14th century  has an unusual fortified bridge tower on the village side of the river, we followed the river upstream and branched off  and circled Warkworth castle to meet the river Coquet for the last time for the short walk to Amble, pausing to watch Cormorants fishing on the fast flowing  weir.

The walk got in to amble just on three o’clock, all of the group had set a cracking pace, on this section there was little climbing en-route, the highest point was sixty metres above sea level and the average height for the walk was thirty metres, now we had completed over forty miles in total over the four walks and it has been a pleasure to walk with such a good group of walkers over the (at times wet) summer of 2009.

You can view more pictures taken on this walk by clicking here.

• To find out more about the guided walks in Northumberland that are coming up please click here.

Ramblings - Radio 4

Guided walk date - 1/9/09

It was great to be asked a second time to record a programme for Radio 4 Ramblings.

When I was helping Jonathan Manning, the editor of Country Walking Magazine to put the pitch the idea to get Radio 4 top do a full series on St Oswalds’s Way I thought that you could only be on Ramblings just once, so it was a great surprise not only to get 6 programmes on St Oswald’s Way but to get to record another programme myself was the icing on the cake.

I brought together a small group of walkers for the day and the criteria we had was that they could not have been on Ramblings before. Everybody, including me, was very much looking forward to the day.
We where joined by Claire, Alice and Lucy (producer) for the walk and what a day we had chosen. The week before they had recorded three programmes on the coast and the third one had been a total wash out, but as we waited the September sun warmed us up. We had certainly chosen the best possible day.

After a short transfer from Rothbury to Weldon Bridge we where on our way. It was certainly a relaxed and fun walk as Claire talked to everybody in the group a little to see how everything could fit together and before long we had a good pace and the whole programme was starting to gel together.
Lunch was a lovely relaxed affair and after lunch everybody in the group totally relaxed and hopefully some good material was caught on tape (or rather memory card).

Just as we reached the old railway line the heaven opened and it was a case of having to keep moving, but as we reached the outskirts of Rothbury the sun came back out which meant a great end to a super days walking.

After a quick break all the walkers and the BBC staff went up to Rothbury Golf Club for the launch of ‘Phase two of St Oswald’s Way’. These are circular walk that take in sections of the long distance trail.

Poor Claire got pushed from pillar to post to get all the relevant pictures that appeared in the local papers the following day.
The programme we recorded is being broadcast on the 10th and 15th October 2009. I hope you can listen in.

To view more pictures take on the day click here.

To find out more about our guided walk please click here.

Windy Gyle

Guided Walk Date - 27/08/09

The Sundance kid has done it again with his soft shoe shuffle, a perfect walking day sunny periods, moderate breeze and the going was quite dry.

The group met Mike at Wedders Leap carpark in Upper Coquetdale and after a brief witter why it was called Wedders leap we set off along the road to Trows road end.  We had to dodge numerous cars as there was a big orienteering event on with the start at Trows road end.  Trows road end is also known as Slyme Foot and was also the site of a public house, a concrete pad is all that now remains. 

The next section was along an old drove road known as The Street.  A 100m (300ft) ascent quickly lifted us up (with Mike leading from the back as he huffed and puffed his way up) out of the valley on to a long ridge that gradually would lead us to The Border Ridge.  On this climb we were overtaken by a number of competitors running up this ascent.  The walk along the ridge offered us an ever expanding vista of views which Mike took full advantage of to get his breath back.  On ascending Black Braes a gentle stroll took us to the border fence at the foot of Mozie law and a much needed lunch stop.

We were now following the Pennine Way eastwards towards Windy Gyle.  Today the Foul step was not too bad but Windy Rigg lived up to its name.  From Windy Rigg the final climb up to Windy Gyle once more saw Mike leading from the back.  From the summit of the Gyle we had fantastic 360 views, away to the SW we could just make out Cross Fell and Great Dunn Fell, to the SE the N. Sea and Alcan power station.  Cheviot dominated the view to the east and to the north the huge Tweed Valley lay before us with the Southern Uplands forming the northern horizon.  Again Mike used the time to get his breath back by wittering!! about the views and of course why Russels Cairn is called Russels Cairn.

From here on it was all down hill (so Mike assured us), so it came as no supprise that we had to climb to the top of Little Ward Law (which just happens to be12m (36ft) higher than Ward Law. before we were walking down hill to the Trows-Usway farm track.  Arriving at Murder Cleugh we came across a memorial stone commerating the murder of Isabella in 1610.  A gentle stroll along Barrow Law brought us to some old boundry stones erected by Richard de Umfraville 1195/1226.  A sharp decent brought us down to the valley floor and to the back door of Barrowburn Farm where a quick detour to the farm front door and hence the Tea Room put the cream topping on an excellent days walk.

• To find out more about the guided walks in Northumberland that are coming up please click here.

West Hill Fort

Guided Walk date – 19/08/09

The clouds had been black all day, but thankfully the rain held off. Hopefully this would continue to be the case for this guided walk on a ‘summers’ evening. What has happened to the summer?

After a fairly informal start we were on our way passing up through the village of Rothbury, before climbing up Gravely Bank to make a little bit of height. A welcome stop was the first thing on the agenda when reaching the top and what a great view we were greeted with.  The golf course down below, with the River Coquet in front of it, Simonside towering in the distance and with the heather turning purple it is a truly special time of the year.

We continued along and after stopping to look at a few sheep we gradually climbed up to the impressive West Hill Fort. This never fails to amaze me how impressive it still looks, with the deep ditches surrounding the post.

After a short while we gained a little bit more height to reach the carriageway drive   and considering the dull weather we could see clearly up to the Cheviots and look right up the Coquet Valley. The carriageway was our route for the next 20 minutes as we followed it south then east to what I think is the best viewpoint of Rothbury, a remote cairn with Rothbury way down below. All the main buildings and features of Rothbury and the surrounding area can be picked out from this great vantage point.
We then dropped steeply down, passing through the houses and literally 10 minutes after leaving the highpoint of the walk we were back down at Church house, the start of the walk.

What a great way to end a day. The night was drawing in and the group had enjoyed themselves and had a very relaxed and informal walk. Just one more evening walk, which is next week and I‘m pleased to say our series of evening walks from Rothbury over the summer months have been a resounding success. Thanks to everybody who has come along.

To view more pictures taken on this walk please click here.

• To find out more about the guided walks in Northumberland that are coming up please click here.

Craster to Dunstanburgh

Guided walk date - 16/08/09

I arrived especially early so that I could indulge myself with a kipper in a bun, and wasn’t surprised to see a couple of well known members of the group with the same idea, only this time with bacon.  Why can’t all walks start like this!

The car park where we met used to be an old whinstone quarry. ‘Whin’ is the local name for dolerite, the dark grey volcanic rock that outcrops along the Northumberland coast in the form of heughs or ridges.  In its heyday over 60 years ago whinstone from this quarry was carried by overhead cableway to the harbour for shipping out to other parts of the country.

Feeling suitably recharged we headed off up a pretty, bracken sided lane, following the slopes of a very distinctive heugh  or ridge covered in thick gorse. The local name for gorse is whin and it is possible that whinstone gets its name from the whin covering the hills of the coast.

Following a concrete path towards Dunstan Steads Farm we passed a couple of World War II pillboxes constructed out of concrete filled sandbags and a 19thC lime kiln.  All the while we were treated to fantastic views of the sea and the majestic ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle. Deciding not to take the less attractive route through the golf course, we emerged from the dunes onto Embleton Bay, once voted one of the best beaches in the country, and it’s easy to see why.

We decided to park ourselves among the dunes and have another snacket while taking in the breathtaking view of the bay. Quote of the day: “The sea doesn’t seem to do anything .......but it does” anon. Moving swiftly on to pylons – did you know that the chap who designed them, Giles Scott, also designed Battersea Power Station, the power station that now houses the Tate Modern, Waterloo Bridge, Liverpool Cathedral and the red telephone box. You see, I was paying attention! We could have stayed and sunbathed, yes sunbathed for the rest of the day, but Dunstanburgh Castle beckoned.

Walking up through the dunes which are areas of scientific special interested and protected it was a pleasure to see bloody cranesbill, thrift and harebells to name but a few.  Passing another pill box, we paused to marvel at the impressive Saddle Rock, made up of sediments of limestone, buckled by the intrusion of molten dolerite. Ahead perched on Gull Crag, a crag of dolerite, sandstone and shale was Lilburn Tower, part of Dunstanburgh Castle. 

Envying a family having a b-b-q in a cave at the base of the outcrop, we made our way round to the front of the castle.  Built in 1313 by Thomas of Lancaster, the castle was more of a retreat than of significant strategic importance.  It only saw action in the War of the Roses when it was a stronghold for the Lancastrians. Besieged and taken 5 times, following artillery bombardment it was finally left to ruin. On the far right of the castle stands Margaret’s Tower, named after Queen Margaret, wife of Henry VI, which overlooks a hidden chasm called Rumbling Churn or Queen Margaret’s Cove. After a brief spell marvelling at the castle and coastline, we headed past Nova Scotia bay, an inlet that provided a safe harbour and where in 1514 a fleet of Henry VIII’s warships took refuge. Also in 1958 a Polish trawler floundered in the waters here and its wreck can be clearly seen at low tide.

We entered the pretty fishing village of Craster, famous for its kippers. The smokehouse is still in operation and the kippers, in my opinion, are the best. The harbour was built in 1906 by the Craster family to service their quarries and the local fishing fleet of nearly 30 cobles.

Back where we started at the Tourist Information Centre, we all really enjoyed the walk, the scenery and, of course, the company. See you all soon.

To view more pictures taken this walk click here.

• To find out more about the guided walks in Northumberland that are coming up please click here.

Coquetdale Landscape

Guided Walk date - 12/08/09

The group met at the Coquetdale Centre on a beautiful summers evening and looked over old photos of the village of Rothbury and compared them with the modern village, the footprint of dwellings looks exactly as it did in 1892 on a photograph of the then Rector crossing the road to All Saints Church could have been taken yesterday!

A photograph of Lord Armstrong in the main doorway into Cragside the marvel of a modern country house close to  Rothbury pictured with a Japanese envoy was posed and splendid and a short history of Lord Armstrong vision and genius, as we know It was the first house in the world to be lit using hydroelectric power. And was originally to be a small country home for the Armstrong Built into a rocky hillside, this was a man who had great ambition and vision and the “modest” country home quickly became a miniature wonder of the modern world.

Before launching ourselves in to the evening sunshine, a short history of the village and an explanation of the lengths that villagers go too to keep Rothbury the charming and vibrant place that so many people enjoy.  We set off along the riverside past the old County hotel, now the home of the RAF association and the group chatted about the heyday of post Victorian life when the train brought visitors to the area on the Rothbury branch line from Scots Gap Junction to enjoy “a day at the Races” when the modern Golf course was the site of the Rothbury horse racing track, passing the old “grandstand” by the riverside we headed to the Lady’s bridge and admired the old mill at Tosson with the charming hamlet of houses that run parallel to the single track road that took us to the Haughland that took us to the ancient village of Thropton.

Crossing the Coquet and then following the Wreigh Burn we talked of fishing and Otters, crossing the Wreigh Burn by the splendid sandstone bridge and on towards Physic Lane and on to a viewpoint to watch the sunset before returning to Rothbury with the lights of the valley farms in the distance, on returning to the village one of the first meteors streamed overhead, with clear skies it would be a great opportunity to view the regular August meteor showers known as Perseids.

To view more pictures taken on this walk please click here.

• To find out more about the guided walks in Northumberland that are coming up please click here.

Coquetdale Landscape Walk - YouTube film

Ingram, foothills of the Cheviots

Guided walk date – 09/08/09

Is this really August? Is the sun not supposed to shine in summer?

As I pulled up on the car park at Ingram it was truly bucketing down and for the first time in Shepherds Walks history everybody was early and we were all waterproofed up and ready for off 5 minutes before the official start time.

As we passed through Ingram the weather did not get any better but by the time of our second stop you could just see the clouds starting to clear as we past the  Iron Age hill fort on Wether Hill. Archaeologists have discovered that two phases of settlement existed on this site before the hill fort was built around 250 BC. Shallow circles in the ground are all that remain of the timber roundhouses that once stood within. To the north east of the hill fort, a timber cist or coffin was found dating back to the Bronze Age, around 2000 BC. Numerous other settlements and burial sites lie within the neighbourhood. 

As we continued on we were treated to a view over to the ‘flat topped’ Simonside Hills close to the market town of Rothbury. The Simonside Hills rise up to 1500 feet above sea level.

We then dropped through the bracken and climbed up steeply to the lunch spot and with it being dry for a minute or two an early lunch was on the cards.

After lunch we kept our height with the summit of Old Fawdon Hill on the left. On the summit of this hill lie the remains of another Iron Age hill fort. At least 34 roundhouses have been recorded within the ramparts, surviving either as level platforms or low stone foundations.

After a welcome appearance of some sheep we headed on our way gradually rising up before dropping steeply back down to the river and Ingram itself.

We past St Michael’s Church on our right which serves Ingram parish. Though part of the tower is thought to date from the 11th century AD, the church has been renovated on several occasions and was almost completely rebuilt in the late 19th century.

Before long we had arrived back at the car park and it was a different day than we had started off  3 hours earlier.

To view more pictures taken this walk click here.

• To find out more about the guided walks in Northumberland that are coming up please click here.