Haltwhistle Walking Festival Spring 2015

Transcription

1 Haltwhistle Walking Festival Spring This is correct at the time of publication. It is possible that some changes may be necessary, so do check your final instructions which will arrive 2 weeks before the festival. They will reflect any changes that have occurred. All Quiet in the East - Walks 1 and 4 Continuing the journey we started along Hadrian s Wall in Autumn Over the 2 days of this walk we will traverse what is undoubtedly the best Hadrian had to offer Sat 25 th April 1. All quiet in the East Day 1 Haltwhistle to Brocolitia This walk is not a stroll, with over 500feet of climbing within the first couple of miles and further shorter, but not necessarily easier, climbs to follow. Sometimes the descents are more challenging than the ascents. The views, if we are lucky to have a clear day, will be spectacular. If you are interested in the history of Hadrian s Wall there are many turrets and milecastles with information boards and you will be given some time to view these. Meet at: 10:00 a.m. at Haltwhistle Market Place, (GR NY707640) Return by coach from Brocolitia Distance: 13 miles Grade: Strenuous Ascent: 1500 feet Descent: 1160 feet Walk Fee: 8 Book either 1 or both days (see walk 4) Sat 25 th April 2. Valley & Mines Our walk begins at the fortified pele tower of Ninebanks, a small village in the West Allen valley. We head south, past the original stone building made to house the hearse bought by Isaac Holden, (of Tea Trail fame), for use by the lead mining community of the area. We then turn into the Mohope valley with a slight detour to the old Mohope mine buildings and see the tiny entrance into the mine. The route then climbs steadily to the head of the valley before descending on the other side and joining the Tea Trail for the last mile back to Ninebanks. Meet at: 09:20 a.m. at Haltwhistle Market Place (GR NY707640) Coach leaves for Ninebanks at 09:30 a.m. Return coach at end of walk. Distance: 9 miles Grade: Moderate + Ascent: 1440 feet Descent: 1490 feet Walk Fee: 10 Sat 25 th April 3. The Jacobite Rebellion 1715 (Vale of Nunsbrough) This walk takes you on a circular route from Slaley village, on field paths and through beautiful woodland by the Devil s Water. It is more than a gentle amble because our expert for the day, Richard Young, will show us where the Jacobite Army camped in a field on th October 1715 during the ultimately ill-fated uprising. Richard will tell us more about the history of the area, Jacobite and non-jacobite, as well as the more recent industrial archaeology. We visit the Dukesfield smelter and see the recent work on the water wheel. In 2014, Richard published a book called The 15 Walks which consists of 15 walks in Northumberland based on the history of the 1715 uprising. Books will be on sale on the day of the walk. Meet at: 10:00 a.m. in Slaley village in the main street near to the village shop (Grid Ref: NY973577). Please park so as not to obstruct local traffic. Distance: 7 miles Grade: Moderate Ascent and descent: 690 feet Walk Fee: 10 Numbers are limited on this walk. There will be time spent standing and listening, so bring extra layers for a cooler day. Leader: John Robinson

2 2 Sun 26 th April 4. All quiet in the East Day 2 Brocolitia to Corbridge Today s walk is a little longer than yesterday s, with a long descent before the only real climb of about 600feet. It is also different in that we are never that far from civilisation. Following the Trail we leave Brocolitia, passing Chesters Fort and Heavenfield before leaving the Wall above Corbridge. We finish our walk at the Corbridge Roman Site. Time will be given at the turrets and milecastles along the route. Meet at: 08:50 a.m. in Haltwhistle Market Place (GR NY707640). Coach leaves for Brocolitia at 09:00 a.m. Return by coach from Corbridge. Distance: 14 miles Grade: Strenuous Ascent: 1000 feet Descent: 1650 feet Walk Fee: 10 Sun 26 th April 5. Pits. Poets & Peewits We start at Baybridge and afeeter a very pleasant walk through woods beside the River Derwent we reach Blanchland. From here the route climbs Buckshot Fell, joining the Lead Mining Trail and following it past Sikehead Dam to Bolt s Law. The mining dereliction around Sikehead Dam is believed to have been the setting for some of W.H. Auden s early poetry. From Bolt s Law we follow the route of Alfred Wainwright s Pennine Journey to Ramshaw and through the woods back to Baybridge. Meet at: 10:00 a.m. at Baybridge car park, near Blanchland (GR NY957499) Distance: 8 miles Grade: Moderate + Ascent and descent: 1020 feet Walk Fee: 6 Monday 27 th April 6. More Flues and Views From Allendale we climb up the hill following the flue lines to two chimneys on Dryburn Moor. Then a descent to the West Allen valley takes us past Leadgate Bank affording panoramic views of this tranquil countryside and on into Monk Wood, a site of special scientific interest with ancient oaks and lichens. Nearing Monk Farm we pass bastles from the 16th and 17th centuries with a dovecote at the northern end. A short climb takes us back into the East Allen valley, past old farmsteads and eventually following part of Isaac's Tea Trail and back into Allendale. Meet: 10:00 a.m. at Allendale Market Place (GR NY837558) Distance: 12 miles Grade: Moderate+ Ascent and descent: 1650 feet Walk Fee: 6 Leader: Monday 27 th April 7. Evening walk in the countryside This is the return of our popular evening outing. We leave Haltwhistle at 6pm walking along the river for a short distance while listening to the birds and enjoying the peace and quiet. From the riverside we pass through farmland to the remains of Throstle Hall to see the beautiful waterfall near Lynnshields. Crossing Broomhouse common we pass a serene woodland lake before joining the road that takes us back down towards Haltwhistle again. We walk by the river to end our walk. Meet at: 6 p.m. at Haltwhistle Market Place (GR NY707640) Distance: 6.5 miles Grade: Moderate Ascent and Descent: 520 feet Walk Fee: 6 Bring: light refreshments if required

3 3 Tuesday 28 th April 8. England s Newest Mountain We start in Renwick and climb steadily mainly on good tracks until the final pull up onto Thack Moor, which in 2013 was re-measured by GPS and accepted by the Ordnance Survey to officially be over 2000feet in height; thus becoming a mountain. We then follow a superb ridge, not ofeeten frequented other than by curlew and skylark, to reach Black Fell. The descent is to Hartside pass and then follows old tracks and paths back down to Renwick. On a clear day, this walk offers excellent views. Meet at: a.m. at Haltwhistle Market Place (GR NY707640). Coach leaves for Renwick at 09:00 a.m. Return coach at end of walk. Distance: 10.5 miles Grade: Strenuous Ascent and Descent: 1870 feet Walk Fee: 10 Tuesday 28 th April 9. Quaker Chapel & tea at Hargill House This Spring we have a new venue for the short tea walk. The walk will start near the old Featherstone station and will follow the South Tyne trail as far as Coanwood. It will then take a pretty route across fields to the unique Quaker Chapel. You will see that all graves (bar one) belong to members of the Wigham family. It is by no coincidence that a member of this family will be serving us tea at Hargill House, followed by a short walk back to our starting place to hopefully work off some of the excesses of Stephanie s excellent food. Meet at: 13:00 p.m. at Featherstone Rowfoot (GR NY681607) Distance: 6.5 miles Grade: Moderate Ascent and Descent: 650 feet Walk Fee: 11 Bring: light refreshment if required Wednesday 29 th April 10. Crag Lough & Farmhouse Tea Not to be missed; once again we are to be treated to an amazing farmhouse tea. But first we have a walk to do. Starting at Steel Rigg we walk along Hadrian s Wall to the east passing the normally still waters of Crag Lough. We shortly leave the wall and circle Greenlee Lough keeping an eye out for any birdlife. Turning west, we follow the tracks passing the Swallow Crags on our right, before turning south up to Cowburn Rigg. A great walk with great views plus an excellent tea. Meet at: 10:00 a.m. at Steel Rigg car park (GR NY751676) Car parking fee 4 in 2014 bring 1 coins Distance: 9 miles Grade: Moderate + Ascent and Descent: 830 feet Walk Fee: 11 Bring: light lunch Wednesday 29 th April 11. Hiking through Hamlets with History This walk, across the lower slopes of the South Tyne Valley, will cover land once owned by two of the foremost families of the region, namely Bowes- Lyon and Ridley. Their influence spanned several centuries and we shall see evidence of their legacy throughout this most attractive landscape. Without need for great exertion we shall hope to have good views of the Whin Sill to the North Meet at: 10:30 a.m., roadside parking at east end of Bardon Mill (GR NY782645) Distance: 7 miles Grade: Moderate Ascent and Descent: 620 feet

4 4 Wednesday 29 th April 12. Archaeology Walk This walk, led by Alston historian Alastair Robertson, is short but includes rough terrain and should take at least 4 hours to complete. Starting from Whitlow Farm, two miles north of Alston off the A689, we stop briefly at Whitley Castle, site of the Roman camp of Epiacum. We then turn west over Whitley Common, an area of rough moorland dotted with former lead mines and affording stunning views in all directions. Descending towards Gilderdale Burn, we visit the remains of 22 mediaeval shielings. We then walk a short distance westwards to the waterfall on Woldgill Burn. Returning eastwards along Gilderdale Burn, we stop briefly at the site of several prehistoric hut circles, two of which Alastair helped excavate in summer Meet at: 11:00 a.m. at Whitlow Farm, 2 miles north of Alston off A689 (GR NY698484) Distance: 5 miles (4+ hours) Ascent and Descent: 848 feet Walk Fee: 10. There will be time spent standing to look and listen, so please come with extra layers of clothes. Thursday 30 th April 13. The Millstone Grind This is a walk of great variety, starting with wooded and open farmland on the east side of the Tyne Valley, where the steep tramways of a closed drifeet mine are still visible above the mine entrance. Afeeter climbing gradually from 600 feet at the riverside, stopping to admire the views behind us, we reach 1600 feet on the high and exposed ridges of the grouse moor. The route passes an eighteenth century millstone quarry, reputed to have produced the finest corn-grinding stones exported as far as to the north of Scotland in the heyday of the quarry. Afeeter skirting a bleak and seldom seen lough, we return across some challenging moorland that nevertheless provides spectacular views on a clear day, before we descend steeply to well-kept farms and our transport at the bridge. Meet at: 10:00 a.m. at Eals Bridge (GR NY681553) Distance: 10.5 miles Grade: Moderate + (may be strenuous due to height of climb or heavy conditions underfoot) Ascent and Descent: 1375 feet Thursday 30 th April 14. Castle Carrock Starting at the village of Castle Carrock, the walk starts gently on field tracks to Talkin village, before a steady, but not steep, climb on the shoulder of Talkin Fell, where there are beautiful views northwards along the Gelt valley. The route then takes us down to the river and around Castle Carrock Fell offering more wonderful views across the reservoir before joining the road back to Castle Carrock alongside the reservoir itself. Meet at: 10:30 a.m. at Duke of Cumberland pub, Castle Carrock, parking tidily in the street, (GR NY542554). Distance: 8 miles Grade: Moderate Ascent and Descent: 1010 feet Walk Fee: 6 Bring: Packed lunch Leader:tbc Friday 1 st May 15. Top of the Shire Hexhamshire consists of undulating pastureland and woodland with steep little valleys, flanked by the moors and commons. This walk explores the upper reaches of two of the river valleys Devil s Water and Rowley Burn with splendid views from Burntridge Moor, the highest point of the walk. Much of the walk is through farmland and the final stage includes a delightful riverside and woodland path along the banks of the Devil s Water. There is a fair bit of up and down but the steeper sections are short and the aggregate ascent for the day is 1300 feet. Meet at: 10:00 a.m. in layby half a mile south of Whitley Chapel (GR NY927571) (full details afeeter booking) Distance: 10.5 miles Grade: Moderate + Ascent and Descent 1300 feet

5 5 Friday 1 st May 16.Trail of the Allens Beginning at the Elk's Head on the West Allen we follow the river for a short distance before crossing the countryside to join the East Allen River at Oakpool. The walk continues along the river bank upstream almost to Allendale town and then climbs gently to higher ground for the return to the Elk's Head. There are wide panoramic views to the South Tyne valley and the hills beyond. Meet at: 10:00 a.m. in car park opposite the Elks Head Pub, Whitfield (GR NY781570) Distance: 8 miles Grade: Moderate Ascent and Descent: 1069 feet Friday 1 st May 17. Walkers Social Evening It is always a great pleasure to get together with fellow walkers and enjoy a relaxed evening of entertainment, good food and plenty of chat. For this festival we see the return by popular request of Stephen Fry (the Hexham one) and his marra (mate), Pete Stenhouse. They bring their brand of local songs and humour to our evening and they promise new songs this time! Carol at the Comrades Club will provide her usual excellent buffet. Everyone is welcome. Meet at: Comrades Club, Haltwhistle at 7pm Fee: 12 includes buffet and entertainment Carter Bar to Housesteads Walks 18, 20, 23 A three day walk celebrating 50 years of the Pennine Way book for 1, 2 or all 3 days Saturday 2 nd May Carter Bar to Housesteads 18. Day 1: Carter Bar to Cottonshopeburnfoot We start on the Scottish border at Carter Bar and follow the border to the East picking the best route over some rough moorland to Hungry Law. This border route then follows the forest edge until we meet the Pennine Way near Coquet Head, and turn South over Ogre Hill, Raven s Knowe and Houx Hill. This is where a new path has been created across the notorious bog and where, in the past, mountain rescue teams have been called out to extract walkers from the mire! The land can be heavy underfoot. From Byrness Hill we drop down through the forestry to cross the A68 and follow the river Rede to Cottonshopeburnfoot. Meet at: 08:20 a.m. at Haltwhistle Market Place (GR NY707640). Coach leaves for Carter Bar at 08:30 a.m. Return by coach from Cottonshopeburnfoot. Distance: 12 miles Grade: Strenuous + Ascent: 1300 feet Descent: 1900 feet Walk Fee: 10 Saturday 2 nd May 19. Woodland Bird Walk We are pleased to welcome back our resident bird expert, Nick Leeming, as the expert for this walk. We leave Haltwhistle via the riverbank and through the North Woods. Most of the migrants should have returned, and the resident birds should be breeding. Previous years highlights have been very close views of sleepy tree creepers, pied flycatchers and nuthatches. Afeeter our lunch at Park Burn Foot (dipper and grey wagtail) we walk up to Park Village and on to the higher fields, where redshank, curlew and lapwing should be calling. We may even be lucky enough to see snipe and buzzard. No one should be disappointed. Be prepared for plenty of times when you will be standing quietly, listening to bird song and looking for birds. Meet at: 11:00 a.m. at Haltwhistle Market Place (GR NY707640) Distance: 6 miles Grade: Moderate Ascent and Descent: 380 feet Walk Fee: 10 Bring: binoculars & packed lunch. Remember to bring extra layers of clothes if the day is cold.

6 6 Sunday 3 rd May 20. Day 2: Guess where?...cottonshopeburnfoot to Bellingham Cottonshopeburnfoot is the longest place name in Northumberland as those who have had to type it repeatedly are only too aware! We follow the Pennine Way, initially through forestry but we are soon onto the open moorland amongst the grouse. This is an undulating walk without any sudden steep ascents, but gaiters are recommended as our good friends Pete and Heather will no doubt be with us. (Ask Harry if you don t understand his little joke.) We drop into Bellingham through Blakelaw Farm, where the sign tells us never mind the dog beware of the wife! Meet at: 08:20 a.m. at Haltwhistle Market Place (GR NY707640). Coach leaves for Cottonshopeburnfoot at 08:30 a.m. Return coach from Bellingham at end of walk. Distance: 13.5 miles Grade: Strenuous Ascent: 1390 feet Descent: 1770 feet Walk Fee: 12 Leader: Sunday 3 rd May 21. Swinhope Valley The Swinhope valley was one of the major lead producing areas of East Allendale and the walk begins at Sparty Lea heading south along the East Allen before turning west towards the Swinhope Burn. There are beautiful views across the Coatenhill reservoir and along the East Allen valley. The route is then along the south side of the Swinhope Burn with views ahead of the workings, now sofeetened by time, which made this a busy industrial valley. Traversing the head of the valley we then start back over Allendale Common to rejoin the East Allen back to Sparty Lea. Meet at: 10:30 a.m. at Sparty Lea Bridge (GR NY847488) Distance: 8 miles Grade: Moderate Ascent and Descent: 1065 feet Sunday 3 rd May 22. Poetry Walk This is the second poetry walk we have organised. The first was a great success and we are sure that this will be too. One of our regular walkers, Steve Middleton will be the leader for the day. Steve is a member of the Hexham Writers Group and writes poetry and short stories. The walk will start in Haltwhistle Market Place and the circular route will include Holy Cross Church, the Alston Arches, the river South Tyne and part of the Haltwhistle Burn, We invite all participants to write a poem or poems inspired by the places to be visited. More details and photographs of the different sites will be provided by soon afeeter you book, along with information about the town. This format was used for the last poetry walk and it was very successful. Poems submitted in advance of the festival will be printed and given to everyone who takes part. Numbers are strictly limited so book early. Meet at: 11:30 a.m. at Haltwhistle Market Place (GR NY707640) Distance: 5 miles Grade: Easy Ascent and Descent: 120 feet Walk Fee: 11 (including afeeternoon tea) Leader: Steve Middleton Monday 4 th May 23. Day 3 Bellingham to Housesteads We cross the River North Tyne and head south, skirting Ealingham Rigg with great views back over Bellingham and no doubt telling tales of our adventures at Cottonshopeburnfoot on preceding days! We will follow the Pennine Way all the way to Hadrian s Wall as it meanders through short stretches of forestry alternating with open moorland and some enclosed farmland. We reach more familiar territory as we pass a series of loughs on the approach to the Wall. We will follow a short section of the Wall with great views and finish our walk at Housesteads Fort. Our bus will await us at the visitor centre. Better bring those gaiters again!

7 7 Meet at: 08:20 a.m. at Haltwhistle Market Place (GR NY707640). Coach leaves for Bellingham at 08:30 a.m. Return coach from Housesteads at end of walk. Distance: 14 miles Grade: Strenuous Ascent: 1660 feet Descent: 1306 feet Walk Fee: 10 Monday 4 th May 24. Border Reivers to Jacobites From the village of Catton we climb up to Rebel Hill where it is believed that the Jacobite army re-grouped in 1715 before joining forces with Scottish rebels on the borders. We then walk across Greenrigg Moor, at 984feet, with views across to Cheviot on a clear day. On reaching the edge of Hexhamshire, we turn southwest across Spitalshield Moor and back into the Allen Valley, crossing the fields to Housty Farm and parts of the original bastle dating to Continuing downhill we return to Catton. Meet at: 10:30 a.m. at Crown Inn Car Park Catton (Grid Ref: NY827579) Distance: 8.5 miles Grade: Moderate Ascent and Descent: 655 feet NB The descriptions given are correct at the time of publication. It is sometimes necessary to make changes to routes due to local conditions nearer to the festival. Distances are correct within 10% either way. Directions to the starts of walks will be issued by approximately 2 weeks before the Festival. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us on haltywalkfest@btinternet.com or by telephone on