20th October 2019 - Stage 6. Alston to Haltwhistle

Its Beginning to Look a Lot Like Autumn

View from Lambley Viaduct

A two month break from our walk and summer has since long gone.
On this stretch of the route we have been spoilt with some beautiful autumnal views. Our camera phones really don't do the colours justice.


We had a full squad today and the Hairy Hiker was joined by his trusty friends, Helen, Phil and myself.
We first met at Haltwhistle, where we left my car and piled into Phil's to drive over to our starting point in Alston. Luckily Phil made the wise choice of not parking in the train station car park, which closed at 5pm and instead parked on the road outside the cafe. We weren't back by 5pm so a very wise decision indeed!

Alston Station

 Whilst planning our day and reading the guide we quickly discovered there was an option to ride the narrow gauge railway from Alston. We all agreed this was an opportunity that couldn't be missed. Who doesn't love a ride on an old train?
We had a few different options of how far to travel on the train and due to a few factors, mainly the very cold temperature and me not being 100% physically fit, we decided to travel to the end of the line at Slaggyford, shaving a good 4 miles off todays walking.
After buying our tickets we headed into the cafe and bought some warm drinks for the journey. We opted for the indoor carriage as we thought it was a bit fresh for the outdoor experience!

Coupling up

All aboard!

We thoroughly enjoyed the ride and took full advantage of the relaxing atmosphere, taking in the scenery along the way. The ticket inspector was a friendly fellow, pointing out things for us to look out for on our walk and wished us a good days walking.

The ride was just over 4 miles and took around 35 minutes.

From Slaggyford we crossed the tracks and joined the South Tyne Trail path. The Hairy Hiker was thrilled to eventually be of his lead and stretching his legs.

Setting off

Slaggyford

 We quickly came across a large section of path which was quite flooded and almost impassible. The Hairy hiker strolled straight on whilst we tried to negotiate the best way through. Helen took a wrong turn and her foot went completely under, resulting in a soggy sock and fits of laughter!

Continuing on we crossed a few bridges, passing the Kirkstyle Inn. We had a fantastic vantage point here where we took in some more of the beautiful surroundings and the array of autumnal colours. I must admit, autumn has to be one of my favourite seasons.

Messing around

Happy hiker

 We reached a point along the trail where there was a finger post directing us to turn right to head for Eals. Phil had noticed on his geocaching map that there was a suggestion of a secluded picnic area by the river so we turned off to investigate. Conveniently it was around lunch time and our tummy's were starting to rumble. We weren't disappointed when we discovered a gorgeous, quiet spot on the riverside with some large stone slabs to sit on and a bridge. We sat here and enjoyed our lunch break whilst watching salmon jumping! A memorable moment at a spot that was hard to pull yourself away from.

Hungry Hairy Hiker

Lunchtime view

An idyllic spot

 Whilst eating our lunch we noticed a carving in this rock which looked like it may say '1852'. We thought nothing of it at the time, until we reached Lambley viaduct and we noticed the plaque there stated the viaduct had been built in 1852. We are assuming maybe a worker on the viaduct engraved their initials into this rock. Maybe someone with some local knowledge may know more.

First Selfie of the day

After our lunch break we dragged ourselves away from this tranquil spot and headed back up to the South Tyne Trail path to restart our walk.

It wasn't long till we had the impressive Lambley Viaduct in our sites. There was two options when we got there. Climb up the steps to the top of the viaduct and walk over it, or clamber down the hill and cross the smaller bridge below it. We opted to walk across the viaduct to take in the beautiful views from the top and we weren't disappointed. Helen captured a fantastic shot of the Autumn colours, seen at the top of this page.

Lambley Viaduct

Selfie opportunity

After crossing the viaduct and heading downhill, passed a quaint little house, we soon found ourselves back by the riverside. We continued on our way, passing through fields of cattle and eventually making it to the P.O.W camp of 1945-48 and Featherstone Castle. We thought the plaque depicting the special story of this site, made for an interesting read.

We didn't have time to stop for a better look at the site so we carried on, leaving the grounds and passing the rather steep, Featherstone Bridge. We soon found ourselves on an extremely soggy track, taking us through Bellister Estate. This section was probably the worst part of the walk for us but we squelched onward, with only one of us ending up on our backside! (The one with the soggy foot!) The Hairy Hiker had no problems plodding through the mud and just looked back at us in confusion as to what all the fuss was about.

Happiness is...

Finally we made it to the last leg of today's section. As we approached Haltwhistle we discussed the days walking and how, if we hadn't opted to get the train this morning, we'd be 4 miles behind our current location. We all breathed a sigh of relief at what we agreed was a wise decision. The mud and cold had taken its toll on us today and we were pleased to see the car again.

This walk took us just over 6 hours, including the train ride.

25th August 2019 - Stage 5. Source of River South Tyne to Alston

'Only Mad Dogs and Englishmen!'

So here we are again. After what has felt like forever, we eventually managed to get our boots back on and complete some more of this wonderful walk. Sadly, due to work commitments, Helen, our third musketeer and resident photographer couldn't join us this time. 

Phil, myself and the Hairy Hiker met at Alston early doors. We left my car there and headed to the starting point in Phil's car. Although it was still quite early it was already very warm. Little did we know how warm the day was actually going get....

(We made it, eventually.)

We made a mistake at the very beginning and set off along the left hand, narrower path which took us down a hill towards some buildings. It took us 10 minutes to realise we were going the wrong way and we had to walk all the way back to the start and start again!

The walk to the source was a pleasant one, albeit quite steep in places. The footpath was relatively busy with dog walkers and cyclists enjoy the sunny morning. The Hairy Hiker was kept on his lead for most of it as there was a few sheep on the track.

(All smiles at the start)

(Hiding from the sun)

It took us around an hour to get to the source, and in that time the temperature had increased rapidly. So much so I needed to change into a thinner top as I was too warm in my t-shirt. The track to the source is very open and there is no offering of shade, until you reached the sculpture. The Hairy Hiker was quick to claim the shaded spot.

We scrambled the short way up the hillside and managed to find the source. There was only a tiny trickle of water today which was made more obvious further down the hillside where you could hear the water gathering momentum as it travelled towards the sculpture and then under the road.

We set off back down the track and Chance enjoyed  a dip in the water to cool off. We tried to give him as many opportunities as possible throughout the day to get in the water as it was so hot.

(A commanding view, looking down river, towards Dorthgill Falls)

 The next 3 miles to Ashgill were arduous and felt like a lot more. We struggled across the moor, following the river and admiring Dorthgill Falls along the way, but the sun continued to bear down on us and was quickly burning up our energy. 

(Dorthgill Falls)

 We trundled across the marsh land and it began to feel more like crawling across the Sahara Desert as the temperatures grew to their midday high. I think it was at this point I asked Phil, "Whats that old saying about mad dogs and Englisman?"

I'm not sure what the temperature actually was but I would take a guess at high twenties at this point. 

Our morale was boosted though as we reached the bridge at Ashgill. The prospect of a much needed cooling down for all of us, along with our lunch put the smiles back on our sweaty faces.

(Bridge to Ashgill)

We took the short walk uphill to Ashgill, passing some gorge scramblers who were jumping into the deep pools, which looked very refreshing indeed!

It was a very busy spot here today, with families enjoying the summer and we were lucky to find a pretty little spot in the shade where we sat and relaxed while we ate. Chance had plenty time to play in the water and drink as much as he could until it was time to move on. I also took the opportunity to get my boots off and cool myself off in the water. Bliss.

(Approaching Ashgill Force)

(Cooling off)

Add caption

(Here we go again)

 After a refreshing break in the shade we decided to step back out into the intense sunshine and soldier on. The walk down into Garrigill was relatively easy going underfoot but the sun beating down on us made it feel a lot harder. 

(Appoaching Garrigill)

We kept ourselves going by thinking about the refreshingly cold pint we were going to enjoy once we made it into Garrigill and the Hairy Hiker was really looking forward to lying on the cold stone floor inside the village pub. 

Little did we know, the pub was closed and had been for a few years...

(Still smiling)

The mood definitely hit an all-time low as we rounded the corner into Garrigill and we realised the pub wasn't open, and neither was the shop. The only thing this tiny village could offer us in the way of refreshments was a large tree to hide under and some fresh water for our bottles from the public restroom! 

At this point we were both ready to call time on this walk and come back another day, but as my car was in Alston we had no choice but to plod on.

 We headed down the road out of Garrigill and were soon back on the riverside path to Alston. Unfortunately, we were on the side of the river with no trees, so once again we suffered with the relentless, blistering heat beating down on us for the next 4 miles. Sadly the temperature became so high on this leg of the journey that my phone decided it was also too hot and switched itself off, so no more pictures could be taken after this one. We were so hot and bothered at this point I was passed caring and just wanted to finish the walk.

We gave it all we had on this last leg of the journey. We pushed on with every ounce of energy we could muster to make it into Alston. 

Thankfully the pubs in Alston were open and we crawled our sweaty, stinking bodies inside for some much needed refreshments! We both downed a pint of ice cold juice before slowly enjoying a cold pint of something stronger. The Hairy Hiker enjoyed a bowl of fresh water and a much needed rest from the sun. 

This walk took us around 6.5 hours. Its great to have made a dent in the South Tyne section of this walk and we are happy to have this leg of the journey under our belts but I'm sure I speak for myself, Phil and poor Chance when I say I wish we'd had cooler conditions to be doing it in. Hindsight is a wonderful thing hey?

   

23rd June 2019 - Stage 4. Barrasford to Warden and the end of the North Tyne Section.

Day 2 of our weekend away. We woke at around 7:30am after a comfortable night in our cosy little cottage. We had a slow morning of coffees and toast before packing up and heading out to Barrasford, which was some 35mins drive away.  

We parked up in the Barrasford Arms pub car park where the owner came out to chat to us about where we were going and kindly offered to fill any bottles with water before wishing us a good day. Phil assures us that this pub does some fantastic food. If I'm ever back in the area I'll be sure to try it out.

We set off just before 10am. Thankfully the weather was a little cooler than the day before and a little overcast to start. We headed off down the road and it wasn't long before we found the river and rejoined the trail.

(Passing through Chollerton)

Although we were aching from the day before, we all had a spring in our step at the thought of a shorter walk today, and the prospect of being at the end of the River North Tyne by lunch time. Something that seemed so far away only a few months ago!

(A rather grand entrance)

A lot of today's walking was on the roadside but thankfully some roads had paths alongside and those that didn't were relatively quiet. It wasn't long before we found ourselves in Chollerton and quite quickly after that, Chollerford.

(Mandatory selfie!)

The day got warmer as we walked along Homer's lane and we were all quite surprised when Phil informed us we only had 1 mile to go to Warden. The walk had flown over.

(Thirsty hiker)

Once at Warden we headed straight into the Boatside Inn for a much deserved pint to toast our achievement. 

When we started this section at the beginning of the year, this point seemed so far away. As we have busy lives, jobs and other commitments we were unsure how long it would take us to find the time to complete each stage. We are so proud of each other for how far we've came and cant wait to get stuck in to the next section and have set a date in August to start it. I am also really proud of Chance, my Hairy Hiker. He's never shown signs of slowing down and has manged to keep going and soldier on in the blistering heat this weekend. He never fails to amaze me, he boosts the morale of the group and even Phil has warmed to him now. He might even miss him when this is all over!

A special mention to Helen, who was celebrating her 60th birthday this week. She also recently celebrated 10 years of being cancer free. This weekend was part of her birthday celebrations, spending her time doing something she loves. 

Happy birthday Helen.

(Happy hikers)

This walk took us 2 hours 45 mins and we logged it as just under 7 miles. A fully enjoyable day and an easier walk than previous stages. 

22nd June 2019 - Stage 3. Bellingham to Barrasford

After completing stage 1, we put our heads together and hatched a plan - to complete two of the North Tyne stages in one weekend, with an overnight stay nearby. We looked at the remaining stages and decided stages 3 and 4 would be the best ones to combine in this section. By doing this we would be completing a larger walk on on day 1, followed by a smaller walk on day 2. We all agreed that this suited our walking abilities perfectly. We completed stage 2 back in May.

We'd left it quite late to arrange our accommodation so we did end up in a cottage some 40 minutes away from the river. This didn't matter too much to us but did cause one or two issues with start/finish times. 

(The Hairy Hiker, raring to go!)

As usual, we had the use of two cars, we met at the finish point for today, Barrasford. We all jumped in Phil's car and headed up to Bellingham, chatting excitedly about our weekend ahead and the prospect of completing the North Tyne section.

(Me and my biscuit!)

We set off from Bellingham just before 10am, after a quick stop off at the Rocky Road Cafe for one of the nicest, most gingery, ginger biscuit I have ever tasted.

(A sunny start)

We were blessed with some fantastic weather, almost too hot at times. The river sparkled in the sunshine, giving Helen, our nominated photographer lots of opportunities for some great pictures.

(Shorty looking taller than usual)

It wasn't long before we'd finished the short walk along the river and found ourselves at the small railway bridge that we've drove through quite a few times on our travels up here. (Something I personally wont miss driving through!)

(A fisherman's lodge)

(Chance seeking shade)

We had originally planned to stop at Wark for our lunch break, but as it was so hot and the sun had drained us of our energy, we decided to stop at the Bastle mentioned in the book. Chance found a wall to hide behind for a much needed break from the sun while we ate our lunch.

(Lunch time)

Today's walk took us over quite a lot of open moorland, with nowhere to hide from the midday sun. Every moment of shade in the trees was welcomed by both the walkers and the Hairy Hiker, who also enjoyed a dip in the river at every opportunity he got.

As we approached Wark we came across an area of trees covered in caterpillar silk, which looked rather eerie from a distance. On closer inspection we could see caterpillars crawling all over the silk, something we have never came across before.

(Caterpillar silk web)

A favourite part of the walk for me was along the edge of the river, passing Gold Island and approaching Wark. The river was so calm and still it barely looked like it was moving. Creating the perfect reflection shots. This picture by Helen is one of my favourites.

(Perfect reflection)

(Gold Island)

Once at Wark, we crossed the bridge and headed to the Black Bull for a much needed cold drink and a rest. As we crossed the bridge we couldn't help but notice the beautiful landscaped gardens of the property on the riverside, seen in the background of the picture below.

(Wark bridge)

We didn't sit down for long, although we could of stayed in the pub garden all day, enjoying the sunshine, and the lager!

After our break we headed out of Wark onto the final stretched of the walk, which was mainly along the roadside. Eventually Barrasford came into view, we'd made it! 

But our journey for today still wasn't over. 

After a quick rest at the boot of my car, we headed back to Bellingham to collect Phil's car. From there we drove to Warden where we left Phil's car for the night. We then headed to our accommodation with the plan to drive to Barrasford the following day to start stage 4....

(Time for tea!)

After a shower and a change we set off again to the local pub for our tea. Poor Chance couldn't keep his eyes open and had a much needed nap.

(Zzzzz)

Back at the cottage we enjoyed a few night caps and revelled in our success of completing one of the larger stages. We had been lucky with the weather this time. Helen had got some great pictures. We spotted a lot of wildlife including deer, herons and stoats. All in all a perfect day and certainly one to treasure.

This walk took us just over 7 hours and according to the tracking app we used, was just over 16 miles, although both Helen's and my fitbit watches said 2 totally different distances. We averaged it to be approx. 15 miles.