Dist: 5.75 miles
Time: Approx 2.25 hours
Terrain: Mainly track + pasture. Some riverbank 'mud path'
Route Rating: 7/10
Difficulty: 3/10 (although one brief steep ascent towards the finish)
OS Map: Explorer OL43
Intro: Nevs & I set out for the first walk of 2007...Robbie cried off sick at the eleventh hour (hangover? lie in? or genuine?!). Having checked the BBC weather site just before setting off and it not suggesting a hint of rain, it was disappointing to have intermittent showers throughout the day. We began just after 9am and as it was only a pipe-opener for longer walks to come, we were finished in such time that we had an impatient wait for the pub to open at 12! Before the off, Nevs tried to hide his suspicion of all dogs by offering a friendly pat on the head to an energetic Spaniel, only to receive a huge muddy paw print on his beige strides for his troubles!! One quick drink at the finish when future walks were discussed and it was off in to Newcastle to meet friends from my Greek course for coffee & some much needed practice!
Overview: A pleasant and varied walk via a disused railway route and pasture. The majority follows the course of the river South Tyne which is a fast flowing and noisy companion for most of the route. Plenty of flora and items of interest including a spectacular viaduct, a picturesque castle and a former WW2 POW camp. Also of note a fence near Diamond Oak with around 20 deceased moles dangling by their necks!
Description: As indicated by a sign next to the car park, join the disused railbed in a SSW direction and follow it for 1.75 miles to Lambley Viaduct (675 584). Even after periods of rain, the going should not be too testing. After admiring the views of the winding River South Tyne below, descend via steps at the opposite end of the viaduct and then, following a sign to Coanwood, take some wooden steps in the wood until you reach a footbridge across the river.
Lambley Viaduct
Cross the river. Turn left on reaching the other side and head in a N direction following the course of the River South Tyne via path & pasture. Pass the former POW camp (674 604) and continue to reach Featherstone Castle on your right.
Featherstone Castle
Continue on and turn left on reaching a road for around 50 yards until a gate leads you to footbridge across the river signed 'Kellah 1'. On reaching the other side, do not join the ascending steps ahead of you. Instead you have to turn right and almost double-back to join the path towards Featherstone Bridge. This path can be be muddy, slippy and tricky in wet conditions and there are one or two tricky sections to navigate. Cross Featherstone Bridge (674 619) in a SE direction and to your left follow a Public Footpath sign for Featherstone Rowfoot, crossing the wall via a stile. Head directly to the other side of the pasture and take the sharp ascent in to the woods using the clearly visible steps. This route is known as Postman's Path and the short climb certainly gets the lungs blowing. Nevs complained of a slight outbreak of sweat at this point! At the top, exit the trees and head straight across the pasture to a stile at the other side. After this, cross two more fields and in a third, head for a stile at the corner of a small plantation (684 608). Cross this stile and head for another at the bottom of the dip on the right. After crossing this, follow the path alongside the fence to reach the road and turn left to rejoin the car park and the end of the route!
Comments: Although a fairly easy walk in the main, the section leading to Featherstone Bridge may prove tricky for some (e.g. small children) as might the ascent of the Postman's Path towards the end of the route. See Alan Hall's excellent Walking In Northumberland (Cicerone) for a detailed guide to this and many other walks in the area.
Post Walk Pint: The Wallace Arms, Rowfoot (01434 321872). Been here several times and have always enjoyed a decent pint of beer. Two real ales were on offer (Abbot Ale & Greene King IPA) as well as draught Guinness. A traditional pub which also offers a real fire, pool room and serves food. A pint of Guinness + a pint of IPA cost £4.65
Brief History: The Alston-Haltwhistle railway line ceased operation in 1976. Featherstone Castle's origins lie in the medieval period. It is not open to the public. POW camp 18 was a huge site which held around 7000 German officers and contained among other things a theatre. Lambley Viaduct became operational around November 1852.
POW Camp 18
Tomorrow, off to the wilds of west Allen Dale. Alone!
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