Stage 9 – Haltwhistle to Alston – Monday 10th November 2008

Because it was so wet underfoot, we decided to stick to the South Tyne Trail, a well defined footpath on the route of the old railway, one stretch of which is a narrow gauge tourist route, open in summer and for Santa specials. It wasn’t so varied perhaps as some of the alternatives but there was so much wildlife that we had no regrets. In fact even this path became so boggy that we had to resort to the road at one point.

Lambley viaduct was an undoubted highlight, especially as the sun came out for the photographs and we saw our first treecreeper there. Slaggyford, where we stopped for lunch was picturesque  too (but no pub unfortunately so soup in the rain!

We were able to return to the railway for the final stretch into Alston, where the Cumberland Hotel was very welcoming but the bus company seems to go out of its way to avoid passengers.

Flora and Fauna: buzzard, treecreeper, redwing, bull finch, lots of chaffinches and I think, fieldfare (didn’t get a great view unfortunately) red squirrel; rabbits – just beyond Haltwhistle they seemed to be suffering from myxomotosis. I’ve just totted up our bird sightings with two legs to go and reckon that on the nine walks to date we’ve seen  at least 27 species of birds that we wouldn’t see in our garden, so perhaps 47 species in total. Not bad between August and November without going out of our way.

Transport: Our car to Haltwhistle; lift from kind schoolteachers from Alston to Hexham (We can’t stay away). Train back to Haltwhistle. Our car home. Phew!

Stage 8 – Haydon Bridge to Haltwhistle – Monday 3rd November 2008

Today didn’t begin as sunny as Saturday and didn’t get off to a great start. Our maps and guides didn’t alert us to the building of a new bypass across the start of the walk. We were met by assorted lorries, diggers and, fortunately, friendly men it hard hats. Somehow we managed to blag our way across the building site, through treacherous mud, to become the first people to walk on the new tarmac and rejoin the farm road we were meant to be on.

The highlight of this walk had to be the section in the Allenbanks nature reserve, where the sun came out in time for us to eat our lunch looking down over the river Allen while a party of long tailed tits entertained us.

Beltingham was a discovery – a very small but lovely village – just a few houses, an old church and a tiny green, more of a grass roundabout really. One of the yew trees in the churchyard is thought to be at least 900 years old.

We then climbed up through farmland, notable for its kneeling sheep (All pretty weird up here) and past the oddly named Unthank estate. I don’t know whether it was the gathering gloom and our tired minds as well as the name but in contrast to pretty Beltingham, it felt the sort of place Dickens would be inspired by.

Flora and Fauna:  heron, another goldcrest (blimey, we’re on a roll), long tailed tits, bullfinches loads of pheasants; cowslip in flower.

Transport: Our car to Haydon Bridge;  train to Hexham and another one back to Haydon Bridge (Don’t ask!). Car home (eventually!).

Stage7- Hexham to Haydon Bridge – Saturday 1st November 2008

A beautiful autumn day, bright sunshine, leaves changing colour; the first mile or two along the riverside path, lots of dog walkers and joggers about and we encountered the Salmon Trail sculptures again, but still the Bluetooth connection didn’t work.

The confluence of the North and South Tyne, known as Waters Meet, was a highlight. In looking for the kingfisher we’d been told about, we saw a dipper. Not a bad consolation prize. At the same time, we saw two late swallows and soon after, flitting about near some gardens a goldcrest. A few days later on Autumn Watch, we heard that there had been an influx of them this weekend on Easterly winds. 

Then a stretch on the road via the Railway Inn at Fourstones (definitely recommended for food) before climbing towards Haydon Bridge. The fields were really boggy but it was an excellent walk, part of which is designated the John Martin trail. We detoured to the now disused church where the painter was christened (I think). You’d have to know it was there as there is no sign outside.

Near Haydon Bridge too we saw what I expect will be the last canoeists of this trip.

Flora and Fauna: Dipper at Waters Meet where we narrowly missed a kingfisher, according to a luckier dog walker, goldcrest.

Transport: Our car to Hexham; bus from Haydon Bridge to Hexham. Our car home.