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Kirkwhelpington Active, Wansbeck House, Newcastle upon Tyne (2026)

31/03/2026

Tuesday walks

22/07/2024

SHORT WALK (WITH AN EASY SCRAMBLE): GREAT WANNEY CRAG :4KM/ 21/2 MILES . 133 M ASCENT

INTRODUCTION: FEEL FREE TO SKIP THIS BIT, ITS JUST ME RAMBLING ON!
‘I’m never doing this again’ my companion grunted.
‘That’s what you said the last time ‘ I replied ,a little breathless.
We were carrying our mountain bikes up the not quite vertical face of Great Wanney Crag, in order to ride over the iron age parapets and down the undulating muddy path to Sweethope. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But it wasn’t. For one thing there is no cycling access around the crag. And for another, by the time we got to the top we were in no state to pedal.
I’ve caused a bit of consternation over the years by claiming this route is just a walk, when really it is more of a scramble with a bit of hands on rock stuff.I dragged both sons’ partners up here early on in their getting- to- know- the family, and I think it seemed like some kind of test they had to endure. But I think they agreed that , at the top , its pretty amazing.
You can actually visit the top of Great Wanney Crag without the climb, using the footpath across the road from Sweethope Lough, but obviously this is nowhere near as rewarding , and many of those who regularly use this path seem to have misread the footpath sign as saying dog toilet.
Great Wanney Crag is made of sandstone, formed l by deposits settling in the beds of ancient rivers. It is therefore very different from the dolerite which forms many big outcrops west of the village and is a harder volcanic rock. The Crag is much revered by climbers , who have enjoyed it for well over a century. The Trevelyans from Wallington were up and down it in the 1890s. Currently there are what seems an amazing 105 described climbing routes, all with names , many of which are rather splendid (‘Idiots Delight’ , ‘Hey up me duck’, and (of course)’Stairway to Heaven’).

START
Yes I have walked all the way there but it makes for a long trip, so it’s the car, but it doesn’t take long. Up the 696 to the Knowesgate, turn left , follow the winding road for 3km/2 miles or so . You reach the junction where the road bears sharp right and a narrow road on the left leads to Sweethope. Keep on the right. You’ve got another 2km/1 mile or so. The road undulates,bends left, climbs and then drops. Soon the private access road for the Ray Estate appears on the right, and shortly after the gated North entrance to Fourlaws forest comes up on the left. Park at this gate, or use the layby nearer the estate access road.
FOREST TRACK TO CRAG BASE
Use the dog friendly stile by the gate to join the forest track. Follow it for about 1.8 km/1 mile. It bears right, then left, and finally theres a sort of junction where the main track bends sharp right and a bit of fading track, soon degenerating to a path carries straight on. This isn’t signposted -its not a public footpath , just a tread over access land.You are now facing the crag across an open area of the stumps of old felled trees, heather and boggy ground. Follow this trodden path towards the crag.
Long ago, when I first came here this was a path through well grown pines, and emerging from the trees to the open boggy land with a backdrop of towering rock and at that time , a herd of spectacularly horned highland cattle, the place seemed like another world.
Its still pretty impressive. The path is not well marked but easy to follow. You cross a small stream, gurgling deep in the peaty ground and easily stepped over and gradually bear a bit left as you approach the escarpment. Now look carefully at the crags ahead. At more or less the highest point, the top of the rocks displays a bit of wooden fence and a couple of isolated trees. Looking along the crag top in front of you these two trees are the furthest to the left.The marks the left side of a break or notch in the rocky face .That break is a sort of upside down green ( in winter getting more brown) ‘V’ shape where vegetation largely replaces rock.The hardcore , more scrambly way up the crag is in that V. You wont see it until you’re on it though. Looking a bit to the right , you’ll see another notch. This marks the route the public footpath takes, which is just about walkable.
The path heads towards a collection of impressive boulders ( as in big enough to climb on) close to the foot of the crag, and then swings right to follow along the foot of the crag. Its often wet here, as in up to ankle deep but not awful, even after rain in February
UP AND OVER – Harder route
What is awful is the first bit of climbing. The lowest slopes of the crag are really a pile of boulders, the biggest clearly visible , the smallest lurking in the bracken.Feet have a tendency to twist into the holes between the rocks, and this first bit is where you really have to go slow.
Now , starting off: there are probably a lot of options, but over the years I’ve sort of settled on one route. Try and remember that green channel up the rocks with the bit of fence at the top. As you walk away from the big boulders, before you are level with the target channel there are two big rocks. Turn up left after you pass the first one and climb around so youre above the second one. That’s the worst bit over.Now you traverse the slope so you’re at the foot of the green gully, moving away from those big boulders at the bottom.
Now its time to go up up up. There is a faint winding path to start with with little sort of serpentines across that V of vegetation. As you near the top it becomes more a sort of rocky staircase. You will see the bit of wooden fence over to your left beyond a hefty slab of rock bridging a cleft. Gan canny here , it feels a bit exposed though I’ve never felt it too bad , even carrying a bike. The fence is low enough to step over.
UP AND OVER-Less hard route
Now instead of climbing up after the first rock you keep on the wet trodden path at the base of the crag. The next v shaped notch in the rock face soon comes up on your left. Above you is a little collection of trees on a sort of shoulder below the crag. Follow the path to the far side of the notch?gully then bear left through the bracken to skirt above this shoulder. You should see a pretty well trodden path, rising steeply above the shoulder and then really just heading straight for the head of the notch with just a little curving from side to side. You can just about walk up this , and the firmly rooted heather provides helpful handholds.
Emerging at the top you will see a post with footpath sign, pointing you slightly left. Soon you see another post, pointing you away from the cliff face.Following the footpath takes you well away from the best views, so when you see a barbed wire fence ahead on your left, turn to your left and walk back towards the crag face with that fence on your right. You will end up at the top of the harder climb. With a few meters of wooden fence visible beyond a rock slab bridging a cleft. You climb the rock carefully, cross the slab and step over the fence.

AT THE TOP
Well you’re going to pause anyway because you’ll be knackered, but pause in any case because this view is pretty special. Away to your left are the heather clad slopes of Hepple Heugh, the local highest point.Far ahead the ground rises to Hartside Cairn,with its memorial to Queen Victoria, also at a height of 336 m. In between these,the controversial planned Elizabeth Monument will also match that height, though all three of these tall places will be dwarfed by turbines of ray Wind Farm. In truth the whole landscape is a human creation, worked on for centuries,with forestry, roads , railway, dams,mining, quarrying, and pesky hikers!. Walk along the trodden path with the crag face on your left for more human interference, this time a large ditch encircled hillfort.This is pretty spectacular, with the semicircular rampart butting up to the cliff face.
COMING DOWN
Follow the well trodden path parallel to the cliff edge-its safely set back. Its useful to look down to get your bearings for the return. You should be able to see the big boulders at the foot of the crag , the ones you originally walked towards.Behind them you should see a stone wall , more or less perpendicular to the crag . Beyond that there is a conifer plantation, then a gap , then a second plantation. These plantations are linked by a fence with a full height gate in . You will go through the gate . But not yet. Follow the path through the heather, gradually descending from the hill fort. You are looking for a footpath signpost on the path coming up from Sweethope Lough. We renewed this in February, so hopefully its still standing.
Reaching the post turn sharp left. The rocky slope down here is pretty shallow. Following a trodden path in a cleft down the slope you are soon down to the flat wet ground. Look for that gate between the plantations. The ground is boggy but the trodden path helpfully curves over the firmer bits. Through the gate you follow the signposted public footpath over rough grassland, into the spruce trees . You will follow this path along a rushy but dry ridge to reach the main access road and then turn right to return to the start.

16/07/2023

MEDIUM WALK: THE VERY ‘ORRIBLE BOOT TREE 7 KM/4 MILES 129 METERS CLIMBING.REVIEWED JULY 2024

Not far North of the Village the road which heads west from Knowesgate dips dramatically to the bridge across the Ray burn. As you climb from the bridge there is a beautiful steep gorge on your right, and standing on the rim of that gorge is an ash tree decorated with maybe a hundred bits of old footwear.Google describes the Knowesgate Shoe Tree as a ‘Cultural Landmark’ Well, I’m not sure about it . Is it art or just hanging rubbish? In fact , nobody is terribly sure about it. Perhaps the first shoes were hung in it after a cyclist tragically died at the bridge down below it, which is sort of circular because occasionally nowadays boots blow off and create a hazard for cyclists. However nobody is totally certain . Some say that shoes are thrown into trees to mark occasions , and at least one family in the village used to have a ritual of marking the growth of the childrens feet by throwing outgrown footwear up in the branches.
Many other boot trees exist, with the one in Newcastle’s Heaton Park getting a lot of attention. Like boot trees elsewhere at some stage the old footwear was all removed ( I gather some trees have been felt to be harmed by the sheer weight of discarded trainers and wellies and the rest) But the tree was soon once again festooned with time served trainers and weary wellies.In Kirby Lonsdale they apparently set about creating a boot tree to promote local fell walking. In the USA it was said returning Viet Nam veterans jubilantly threw away their combat boots into high branches.
Lots of stories . You might say a lot of tongues wagging , or that there is no sole explanation for the phenomenon or that its all a load of cobblers,or you might just say that puns are really annoying!

In any case the tree is there , it sits on a footpath , and the walk to it makes for quite a nice circuit.

TO RAYMILL

From the village hall head right to the T junction then left and, as the road bends right take the footpath through the gate on the left between the Vicarage and the timber clad Police House. The sign for this is slightly buried in the hedge. We’ve worked on this path, but the nettles keep coming back-it needs more feet on it.! Follow the trodden grass with the hedge on your left down to cross a nearly dry shallow ditch between two Ash Trees.Bear right after this , with willows and the river on your left. Then its over the step stile (slightly wobbly lower step) , up the steps which were beautifully cleared recently but are a bit verdant now, cross the road and past the skilfully repurposed post to steps down and across the Ray Burn. Just now(July) this is good for wild raspberries and there are redcurrants by the river.
After the bridge its right onto the perfect tarmac of Horncastle drive and up to the house gate . Turn right,as the arrow points, to pass around the buildings You’ll go through a signed gate that’s usually closed ,bear left through one that’s usually open and bear right with the barn ahead on your left to the signed gate into the huge field. Bear left here as the bridlepath sign indicates. There are plenty of cattle here , but with so much space I’ve rarely had any bother when dogwalking (and never any problems when dog free).Ahead you will see a shallow valley taking you to the base of craggy Sledhoe on your left. There is a sort of green road along here but its not obvious. As you approach Sledhoe bear right, so the wall (which isn’t straight ) stays on your left. Down now to go through 2 gates with a lot of growth between them and still awaiting some signs. Keep that wall on your left and over the rise you reach the gate onto the road.
Now its right on the road until you turn left across the cattle grid onto the drive to Raymill.There is a fingerpost lurkingnin the hedge,but otherwise the footpath is not marked on the ground. On the map it follows the fence on the left up to the house. You pass in front of the house, along until the fence turns left away from you. Now stand with your back to the house. Ahead you should see a line of three telegraph poles along the road, ending in A copse of trees on the left. Head for the second or third telegraph pole from the right. This field is heavily stocked with sheep , so the line you walk may need to take that into account. Towards the road you reach a steep grassy valley. At the bottom there is a tiny burn with railway sleepers across, which are hardly necessary. Cross the burn and head on a left diagonal , climbing steeply towards the road. As you approach the fence bear left until you see the stile onto the road, and the infamous tree itself. The step stile is good but dogs will have to go over it , not through the wire,due to mesh fencing. Turn left onto the road.

TO WEST WHITEHILLS

You’ve got about 500 meters on the road now, hopefully with little traffic. So its down over the bridge ,up past the gateway to Ray Demesne on the left, and find the bridlepath on your right.The fingerpost is missing here,on the NCC list for replacement,but its s long list!.Its through the gate on the road , follow the fence on your left , through a gate,and through another gate by a rather tired barn. The gate by the barn is hemmed in on three sides and the bullocks tend to congregate there . This is no trouble without dogs-the bullocks shift easily, but theres a bit of agitation with the dogs at close quarters. When I have the dogs and see there are bullocks by the barn I tend to skip this bridlepath, and follow the road to Knowesgate cross roads , turning right onto the wide verge by the A696 to rejoin the route.
Assuming you stick to the bridlepath you will join a stoney track after the barn which takes you to the road. Turn right onto the verge for 100 meters or so, then cross to the ladder stile on the east side of the road. This takes you across the (in July) cut stubble to a step stile. Over this and its up the field to the far wall, just south of West Whitehills Farm.

AND HOME

Turn right at the wall and you’re on St Oswalds Way. Through a gate and you're in a huge field with grand views over the valley of the Ray Burn and beyond.You are more or less on the line of the old road to the village. Head for the bottom right hand corner. There will be bullocks , and they may come to greet you, but I always manage the dogs through here OK. Through the kissing gate, briefly left on the road , and through another kissing gate onto a permissive footpath which is poorly defined but roughly follows an old hedge d**e down to the stile by the telephone exchange. Now its left back into the heart of the village.Just check you’re still wearing the footwear you set out in !

27/06/2023

FOUR TERRAINS TO WALLINGTON : RUN(OR WALK) 12KM/7 MILES 150 METERS OF CLIMBING.

This village is a great place to run. In years gone by (I say that too much) there were quite a few runners in the village. We had carloads heading off to the Great North Run, lift shares to The Kielder Marathon, and I even introduced Ponteland Running club to the wind turbines (there was a bit of irrational fear of cattle and thistles). One day Dagmar , our brilliant first female Vicar,met one of her more proper lady parisioners while out thumping the tarmac in her short lycra. She felt obliged to apologise for her attire. “Don’t worry,” the lady replied “The Doctors much worse!”
Alex, a gardener at Wallington, ran and cycled in the time he lived here, and brought the curse or blessing of Strava to locality running. According to my sons I should never ever try to explain anything technological . So here , in an act of rebellion , is my understanding of Strava. It is a self contained programme you load onto a smartphone, which uses GPS to measure your speed and distance in a range of activities. Anyone with a smartphone can get it , and its free unless you want special features. Alex set up local strava segments, so that, for example, if you set off for Cambo, the time you take to get from near Walkmill to the gate at Broomhouse is recorded , and you will be told your speed , how you compare to other strava users , and , perhaps more usefully, how you compare to other times you’ve done it.

So here , after a long and (sorry ) tedious preamble, is four terrains to Wallington, which takes you half on road , about 1km on grass , a short but knackering spell on woodchip, and the rest on Wallington’s cycle and walking trails.Note that the map is even dodgier than usual-I couldn’t get the path detail in and keep the scale
TO BROOMHOUSE AND COMBE HILL
Start off down the back road past the sewage works towards Cambo, downhill to give you a false sense of your own fitness. Through the gate at Walkmill and the first segment ‘Sheep or cow’ starts when you are about level with the footbridge. You’ll notice its uphill, but it flattens nicely after the first bend. The segment ends at the second gate. On bad days , it ends just past the second gate so shut it quickly and keep moving.Pass the drive to Broomhouse Farm, and then its through the small gates on the left to the bike trails. At one time these trails ,sponsored by British cycling and HSBC, were strictly for bikes , but increasingly pedestrians are tolerated. Give way to bikes , which should be moving in the same direction as you. The next segment, Upper Huntley,starts soon after the second gate. Its uphill as well . Theres a bit of a theme here. Don’t worry , theres worse to come….Its on through the trees to the gate at the top where the segment ends . Left through another gate and you get a flattish breather before the main climb begins as a serpentine route up the hill,The Dragons Teeth segment ( for that is its name) has a powerful bite, It starts after the first couple of loops, and rather annoyingly doesn’t end until well after the gate at the top, where there is a bench you must NOT think about. Through the gate and the kinder, sort of flat Dragons Brow segment starts even though The Dragons Teeth hasn’t ended. Notice the views south over Shaftoe Crags, and watch out for Buzzards.Before the bike trails existed I used to love running up here.It was a very quiet wild feeling place . Of course I knew I was really trespassing, so I used to go early , before work , with a headtorch, always slightly worried about running foul of the gamekeeper. I knew I’d be caught sooner or later. One specially dark misty morning I was. Rounding the dark corner I was shocked to see not one , but two pairs of eyes staring at me disapprovingly. “ Sorry,”I stuttered. “I know Im not meant to be here…” There was no reply. The eyes were looking really mean now.I was just wandering whether to play the ‘I’m lost ‘ card, which rarely worked , or even to shamelessly announce that I was the local doctor, which never worked, when there was a grunt. And then a sort of snort. And then, in the faint dawn light, I saw the antlers. Yes I had been apologising to a pair of Roe deer. Fawning to them you might say, if your standards of humour are as low as mine.
You run the ridge , The Dragons Brow ends , and glory be , its downhill! The next segment , Black Belt, starts in the open area before the trees,and lasts down to the gate onto the road. Plenty of deer around here. It’s a lovely bit of running,on a good path curving through the trees.It ends in a gate back onto the Cambo Road.
TO THE WELLBEING WOOD
Turn left onto the road. You are looking for a right turn now,in (guess alert) 200 meters,rejoining the bike trail.Its indicated by a post which is well hidden in the undergrowth. Now its more of that nice curvy -down- through- woods stuff, with kind gradients and lots to see in the next bit. This section of bike trail ends with a wooden bridge on your right. Bear left here and look for a small gate on the right. At present (August 2025) this takes you onto a lovely mown path over the grass. Head off on this , ignoring a right turn soon. You cross the field diagonally,go through an open gate, and bear left where the path divides. You are heading for the carpark now. Bear left at another path division nearer the car park.
Through the car park you pass in front of the reception building and continue with the carpark boundary on your right to turn right onto tarmac heading through the Clocktower Arch into the courtyard. It’s back on grass now, heading for the far left hand corner of the courtyard.Now it’s briefly onto the gravel in front of the house before veering onto the lawn heading straight away from the house. You are making for the four dragonhead sculptures on the far side of the lawn , by the road. You have to run around them clockwise. Don’t ask me why , you just do.Swing round them and k the south side of the lawn on your left . Keep going and you are on the path by the side of the house, enjoying the new tarmac. On you go and you reach a big urn standing urnishly in the middle of a sort of roundabout. Take the second exit and bend round to the left, passing a pond and boathouse. Plenty of squirrels around here. My dogs think the whole running up trees thing is just unsporting.Carry on and you reach the play trainstation.
I understand that the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia was greatly admired at the time by the folk in Wallington Hall, and a model train in the grounds was duly emblazoned with Soviet Symbols. So this life size play locomotive was in turn decorated with the communist Hammer and Sickle.I came running past here a few years back with ( well ,actually ,far behind)my super fit Hungarian ski guide friend Robert. Like so many of his countrymen , Robert, who was a teenager when his country properly split from Moscow, and whose family had suffered brutal oppression under the old regime, hated all things soviet.
“See!” he shouted , pointing at the offending symbol as I wheezed behind him “Bloody Russians have been in your country also!”
Passing the offending train on your left, follow the track curving round to the right. Ignore 2 left turns and soon on your right you see a wooden sign and a woodchip path into the wellbeing wood.

WELLBEING , LAST SEGMENT , AND HOME
Woodchip running is meant to be great training for muscles and that mysterious thing the core, but my god its hard work. But its only about 300 meters. As you progress through the wellness wood you will pass the yoga area on the right with mats offering a tempting lying flat opportunity ( don’t ! -You’ll only have to get up again), and , ignoring a left turn still on the chips, a treegazing area with sloping benches (ignore!- see yoga area advice) keep going and reach a standard trail where you go right then left to run ( you are still running aren’t you ?) past the wildlife hide on your right. Soon you reach a path T junction where you turn
left , tubular bike rack on your left, and then right on an undulating curving track with a fence on the left and a wall on the right, Reach another T junction . To the right you’ll see the bridge which you ignored before joining the mown grass path.Ignore it again, You might say this is the UNABRIDGED Wallington running circuit. Now its left on an uppy downy path ( a delight for young cyclists) through a replanted area devastated by Storm Arwen. The path goes through two gates , veers right, and you’re heading for the last segment (cheers of joy) which is uphill (groans), but not bad. It starts a couple of bends after you’re through the gate, and with well grown planting , you don’t get to see the end till you’re there , so it has a bit of a neverending feel for something that’s over in three minutes ( or 1 minute 21 seconds if you’re Mike from Cambo who casually nabbed the title while his son cycled, not that I’m bitter or anything. Some just have it and some don’t…really)
And then its through the gate , and heres the cambo road. Turn left, and after 2 gates and 2.5 km you’re home. Well done!

23/06/2023

OFF ROAD CYCLING:35KM/22 MILES, 400METERS CLIMB.
DOWN TO SHORTFLATT , OVER THE WANSBECK , AND THROUGH THE NICK

This ride is in some ways an extended more rugged version of the road ride ‘A long way round to Wallington’. I used to do this route quite a lot but didn’t cope well with the ruts left by four wheel drive enthusiasts on the byway sections east of Shaftoe Crags. However motorised traffic is not allowed there any more , so its loads nicer. What remains a challenge is the large number of people you can encounter on the Shaftoe crags section at the weekend , when you may have to wait to get a clear run down the descents , unless you’re more confident at slaloming round walkers with flailing poles than I am.

KIRKWHELPINGTON TO SANDYFORD
Start on the coach road permissive bridleway over the A696 from the village.Now (June) its dead easy riding on baked mud and then a stoney track.. You follow this for a good 2km.Keep straight over the West Harle crossroads , bear slightly right when you merge onto the tarmac farm drive, and go straight on through the gate onto another stretch of rocky road where the tarmac bears right . Now its down to the ford (knobbly) and the footbridge(smooth ) over the vicarage burn. Then its up and through the gate into the big field. Straight on between a line of big trees and a fence, on a vague muddy track.The fence turns right away from you as the track bends 90 degrees left. Follow along its rutted surface until you meet a wall on your left and follow it up to the gate by Shop Cottages. You’re on tarmac now, and soon hit the outskirts of Kirkharle, which really is also the centre of Kirkharle, more or less . Follow the road as it bends left , leaving the houses behind and ends in a junction with the main Hexham RoadI had a problem here once.I was dog walking and stopped at the edge of the road to bag some badly timed poo. A car came along so I shifted the dogs back from the road, leaving the bag on the very edge of the carriageway where it should have been out of harms way. Except if somebody extra friendly decided to pull their car right over and stop for a chat. Which they did, smiling as they lowered their window. There was a quiet explosion , and a lot of mess.
“Whats wrong?” they said , seeing my shocked expression.
“You’ve just run over my dog muck” I started to say. Only I didn’t get to finish. Because as soon as I uttered the word dog, the driver sort of screamed and went gray.
Its right here , and left to leave the traffic at the top of the hill. You’re now on a lovely undulating back road for 2 km , passing the drive to Kidlaw, with its mounting block, the left turn to Capheaton ,(which you ignore-you get a much better route to Capheaton soon), and finally passing and again ignoring the curving right gravelly entrance to Greatlaw. Down and up the dip and through a gravity assisted gate on the road. Up the road for just 50 meters or so and there is an unsigned gate on your left.Through this and onto the mix of grass and tarmac which once aspired to be a road but like so many of us became absorbed by the countryside. You will reach a heavy wooden challenge gate. You have to lift it and work the latch at the same time , so it’s a 2 hander job.Now the road gradually improves as you move into Capheaton, with some special old buildings on your left. The Old Dovecote, The Old Chapel, The Schoolhouse , Estate cottages. Once my patch as a rural family doctor.Full of tragedy and drama and the amazing nature of people who sometimes seem quite ordinary. And characters of course. The nice elderly gent who turned up to see me determined that I would remove the clips from his large surgical wound.”No no” I said , “its far too soon”. “Well I’ve had very specific instructions” he said, and made it clear that he’d been told it was essential to get the clips removed that very day. In the end he talked me round . Not really a doctors job, but the nurse wasn’t in , and I managed, all 20 or so of them. He was satisfied at the end, and so was I , initially. “Ah she’ll be pleased “ he said. “Who’ll be pleased “ I asked “ The wife of course “ He replied “ it was her idea about the clips”.The conversation with the responsible surgeon , who had set a date in 2 weeks for clip removal , wasn’t easy.
As you ride past the houses you will see Sir Edwards Lake away on your right large and lovely with an island , boathouse and waterfowl.Its said that at one time the family in the big house kept a schooner on the lake, crewed by a one legged sailor.
Putting your 2 legs to work now its on towards the road junction as you approach the postbox . Turn right here, following the road past the sawmill on the right and climbing the hill, to the crossroads at the optimistically named Makemerich farm. Its left here , and a lovely flowing ride gently down the bendy road to the A696. Cross straight over and onto the tarmac track.Pass a farm on the left and through a gate . The countryside feels different here, low and wet and ruled by streams. Soon you will see the buildings of Sandyford on your left. Go straight on,briefly on a deteriorating potholed surface where the main bit of the track curves left.

SANDYFORD TO MARLISH
Soon after the junction you take the signed bridlepath bearing off the road to your left. Easy riding over the faint track on the rough pasture heading sort of half right to get to a low bridge/ford thing with a footbridge on your right and a gate ahead. Through the gate and you are onto a good track following the right field boundary. Across to you left you see more tracks , what looks like an equestrian arena, and new building work. Beyond the new bits you may glimpse the lovely old Shortflatt Tower, which in recent years has become one of the local specialist weddding venues. So I guess that means you’re on a bridal path now. (Get it ? bridAL not bridle oh well please yersel)
Soon the good track ends for you (the honeymoons over , you might say,or maybe not)and you veer left off the track leading to a gate marked private.Along the grassy track ,fence on your left and its through a non-private gate with bridlepath regalia. This steers you left of West Cottage through dense undergrowth. Just the odd nettle,and the path is firm. Through a gate into a bit of field, and you skirt a fallen tree to reach a signed gate behind it , turn left,and follow a fence on your left . Through a gate and the path improves from a vague trod to a lovely mown surface. Carry on until you meet a bridlepath T junction , with a no access gate ahead . Turn through the gate on the left. After one field you go through gates to cross the main access track to Shortflatt Tower. Don’t be tempted by the weddings though . you are otherwise engaged ( this may be an end to the low quality wedding puns!) Straight on , through another field and you emerge onto the Belsay to Bolam Road.
Now its left onto the road. Bear right at the first junction . You’ll see Bolam Lake on your left.Soon you pass the entrance to Bolam Lakes facilities on the left.Ignore it.You don't need the fine filter coffee or excellent scones or well kept toilets .( Cafe weds to Sun,Carrot cake always good,but I'm admitting nothing) Ignore a right turn , climb a bit , ignore a left turn, and look out for the byway on your left about 500 meters further on , as the road bends to the right.This starts as a good tarmac track. Currently (June 2023) it has a large temporary ‘Road closed’ sign. In the past this route was popular for off road motoring ( and the grooves and ruts made for bad riding) It’s a much nicer ride now. The byway changes from tarmac to gravel to grass as you pass three farm houses, the last being Highlaws where its very close to the farm and used to pass through a small field. In the distant past one Sunday morning I hosted a bullock festivity in this field, when a large herd (well they always SEEM large when they’re heading towards you), gave me a full on snorting charge as I ran across. I stood my ground , waved my stick, and they reversed the process , galloping away and knocking over a substantial run of post and rail fence. At this point the farmer appeared. Decent bloke , but not known for moderate opinions. He uttered a splendid self cancelling sentence along the lines of “You f***ing stubid b****** idiot oh doctor I didn’t know it was you how are you? We parted on surprisingly good terms .He apologised . I apologised.The bullocks failed to comment.Past the farm the track becomes elusive over the pasture but you will see the substantial footbridge over the River Wansbeck at the bottom of the shallow valley. Cross this and then its right through a gate to go left on the byway as it emerges from the ford. Its quite overgrown with ruts, and fenced off from the main field.As it approaches a field boundary you bear left, through a gate , keeping that boundary on your right as you go along a faint track.Through a gate you cross the line of the old railway , another gate , and its through a spectacularly overgrown section. Just grass, but its BIG grass. Keep in the same direction , field boundary off to your right. You pass a road closed to vehicles sign and emerge on the tarmac road near Marlish Farm, home to delicious spring water. Always feel a bit thirsty when I ride past here! Turn left on the road.

THROUGH MIDDLETON TO SHAFTOE MOOR FARM
On the road keep left at the junction and pass The Ox Inn, assuming the thirst is under control. Pass the buildings, with the village hall on your right , and wait for the last house on the left side of the road. A track crosses the road here. Its not signed. Leaving the road the track between buildings is well defined , leading on through a farmyard to a gate. Follow the rough but (currently-June 2023)firm and easily rideable track down the field with the boundary planting on your right. This will lead you to a ford through the River Wansbeck. To me this is a bit deep and uneven to be ridden. The option is a footbridge which is fairly well hidden on your right , and which seems at first to point in the wrong direction because the river is so twisty here. Over the good bridge you go and turn left to wheel along the undefined footpath following the river bank . A gate takes you to the point where the byway emerges from the ford. Now its right along the rutted track between fences , curving left and right to follow the field boundary, gently uphill , still not bad to ride , until you pass through a gate into the farmyard of Corridge farm and on past the buildings to the track which winds to join the road. Its left here,and along to the crossroads- where you turn right along the track past Bolam West Houses.Follow the rough track to the rather splendid run of railway sleepers laid by the enterprising Mr Robson,whose family have farmed here for generations. You emerge from the walled in track onto an open field. Usually there are cars parked on the right. Follow the vague track along close to the wall on the right through a gate and soon you’ll be riding over sheets of flat rock with dramatic views.And come to Salters Nick, where the ancient narrow road to Scotland descends in a narrow cleft.
The descent can be a bit daunting, but don’t worry , the next ones worse. That’s a joke! Seriously, if I can manage it you can. When I went to learn downhill mountain bike skills at Glentress the only thing the instructor could praise was my superb puncture fixing ability. So you pick your line, free up your feet , come back out of the saddle and (if you’re me) brake while your trusty wheels find their way over and through the fixed and loose rock.You get a grassy breather before the next dascent . This is more on (June 2023) dry mud, a bit steeper but with a bit of grassy run off at the bottom.
Now its through a gate and along the grassy track , steering round awkward trees. More gates and keep following the wall on your right. About 1 Km past the Nick the wall and track angles left. The path is nice and smooth but rather hemmed in by gorse, and currently (June 15), unless youre very very thin or standing on your saddle you will feel it, but not for long. You approach Shaftoe Moor Farm.
The map shows the bridle path running intrusively next to the house , through the garden, which is currently packed with pygmy goats and a horse and pony. Decency suggests its best to skirt round to the left,until a gate lets you enter the Farmyard, turning left to leave on the access track.

Wallington and Home
From the track its right onto the quiet tarmac of the ‘Dipper’ road. Bear right at the junction with the road to Wallington and its down over the bridge and cajole those tired legs up the bank . Turn into the car park and be enticed onto the bike trails by a large green sign at the north end of the car park. Over the wooden bridge and round the s bend before turning right. Follow this bike trail through gates and round bends to reach the back road into the village .

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