15^th January 2017

Due to all sorts of complicated group logistics this was our first walk of our new 2017 programme. We have walked this route a couple of times before over the last few years, most memorably when I saw a salmon leaping (like a salmon) from the river #Tyne at Corbridge.

No chance of that in January.

Starting from the lovely free car park in Corbridge, we headed west along the riverside footpath, detouring slightly to visit the remains of the #Roman bridge across the #Tyne. Continuing on, we came to the Devil’s Water tributary spilling energetically into the #Tyne. Following this upstream, we crossed the railway line and headed up to the road. We crossed here and headed up past the Dilston Physic Garden (closed on Sundays in winter) to a lovely wide grassy lane.

This continues west and just gets better and better as you continue along; lovely sweeping views of surrounding fields and with hedges and mature trees to both sides. We stopped for lunch on a mini rural crossroads, between two farms. Great views even on a winter day.

Continuing up a particularly muddy section we enjoyed a section of sunken lane inhabited by all kinds of hedgerow birds serenading our way and staking their early claims for territories. The footpath then joins the dense coniferous woodland of Park Wood and snakes its way through the trees, eventually bringing you out at the Duke’s House. Nothing to do with David #Bowie. The multi-chimneyed silhouette of this handsome manor house is justifiably famous in these parts and is very striking. There are two options from this point – continue on to join a road and head into Hexham that way or take a muddy uneven footpath skirting some trees. We went for option 2.

Eventually this footpath finds its way to the end of the Fellside row of houses overlooking Hexham. From here you have two options  – continue along the road and head into Hexham or take a muddy uneven footpath skirting some trees. Once again we went for option 2.

This brought us into a housing estate and a ½ mile stroll that took us to the main road in Hexham near to the hospital and the bus stop. From here we caught the bus back to Corbridge (an eye watering fare of £2.15) which dropped us off right by the car park.