Hexham to Hayden Bridge

It has been 3 weeks since I last posted an entry about our weekly walk. This does not mean we have not been walking but 2 weeks ago I forgot my camera when we did 9 miles at 7Stanes in Newcastleton and last week it was so wet we just did an Umbrella Walk round Potholm. We had planned to do another of Ian Landles walks in the Scottish Borders today but the weather forecast for the area was poor so we decided to do a walk I had been thinking about for a few weeks. We headed to Haydon Bridge to catch the 11.13am train to Hexham and then walk back the 10.5 miles to Hayden Bridge. The bridge in the above picture is of the A69 as it crosses the Tyne just west of Hexham.  

The first part of the walk followed the river Tyne until it split to become the North and South Tyne. Once we crossed the South Tyne we headed up the hills to a height of about 800 ft three times as the walk went through three valleys. The interesting thing about this walk was how quiet it was as we saw virtually nobody in the 4.5 hours it took us to do the walk.  

The South Tyne Valley

Snowdrops in St Peters Church about 3 miles from Hayden Bridge

Dropping down into Hayden Bridge. Both Tom and I were very tired by the time we reached Hayden Bridge. It had been a tough walk with many climbs but the scenery had been first class and we hopefully will soon recover.

Oma & Opa Visit Newcastle

After our lovely Lunch in Pizza Express we headed to The Jesmond Dene for a visit to the Childrens Animal Corner.

Lunch at Pizza Express with two very well behaved Grandchildren and of course Leo just had to bring Thomas the Tank Engine as well.

Opa Han with his Grandson Leo and in the bag is Thomas the Tank Engine and some of his friends who accompany Leo wherever he goes.

Two Grannies with their lovely Grandaughter Hannah on the beach at Tynemouth. We had a lovely couple of days with Han & Jo who are over in Newcastle all week to look after Hannah during the school half-term holiday. Leo is attending Nursery so is not on holiday but will make up for lost time with them once he gets home.

Another "Last of the Summer Wine " Walker

This weeks walk started at the lovely Cumbrian village of Askham and was according to Tom a 10 mile walk including Knipescar Common and Knipe Moor. The weather was glorious but very, very cold. A new recruit to our walking group joined us namely Peter Bart-Smith who has now retired and after completing alterations to his house is able to join us now and again. The main quilification to join this grand bunch of men is to get us lost on a walk and this Peter accomplished well, after telling us to turn right when it should have been left resulting in our 10 mile walk becoming a 12 mile walk.

The top of Knipescar Common

Knipe Scar after we had dropped down into Haweswater Beck valley.

The old footbridge accross Haweswater Beck. This was quite an experience and a good job I crossed first to take the photograph as I dont know if it would have taken the three of us at the same time. We arrived back in Askham 5 hours later after a most enjoyable walk especially as it would normally have been very muddy but as the ground was frozen we kept reasonably clean.

Gretna Walk

Our walk this week took us to Gretna and on a superb but cold day we commenced our walk from the Auld Smithy at Gretna Green. The first stop was the bridge over the West Coast Railway Line where the worst rail disaster in in Britain took place in 1915. It was at Quintinshill where 5 trains were involved in a disaster that killed 226 people, mostly soldiers from the Royal Scots Regiment on their way to Liverpool to board a ship for the Gallipoli campaign. In the photograph above the 2 main lines are flanked by 2 sidings and it was here that the troop train coming south collided with the local train and eventually 5 trains were involved.

Part of the walk followed the River Sark which forms the Scotland - England Border. This is the Sark Bridge which was built by Thomas Telford in 1814 and widened in 2001. Thomas Telford left his mark on the bridge and it is now displayed at a small cairn next to the bridge as you can see below.

Thomas Telfords Mark

Crossing the border.

We followed the Sark to where it joins the Esk and it is here that the Esk forms a channel on the Solway. When the tide comes in the Esk will be covered by the sea.

The walk finished back at Gretna Green and I am advised that Tom & John are just good friends.