A stone’s throw from industrial Tyneside, I hadn’t expected to find such a scenic walk so close to the city – nor, as it happens, to follow in the footsteps of so many railway pioneers.
Ford Moss
A peaceful walk around a nature reserve and surrounding countryside. Perfect for a Sunday afternoon.
Bewick Moor
The moors of north Northumberland may lack the picturesque fame of their Yorkshire cousins, but a little effort reveals a fine walk through history, from prehistoric cairns and Iron Age fortresses, to a medieval tower and a 19th century farmhouse. Though there are no steep climbs, the pervasive thick heather across the open moorland makes progress slow and much of the route can be difficult to discern at times.
The Mutiny Stones and Twin Law
A cairn built by the devil, two brothers on a hilltop, and a gamekeeper’s treasure are but some of the sights on this walk in the Lammermuirs.
The Crags of Simonside
I ventured into the land of the dwarves for a walk around the hills of Simonside. Rocks, trees and moorland galore!
Loch Skeen and White Coomb
Eagles scream from isle to shore;
Down all the rocks the torrents roar;
O’er the black waves incessant driven,
Dark mists infect the summer heaven.
Through the rude barriers of the lake,
Away it’s hurrying waters break,
Faster and whiter dash and curl,
Till down yon dark abyss they hurl.
The eagles may be gone now, but Sir Walter Scott’s poem still captures the dramatic beauty of his “Loch-skene”. This weekend I decided to pay it a visit.
Minch Moor and the Cheese Well
In search of a nice walk for a Sunday afternoon, I decided to visit the Minch Moor, once traversed by medieval monks, Highland drovers, and the armies of Edward I.