Who was Samuel Plimsoll?
Filed under: OtherSamuel Plimsoll
1824 to 1898
Recently a friend gave me a page out of a magazine. I suspect this was Country Walking but cannot verify that. However I feel that the information on the article should receive further publicity as I was totally unaware of the fact that Plimsoll was very much involved with the first mass trespass way back in 1887.
Hitherto my knowledge of Plimsoll was that he had been the driving force as the Liberal MP for Derby in the 1876 Merchant Shipping Act which resulted in all ships having a mark on them to indicate the maximum load capacity. This became to be known as the Plimsoll Line. There was enormous loss of life around our shores in the preceding years with over 8,000 mariners losing their lives. Quite recently, whilst on a town walk in Sunderland we passed an asylum which was for boys who had lost their fathers at sea. Asylum here was used in its proper term which means a place of refuge. Before visiting this place I had never really thought about the losses at sea. Plimsoll had great difficulty in getting the act through Parliament due to the opposition of many MPs who were shipowners. However public opinion was on his side and justice prevailed.
Most people are aware of this heritage but how many are aware of the Latrigg trespass? Latrigg had been open to walkers but in 1887 the landowner erected fences to keep people off the higher parts. At a rally of about 2,000 people on October 1st 1887, which was the culmination of previous skirmishes, Plimsoll spoke to the masses that the Keswick and District Footpath Preservation Society and like-minded groups should unite to demand a Bill that would give the right for people to go on the hills and mountains without the expense of having to go to a court of law. Following this address the landowner, a Mr Spedding, was asked to remove the locked gate giving access to the summit. When he refused members of the group used crowbars to open the gate.
Plimsoll’s support of these actions had an important legacy for future walkers in that access to Latrigg was never rescinded and it also led the way to the famous Kinder Trespass which was 80 years ago this year.
A recent book by Nicolette Jones titled “The Plimsoll Sensation” received very favourable reviews. Plimsoll, partly through his experience of life, was a great social reformer. As an endpiece the term plimsoll for a rubber soled canvas shoe was named because once the water went over the rubber your feet got wet!
I am not aware of any monument or plaque to mark this event on Latrigg, and Wainwright does not mention it, but on this 125th year of its anniversary surely more should be done to publicise this historic event.
Another Walk in Geltsdale
Filed under: OtherDistance: 11 miles
Start: Castle Carrock Village
Click to view start position on Google Maps
Map: OS Landranger 86 – Haltwhistle and Brampton
This new walk around Geltsdale (see also Cold Fell and Geltsdale and Space and Solitude in Upper Geltsdale”) starts in Castle Carrock and begins by going up the Brampton road to turn left on to the bridleway just past the Village Shop. After a short distance across two fields it reaches a bridleway heading north to south and this is taken north for about one mile to the ford and bridge over Castle Carrock Beck which is crossed to return to the Brampton Road. Here we go north for about 250 yards to a stile on your right signposted to Talkin. Note the deep chasm of the Gelt which is crossed on the way. Here you go north-east diagonally across the field to a gate which picks up the track to Hill House Farm. Do not brag about your walking prowess here as the farmer is an accomplished walker who in 2009 completed the circuit of Mont Blanc! At the end of the farmyard is a track but instead go across the farm to the top left hand corner where there is a waymark. The route which is waymarked continues in a north-east direction with the wall on your left to reach Talkin village at the Blacksmiths Arms via a stone stile.
Entrance to Talkin Tarn
At the village cross roads on your left continue straight ahead along the road and in just less than one mile you reach the Tarn End Hotel. This was until quite recently a lovely hotel which is now sadly in serious disrepair. Go through the kissing gate to Talkin Tarn. You can go round the tarn on either side. Talkin Tarn is a Country Park of about 120 acres and the circuit of the tarn is about one mile. A pleasant spot with interesting birdlife in the winter. There are toilets and a cafe and gift shop at the northern end. Leave by the footpath about 100 yards to the east of the cafe and follow the road to Brampton station to the right where you go over the station footbridge. Here turn left on to a track beside the platform and head north-west alongside Rowbank Wood. You pass under the A69 Brampton bypass after half a mile and a further half a mile or so brings you into Brampton village itself.
Brampton is an interesting place with good facilities and two good churches. The Old Church, about one mile to the north-west (at GR510616), is on the site of a Roman fort and is partly built of Roman stone. It is situated on the banks of the River Irthing on Old Church Lane off the Longtown Rd. St Martins in the village has stained glass windows designed by Edward Bourne-Jones. Regrettably the pubs are not up to the standard of those at Talkin or Castle Carrock so save your money.
Head for St Martins Church and then go left on the Carlisle road which turns half left after a few yards and after about 200 yards take the footpath through a kissing gate on the left marked to Capon Tree Road. This is followed for half a mile to the road which is crossed to pick up the footpath waymarked Low Gelt Wood. You soon pass the Capon Tree Memorial and then reach a gate.
HERE IT IS NECESSARY TO CROSS THE A69, TAKE GREAT CARE AS TRAFFIC HERE IS FAST!
Follow the road ahead on the other side and in half a mile arrive at Low Gelt Bridge at GR520591. At the bridge turn left following the path to Middle Gelt Bridge which is nearly two miles upstream. Gelt Woods are a RSPB reserve where you can find woodpeckers and pied flycatchers among the beech, birch, ash and old oak trees. It is twinned with Poiplie Nature Reserve in Poland. Note the bird hides made of oak and bracken to a Celtic design. The riverside route can be difficult in times of flood but there is an alternative where you head up about 250 yards downstream from Low Gelt. You pass through the Roman Quarry, now 2000 years old. The inscriptions which are high up can only be read by taking a ladder and climbing the quarry face. They are now fading and by all accounts not as legible as in the 1800s.
The path through Gelt Wood
Cross the river at Middle Gelt and take the Greenwell road going under the viaduct and virtually immediately turning left on the path alongside the river to reach Greenside Farm after half a mile. Go along the access road leaving the Gelt and stay on the bridleway which soon reaches the ford and bridge passed on the way out. Here stay on the bridleway all the way south to arrive at the west end of Castle Carrock village where you then turn left back to the start.
Warks Burn and The Pennine Way
Filed under: Pennine WayDistance: 11.5 miles
Start: Wark Village (GR 860771)
Click to view start position on Google Maps
Map : OS Explorer OL42 – Kielder Water and OS Explorer OL43 – Hadrian’s Wall
On a clear cold day in early October Alan, Clive and myself decided to go to open country where we could step out and also have pleasant views so a decision was made to go onto part of the Pennine Way where none of us had walked for quite a while. I first walked this section as far back as 1972 when the route was new. Parking in Bellingham, we took the bus to Wark (those with two cars will have no problem) in order to eliminate any dangerous road walking. At Wark we headed off west towards Pasture House and before reaching it we took the footpath to Ramshaws Mill, meeting two fellow geordie walkers who like us were wandering about. Ramshaws Mill is a lovely spot on the Warks Burn which is crossed here and we then took the clear track heading south up the hill.
Warks Burn in its gorge at Ramshaws Mill
After ascending a hill you reach a wall and turn right for a short distance before crossing a stile on your left. Cross this and turn right up the wall to the first corner in front of you. Caution as you can make a mistake here! Head south-west passing just to the left on some higher ground to descend to High Moralee. Here you continue west following the north bank of the Gofton Burn to come to the farm of Sheilahaugh where it is necesssary to go south to Pea Hill on the tarmac. Be careful on your direction here as we nearly went in the wrong direction, but the correct way is to go north-west first up and then down to another burn which is crossed on the road bridge. Shortly after take the clear track on your left to Sadbury Hill where you continue west. Note there is another footpath here heading south over Franks Hill which should be ignored.
You now head west keeping to the high terrain over Ground Rigg, following the markers, and at the highest point of 241 metres you can see ahead to a gap in the forest with Ladyhill behind, which is the route of the Pennine Way. This is met almost immediately when you descend the slope in front of you and on joining the Pennine Way you are now turn back towards Bellingham, heading north. A waterfall is marked on the map which is a pleasant surprise. The fall is about 20 feet and surrounded by vegetation, mainly rowan trees.
Continuing north downhill you pass the end of Longlee Rigg (another easy walking route) and descend to cross the Fawleg Sike where there are convenient walls to sit on and have a break. You now go uphill slightly before dropping down to the valley of the Warks Burn where you turn right past a metal barn and then descend to the fine footbridge over the Warks Burn some 40 feet below you. Just about 400 yards upstream here is the “long drop” which is a toilet positioned about 40 feet above the stream! We did not visit it on this walk but if you have time it is worth a detour. A climb up the other side and a turn to north-east brings you to Horneysteads which has been restored since Wainwright wrote his guidebook. Stop here to see the peel tower remains (which the occupants will be pleased to show you) and then it is onwards to The Ash. There has been diversions here recently round to the south of the property which give greater privacy to the occupants, but perhaps another sign would keep you away from the property. Do not pass the houses as you are off route.
At The Ash you head north again alongside the road which is crossed where it turns and proceed to Low Stead above the Blacka Burn. This is a very nice restored set of buildings which Wainwright included in his guide as do others, notably Tony Hopkins. These buildings are bastles from the 16th Century. At Linacres you take their access road east to join the road just north of Hetherington and turn left on this, walking a distance of over half a mile to a t-junction. Crossing straight over it is downhill to the Houxty Burn where the footbridge is a little upstream of the obvious crossing which is a ford. Once over head downstream for a short distance on a clear path alongside the burn and turn left to Shitlington Hall, once called Shotlyngton Hall. Why did they change it?
Shitlington Crags near Bellingham
Turning north shortly after the farm follow the track towards Shitlington Crags, noting the bunkhouse just under the sandstone crags. It is a short climb up to the mast where you turn right on a very good track and before reaching a wood on your left follow the waymarked route over poor ground in a north-east direction. At the top you see Bellingham underneath you and descend to the main road. Here you will see there is a new section of the Pennine Way which continues north off the dangerous road and runs parallel with it to Brown Rigg which is owned by the Forestry Commission. This very a useful diversion from NCC following much effort from the late Tony Jones of the Pennine Way Association makes this walk a lot more pleasant and safer as when you reach the road again there is a tarmac footpath the rest of the way to Bellingham.
Two Chimneys and a Bastle
Filed under: OtherDistance: 12 miles
Start: Allendale town centre
Click to view start position on Google Maps
Map: OS Explorer Map 43 – Hadrian’s Wall: Haltwhistle and Hexham
This walk starts at the square in Allendale where you can stock up with all your provisions for the day. Walk down towards the River East Allen and just after the bend in the road take the good track down to the riverside which is followed downstream for over half a mile. Part way along will be seen the remains of the old railway bridge which carried the trains to the flat ground on the far side where the station was situated. Now it is a small estate with several shops, a craft bakery and also the Allendale Brewery which produce a range of fine ales.
At the first roadbridge cross over to the far bank and continue downriver passing Bishopfield Haugh and Bridge Eal walking through a mixture of woods and meadowland. Note the route at the house at Bridge Eal where you go into the garden and then turn left over a stile. Please respect the privacy of the owners by passing through quietly. Take care at the next area where Burntongues Burn joins the Allen. It is easy to head up this burn up a hill but ignore this and keep to the riverside path which here is a little obscure past Kittygreen to Oakpool and the tarmac road. Here turn left steeply uphill heading south. Ignore the first footpath on the left and take the second one to Gill House to arrive at High Frostall which is currently (August 2010) empty. Turn right in front of the house on the lane to reach the tarmac access road and at the end of this access road turn right slightly uphill for 20 metres only.
On your left is a chapel and cemetery which is still in use and an attractive place. Go through the graveyard on a clear path and over the stile to Hollybush. Here cross the stile and pass to the east of the farm and then cross two further fields towards Burnt Tongues Farm. Just before the farm the path has been diverted round the farm to the west and here you reach the road leading towards Allendale.
Head left downhill in that direction and in a short distance you come to the war memorial on your right. Everything round here is spread out amongst the many farms. A few metres after the memorial there is a footpath to Hollingreen. On reaching the house there is a gate if front of you which you go through and if you meet a dog he should be friendly. Once through the gate turn right noting the old railway shovels hanging from the wall. It is then sharp left to cross the Hollingreen Burn and climb over an awkward stile. You now cross two fields to Hawksteel where you exit the field to the left of the farm to reach a tarmac road.
Hawksteel Burn
The Hawksteel Burn here has obviously been used as a hush in lead mining days. The road is followed dowhhill past Dryside. Traffic is rarely met here and even less on the next road on the right to Frolar Meadows where you encounter the two flues which stretched from the smelter in the valley to the two chimneys seen uphill to the west. It is necessary to follow the tarmac to Fell House where the track alongside the flue then takes you to the chimney. This is a good place for a break with wide ranging views. You could need your compass now if visibility is poor as you head due east over heathland to reach Martin Bells bridge on the road over to the West Allen. In spring the birdlife here is very good with all the waders there to be seen.
One of the Allendale lead smelting flues.
Once on the road head down to Wooley Bridge. The map indicates a waterfall but on our visit the vegetation obscured it, although we could hear it even though there was a drought. After passing the waterfall turn sharp right along a very minor road passing past Wood Heads access road to an even quieter track leading downhill to Loaning Side. It is possible to go past Woodheads Farm and turn south to Nettle Hill and then down to Loaning Side on footpaths but l seriously doubt whether you will see a vehicle on the road. A very short distance north-west of Loaning Side is a derelict ruin in a field on the Nettle Hill footpath and this is the old bastle which was a fortified farmhouse. Bastles were common in Northumberland particularly nearer the border and this one is well to the south of most of them. Two are passed on the Pennine Way to the south of Bellingham. There were plans in 2008 to restore this bastle (known as Nine Dargues Bastle) but the currency crisis has stopped that for the time being.
Continuing downhill over the ford (there is also a footbridge) you reach Steel and the clear rural road is taken downhill to the bridge over the East Allen. It is a steep climb up to the main road at Studdondene. Here we head north on the B6295, which is invariably quiet, to the bend in the road where the Parkgates Burn is crossed. Immediately in front of you is a footpath which goes uphill to Low Scotch Hall where it is easy to go wrong. Do not go straight ahead on the same level but head right uphill through the garden and at the end of the house then turn left to follow a track along the contour through three fields to a stile in the far north-east corner. This is crossed and then head east past Finney Hill Green where you turn left to Prospect Hill.
Rainbow over Allendale
From Low Scotch Hall to here the views all around are exceptionally good. You can see most of the route walked and they give a feeling of the spaciousness of this part of Northumberland. From Prospect Hill the town of Allendale is now below you and it is an easy walk downhill through open land to arrive back at the start. All of the pubs here are good and welcoming and supply a wide range of beers. My personal preferences are the Golden Lion and the Kings Head although the latter has l believe changed hands recently so will need checking out. If possible try a beer from the nearby brewery at Allendale and if they are not available in the town the Crown at Catton one mile towards Hexham is the brewery tap for Allendale beer and also serves good food.
Alternative Early Summer Route
If you are doing this walk in early summer there is an alternative route back to Allendale which enables you to see some of the restored hay meadows funded by the North Pennines AONB. After leaving Loaning Stead and arriving at Steel turn left immediately before the house and cross the Steel Beck by the footbridge. The meadow on your left which has the bastle has been restored. Turn right to pass Steel Woodhead heading north-east crossing into a further field. Continuing north-east at the end of this field the path turns left to Wooley shown as South Wooley on the AONB walk leaflet. The meadow on your left approachong Wooley as well as two on your right have all been restored. On the road turn right towards Allendale for about 100 yards and then left over the Wooley Burn towards Parkside, passing to the right of the buildings. Continue heading north to Wager House on the road through other restored meadows where you now go downhill back to Allendale.
Titlington Pike and Kimmer Lough
Filed under: OtherDistance: 8 miles or 11 miles
Start: Eglingham Village (GR107195)
Click to view start position on Google Maps
Map : OS Explorer Map 332 – Alnwick and Amble, Craster and Whittingham
The weather forecast for the west and the Pennines was grim so after a brief discussion the five of us opted for a drier area according to the forecast. Without further ado we headed north to the village of Eglingham which is on the B6346 between Alnwick and Wooler. Some time ago we had started near here to go to Old Bewick, Blawearie and Ros Castle and this had proved to be a good day out. We took the opposite direction this time and although there was nearly 250 years of walking in the group of Alan, Clive, Les, Ray and myself the walk was all going to be on new paths which is extremely rare for us.
Eglingham is a pleasant village in good arable land yet close to the hills. The village church is dedicated to St Maurice which is not common although Ellingham to the north of Alnwick has a church also dedicated to St Maurice. Here the church has antiquity going back at least to the 13th Century. The local pub the Tankerville Arms serves quality food and keeps its beer in a prime condition.
The attraction of the walk was the high number of places on the map where there are markers for old forts and camps. To start the walk we headed along the road towards Wooler passing Eglingham Hall on the left. Some of this dates back to the 16th Century but the main building is from 1704. It is necessary to go to Eglingham Cottage about half a mile from the village. The barn at Cockhall which you pass on the right was built to give the appearance of a much older monastical building. We head off on a footpath having ignored the earlier bridleway on the left and cross two fields to the border of Great Wood. This is obviously a wood of some age which has been planted with conifers about 50 years ago but nevertheless you pass some magnificent beech trees on the edge of the wood. After a short while where the wood border does a 90 degree turn you enter the wood by a waymarked gate and head south-west for a short distance before exiting the wood. The view in front looks wet with reeds and has a small stream which is crossed by a bridge but presents no difficulty.
Titlington Pike from the bridleway.
Ahead of you is open country leading up to Titlington Pike but we leave that for another day and continue on the bridleway still heading south-west on a clear track which eventually reaches the minor road. It was autumn when we were here and a large flock of bean geese were feeding in the stubble. How nice to see the stubble being left. Continue on through Beanley and at the crossroads turn left on a permitted track. This is a fine track which heads south, passing by a pond used for duck shooting, and later crosses a minor road near Shepherds Law. On reaching the open access under Titlington Pike the track turns west with many fine ash trees on either side, to reach a minor road. This is taken left round the pike to where the road for Titlington Mount is taken. This is an access road only and the farm reached in about one mile has been altered to include what appears to be holiday accommodation. On passing through the buildings the bridleway continues in a north-east direction with abundant pheasants around.
Here, looking across the valley to the south can be seen a structure called Jennys Lantern. One story has this as a place where the lady of the farm nearby lit a lantern to guide her husband home from the pub at Eglingham, which seems highly unlikely! A more probable explanation is that it is a folly erected by the landowner in the past. The hills here show settlements and a cup and ring marked stone although they are too far off route to visit on this walk. We enter the open access at a wood (GR107187) which is soon passed through to leave you on open moor. The hill off to the right was also the site of an ancient settlement which can be clearly seen. On breasting the hill you are looking down on the Eglingham Burn with Kimmer Lough below you to the right. These moors are very good for waders in spring. The path (hard to call it a track) is now heading north and after descending through a burnt area of gorse crosses a large reed area to arrive on pasture at GR118185 near to the road. The marsh area is a good site to see snipe which breed near here. If you only want a 8 mile walk you can head west here to Eglingham in just over a mile.
For a longer walk head east towards Kimmer Lough on a bridleway which passes close to it. If you want to get closer be prepared to get your feet wet! Lough is from the same derivation as loch and is Northumbrian with the main congregation being near to Hadrians Wall. The most southerly was in Gateshead on top of a hill at Beacon Lough.
Kimmer Lough
Kimmer Lough is not visited often but holds plenty of perch and pike as well as yellow water lilies in summer. On the day of our visit it held a large flock of about sixty Canada Geese. The bridleway you are on crosses the outlet from the Lough and then you can follow the track to East Bolton. It is easier to stay on the track close to the wall than cross the field on the line of the bridleway and disturb the cattle which will probably be grazing there.
At East Bolton Farm head north-east for about half a mile to the bridleway at GR135169 where the bridleway is taken back towards Kimmer Lough. Opposite Shipley Moor at GR130178 go north-west over the reedy area (where the going is surprisingly good) to pass Bannamoor Farm on your right and arrive back at the point where you were earlier. The same direction is continued, quite close to the road, until Eglingham is reached. The waymarking here could be improved. It is necessary to cross the beck by a concrete bridge towards the right after passing through a gate in a wall and then take the opening into an area which looks like a small field or someones back garden. In fact it is village land where they have their bonfires and with the burn on your left you reach the road by a stile to find yourself next to the village hall where you may have parked your car. The other parking place is next to the church.
Postcript: We had a fine day. Our friends who went to the Pennines had a day of continuous rain. Well worth the effort!