Last weekend saw our 13th expedition on St Oswald's Way, and we're half way there. Slow progress but we spend a lot of time routefinding, photographing and Peter in particular passes a lot of time waiting for me! Our walks tend to average 5-6 miles in two to three hours.
The very good cafe in Warkworth, which was closed last
time we came because it was after 4.30pm was... closed again because it was Tuesday! However the village is a tourist honeypot and we went elsewhere for tea.
Returning by a different route, we set off upstream . The path alongside the Coquet has calm waters and rowing boats for hire, with Warkworth Castle to the south. It stops at Warkworth Hermitage, an ancient ruin again closed. After this the Coquet has to be crossed twice. The first was no problem, a big ugly concrete footbridge giving a dry-shod crossing. After this the right of way passed through a locked gate opening onto a field of frisky piebald horses, whose owner assured us the path was overgrown and full of brambles. Needless to say it wasn't, but it did lead down to the second river crossing, about twenty metres wide and thigh-deep. Off came the boots and then trousers. Tiny fish tickled the ankles. We were very near the craggy banks with ancient cup and ring marks.
This time the start was about a kilometre into Rake's Lane near Acklington Park farm. We had been warned that this walk to Warkworth was a bit of a trudge across flat fields. It started to rain on cue five minutes after departure with ominous dark grey clouds to the south, thunder rumbling in the direction of Ashington. However the attractive Rake Lane (see picture) lined with meadowsweet and meadow cranesbill provided shelter from the worst of the downpour.
Reaching the end the track turned North towards New Barns over land reclaimed in the 90s from opencast mining, and we were rewarded with our first view of the sea on St Oswald's Way. The sun came out, lighting up a field of ripe wheat backed by the dunes east of Warkworth. If we hadn't been doing this walk south to north, the 'wrong' way, this moment would have been lost.
The very good cafe in Warkworth, which was closed last
time we came because it was after 4.30pm was... closed again because it was Tuesday! However the village is a tourist honeypot and we went elsewhere for tea.Returning by a different route, we set off upstream . The path alongside the Coquet has calm waters and rowing boats for hire, with Warkworth Castle to the south. It stops at Warkworth Hermitage, an ancient ruin again closed. After this the Coquet has to be crossed twice. The first was no problem, a big ugly concrete footbridge giving a dry-shod crossing. After this the right of way passed through a locked gate opening onto a field of frisky piebald horses, whose owner assured us the path was overgrown and full of brambles. Needless to say it wasn't, but it did lead down to the second river crossing, about twenty metres wide and thigh-deep. Off came the boots and then trousers. Tiny fish tickled the ankles. We were very near the craggy banks with ancient cup and ring marks.
The thought of Morwick ice-cream parlour kept us going, and once across we headed for raspberry and chocolate ices, after which we made short work of the last 2 miles, crossing the main Edinburgh to London railway taking note of the alarming signage - Take Care! Trains in excess of 100 mph on the line! The final wood which borders the Coquet at Morwick Banks had a pheasant hatchery, with high wire netting keeping the young pheasants from straying, presumably to be loosed on the guns after the glorious twelfth. No trudge this, but a walk with variety and views.
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