Stottie Walks

The Way between Alston and Greenhead doesn’t please me. It never did. It muddles along through slippery wet pastures, avoiding tarmac in accordance with its noble theme, but its convolutions deliver no satisfaction.
I’m rarely inspired by a day walking down a valley. I’d rather head upstream, or negotiate a ridge, an edge, or even a boggy plateau. The Ordnance Survey maps suggest some challenging options between Alston and Greenhead, so that sort of thing is there for those who want it enough.

I wonder whether any of the 1930s purists would have considered the South Tyne Trail as a route for the Way if the railway had been abandoned at the time of their deliberations. I guess they’d have found the idea offensive. Whatever they might have thought, on a wet and windy morning I chose the South Tyne Trail, as many others do.

The Trail provides easy progress beside the restored South Tynedale Railway as far as Lintley. Beyond, I walked on the former track bed, and as the wind strengthened I was more than glad of my low-level route. The only interruption of its insignificant gradient came at the former Lambley station, now a private residence. There I had to descend almost to river level, only to climb steeply to regain the height and cross the magnificent viaduct.

At Rowfoot I left the Trail (it continues to Haltwhistle) and walked by field path and road past Featherstone Castle and Blenkinsopp Castle to Greenhead, where I’d booked a hostel bed. My welcome at the Greenhead Hotel prompted me to upgrade to a hotel room, and the beer, food, service and company that evening fully justified my choice.

Next Page >>