Alwinton to Lamb Hill and return
Northumberland
Distance 13km Climb 520m
Wednesday 24 December 2014
I left the car at the car park at Buckham's Bridge, I walked east back down the road to the path at Blindburn farm. I then turned on and started up the footpath heading east, north east. It was a steady climb, I was looking forward to this. As I climbed it was getting colder.
On one of the rises I started following the fence line. I was up this way a few months ago and one of my friends Eggo lost his phone in this area and I was following the route he described.
One of the main features here is Yearning Law. In looking for Eggo's phone I circulated around here on the east side to the north, I had spent some time looking for the phone. I continued around until I rejoined the main footpath north west of Yearning Law.
Once on the footpath I headed north west, it was good to practice a little map reading and map orientation. It has been a number of years since I was last this far up, I had always enjoyed it here and think it is one of the most beautiful parts of our country.
I continued along the country path and followed it as it turned west to the Mountain Refuge Hut. Follow link to Day 14 of my Pennine Way when I walked this part of the route in 2011. You can see more details in earlier posts on my blog.
I had a quick rest and lunch in the Mountain Refuge Hut. Someone had wrote that there had been snow on the tops on 2nd December 2014 and another said about the snow on 14th December 2014. It was all gone today, well for now it had. It was very cold walking and I had a constant runny nose, two rows of snot running down my face. No sooner did I wipe my nose then it was back, I was glad no one was about.
After my lunch I crossed the fence and walked north to a small cairn called The Kip.
From The Kip I turned east and followed the fence line to Lamb Hill 511m, back on The Pennine Way. On the way I passed a herd, or is it a flock of wild goats, just over the rise. Brilliant seeing wild life like that, happily munching on the grass.
I continued up the fence line and crossed the fence junction to the Lamb Hill trig point.
After crossing the fence onto The Pennine Way I continued eastward. The Way now becomes a stone path which was very slippery and dangerous due to the cold freezing conditions, making it very icy in places. I had to be careful, in fact I walked most of it beside the stone flags. At a corner, when The Way turns north I saw a prominent new corner fence line approx 200m to the east. My intention was to continue up to Beefstand Hill and take the footpath south. Which was what I did.
As I walked down the path, south from Beefstand Hill, it started hail stoning, it came to me that I had been a little premature about the snow, but it did not lie. Walking down the path I came across the fence I had saw earlier. There was a gate on the path but it was padlocked, so I followed the fence line west back to the direction I came from. I was back at the fence corner, 200m east of the bend on The Pennine Way.
At the corner I turned south and continued following the fence line as it moved up and down over the area. I headed down hill on crossed the stream before climbing up towards the ruin of Yearning Hall.
A short drop to another stream, then I zig zaged up the steep bank on the opposite side.
Once on the level I continued by the fence, as I approached the area Eggo described as where he lost his phone, I started looking again for his phone.
Unfortunately I could not find it. I did not expect to, but thought I would still try. I headed back towards Blindburn and turned back to the car park.
It had been a good day walking I had covered 13km with approx 520m of climb.
More to follow
Boz North.
Details correct at time of walking.
If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done in Northumberland or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.
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