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(10 miles) (10 campsite.

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dotted with the remains of this turbulent past. turbulent this of remains the with dotted Wark

associated Bastle Houses, Peel towers and Castles. The countryside is countryside The Castles. and towers Peel Houses, Bastle associated

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AROUND THE MID-TYNE THE AROUND vistas. The area is steeped in history, from the early Iron Age, the Roman the Age, Iron early the from history, in steeped is area The vistas.

CIRCULAR CYCLE ROUTES CYCLE CIRCULAR The Mid Tyne is an area of quiet country lanes, wooded valleys, and open and valleys, wooded lanes, country quiet of area an is Tyne Mid The Essential information Essential

The villages Places of interest

Wark is a delightful village on the banks of the North Tyne. The village green Chipchase Castle. Built between 1370 is dominated by a chestnut planted in 1887 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s and 1390. A fine, medieval tower golden jubilee. The town hall was built 1875, and the bridge over the North house. By 1541 a house had been Tyne constructed in 1878. In the middle ages, Wark was the seat of the added to the tower, and later (1621) a “Lordships of Tynedale” and a motte and bailey castle dominated the village. Jacobean manor house. Still a family From 1150 to 1295 the Scottish kings held court in Wark as the village was home, Chipchase is open to the public then part of Scotland. The Lordship remained in royal hands until 1604. The during June. Chipchase Castle Lordship is now held by the Duke of Northumberland. . The tower house at Haughton was extended and Birtley stands on a ridge over the North Tyne valley. The place name means fortified in 1373, but by the 16th-century had fallen into disrepair. In “bright clearing” derived from the old-English word “beorht”. The remains of 1816 work began to transform the castle into a gentrified country several British camps encircle the village indicating the area has been residence, which involved demolishing of the village of Haughton to settled since the iron age. Birtley Hall occupies the site of the old castle. On make way for a country park. The castle is reputed to be haunted by the opposite side of the road stands the 12th-century church of St Giles. ‘Archie’, a notorious clan chieftain. He Bellingham is a small market town, and is said to be sited on a Roman was imprisoned in the dungeon by the station. St Cuthbert’s church was consecrated in 1180 and is unique in Swinburn’s who neglected to leave having an arched stone roof in response to the repeated burnings of its instructions to feed the prisoner. Some former wooden roof by border raiders. “Cuddy’s Well” is said to have been days later Armstrong was found dead, used by St Cuthbert for baptisms, and to retain miraculous healing powers. having in desperation gnawed the flesh Hareshaw Linn, a waterfall hidden in a wooded glen, is a short walk from from his own arm. the village centre. St Aidan Church, Thockrington. 13th- Stonehaugh is a former logging village built by the Forestry Commission in century. Restored in 1876. 1957. The Pennine Way passes through the village, as does the Pennine Haughton Castle from Barrasford, by the river North Tyne Cycleway . By the Warks Burn is an attractive picnic spot, with tables Bellingham Heritage Centre. The and “totem” poles created by a local artist. The “Long Drop” is well worth a Heritage Centre preserves and displays visit, and is reputed to be the most spectacular “netty” (outside toilet) in the heritage of the North Tyne and Northumberland. The long drop refers to the drop to the Warks Burn below! Redesdale area of Northumberland. Open Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun, and Mon, 10.30 am to 4.30 pm, Easter to mid-October.

Northumberland National Park stretches from Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site on its southern boundary to the Cheviot St Aidan Church, Thockrington Hills and the Scottish border in the north. Find out more at www.northumberland-national-park.org.uk Buteland Farm, near Birtley Stonehaugh CIRCULAR CYCLE ROUTES AROUND THE MID-TYNE CIRCULAR CYCLE ROUTES AROUND THE MID-TYNE CIRCULAR CYCLE ROUTES AROUND THE MID-TYNE

Route 1: Wark – Bellingham – Stonehaugh Lanehead Route 2: Wark – Chollerton – Throckington Distance: Long route: 25 miles Short route: 15 miles Distance: 24 miles Type of route: Day ride. Moderate to strenuous in Type of route: Circular day ride on marked roads and Ridsdale places. Quiet country lanes. Short road sections. quiet country lanes. Moderate 7 Start point: Wark village green (alternatively route can 8 Bellingham Start point: Wark Village Green be picked up at Bellingham or Stonehaugh). 9 6 5 1 Leave Wark over Wark Bridge. Turn right to Barrasford, 1 Leave Wark, cross over Wark Bridge. Turn right, Gunnerton and Chipchase Castle Nursery. 4 A 6 Chipchase, Barrasford and Gunnerton. 8 2 Chipcase Castle. (2 miles). 2 Easy to miss. Second left opp. Chipchase over the old 3 OPTION of detour to Barrasford campsite (see below railway line, signposted Birtley. 19 10 20 Great left). Otherwise continue to Barrasford, passing 3 Go up through Birtley village. Road forks, take left, Throckington Barrasford Quarry on your left. 21 Take care 17 16 Reivers Cycle Route , The Heugh, and Buteland. 11 22 crossing A68 Alternative 4 Barrasford village. Go through the village. At the Swin 3 Gated road with spectacular views. short route 18 12 c 15 Burn, look right and up to Haughton Castle standing on 1 4 Buteland Farm (4 ⁄2 miles). Large farmstead. The lane Wark Birtley the ridge opposite. 13 here can be ‘clarty’ or muddy when wet. b a Warks Burn 17 14 5 Top of the hill stay on the road bearing right and gently 5 T-junction, left down hill, Redesmouth, Bellingham . descend into Chollerton. 18 1 1 Stonehaugh 2 Take care, fast moving traffic. Alternative route 14 Hallington to Barrasford park 6 Chollerton (6 miles). War memorial and T-junction, turn 2 Colwell 6 Redesmouth (6 miles) caravan/camping site right Hexham. Chipchase Gunnerton 7 Bellingham (8 miles). T-junction, left, Hexham and Castle 15 No 13 7 EASY TO MISS. First left after the railway viaduct, 16 rt Pennine Cycleway . h Tyne signposted ‘’. A 3 6 Barrasford 8 8 Leave Bellingham on R68,cross bridge. Turn first right . 8 5 West Cocklaw and East Cocklaw farms. Note the decaying Follow Pennine Cycleway R68to Stonehaugh. N 4 Pele Tower, a sign of the regions turbulent past. 11 9 1 Haughton 12 After ⁄4 mile take first left, . Climb up Ealinghamrigg Castle Chollerton 9 Keepwick Farm (8 miles). 10 Bingfield Common. Gated road. 6 B6318 10 Climb up to Errington Farm. of) Take care 10 urse crossing (11 miles). Turn left at the junction, signposted Wark and all (co 9 n's W 8 A68 11 A68. Cross the road to Hallington and Bingfield. TAKE Hexham and . Hadria

t 7 o CARE CROSSING! FAST MOVING TRAFFIC.

0 5 km C 11 o DECISION POINT. r b r 12 i T-junction, left to Hallington. d For alternative shorter route back to Wark, continue on g 0 3 miles e 1 to Hexham down the hill and back to Wark (2 ⁄2 miles). If staying on 13 Descend to cross-roads by Bingfield and Hallington war the longer route, turn right, signposted Hetherington . memorial. Cross the road to Hallington. The route now joins the Reivers Cycle Route , which we follow to Birtley. 12 T-junction, by the gate turn right. Route 3: Barrasford Park Link 14 Hallington (12 miles) Go through the hamlet following the 13 Cross the Pennine Way and enter Northumberland Key Distance: 10 miles Reivers Cycle Route . National Park, staying with . Route 1 Leave Barrasford Park; 15 T-junction with the B6342. Turn left . 14 EASY TO MISS. (17 miles) Left, Stonehaugh,. Do Route 2 not go ahead to Once Brewed. Down the hill towards Gunnerton. 16 First right ‘Thockrington’ . National route Past the picnic site; road then bears right with the village a Right fork to Gunnerton Fell farm. 17 Thockrington Church (16 miles). St Aiden’s medieval church. on your left. Very steep hill b T-junction. Left, blue sign Reivers Route and join The lane now descends to Colt Crag reservoir. Gated 15 T-junction. Left, . Long, straight road for approx. 2 Steep hill Route 2 to Birtley. road. Please close the gates behind you. miles, over Standard Hill, to unsignposted side road on c Bear right, , andpick up Route 2. 18 T-junction; right ‘Carrycoats’ and Colt Crag reservoir. your left. CAUTION: at this point, 22 on this section of the route Continue left into Birtley . Do not be tempted right to 19 T-junction; left ‘Birtley’ and ‘Wark’ . 16 EASY TO MISS (20 miles). Turn left up this un-signposted Junction easy to miss - the Heugh and Buteland (Route 1 and Reivers Cycle 20 Fork bears left . road, for Newtonrigg and Longlee. careful navigation required Route ). A beautiful, quite back road to Wark, hilly in places, down The representation on this map of a road or track is Pass the Percy Arms (left) and after the church take the 21 A68. (19 miles). Follow Reivers Cycle Route to to Gofton Burn, and the Warks Burn. Enjoy. no evidence of the existence of a right of way. right fork down hill to Wark. Birtley. TAKE CARE CROSSING! FAST MOVING TRAFFIC. 17 Longlee Farm. At Wark Bridge keep on Route 2 as far as the Gunnerton 22 Stay on Reivers Cycle Route but go on into Birtley Map © Crown copyright 1997. All rights 3 At Ramshaw Mill (23 miles) the road bears left up to a T- reserved. Licence number 100042280 turn . (22 miles). Do not follow to The Heugh and Buteland. junction . The Mid Tyne Community Trust cannot be held responsible Go up the hill past St Christopher’s, and through Continue through the village past the Percy Arms, and 18 T-junction. Right, indicated ‘Wark’ or liable for any loss or damage whatsoever arising from Gunnerton village. To your right is the Whin Sill forming the down hill towards Wark. Take care leaving the village as the use of the National Cycle network or this guide. ridge along which Hadrian’s Wall was built. On your left is this is a very steep hill. This is Kiln Bank, and the 19 T-junction. Right. Follow the road back down the hill and the Gunnerton Burn gorge. remains of a lime kiln can be seen on your right. At Wark into Wark village. Continue ahead at the junction and Bear right at the road forks and return to Barrasford Park. Bridge turn right and return to Wark village green. back to the start point.