Walking in the North Pennines. Paddy Dillon
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Inside Parkhead Station, which is one of the highest cafés in England, above Stanhope (Walks 34 and 35)
Tourist information and visitor centres
In an area as sparsely populated as the North Pennines, where facilities and services are thinly spread, it can be difficult to obtain information about public transport and accommodation in advance. There are smaller tourist information centres ready and able to assist, but the larger ones are only located in the towns surrounding the area. Inside the North Pennines, there are fewer centres, and they may not be open throughout the year.
Visitor centres usually have specialist themes, assisting with the interpretation of the lead-mining industry, transport and other heritage features, or they may simply be general museums illustrating bygone times. Some of them stock basic tourist information, which can be handy if you are some distance from a tourist information centre. See Appendix B for contact details.
Maps
The map extracts in this guidebook are taken from the Ordnance Survey Landranger series at a scale of 1:50,000. Four sheets cover the North Pennines AONB – 86, 87, 91 and 92. One of the routes strays slightly onto sheet 88. While access land is mentioned on many routes in this guidebook, it is not shown on the map extracts. The full scope and extent of access land in the North Pennines is shown clearly on Ordnance Survey Explorer maps at a scale of 1:25,000. Six sheets cover the North Pennines AONB – OL5, OL19, OL31, OL43, 307 and 315. All these maps can be obtained directly from Ordnance Survey, www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk, or from good booksellers, many outdoor stores and some tourist information offices.
Emergencies
Walkers exploring an area as bleak and remote as the North Pennines need to be self-sufficient. When exploring away from towns and villages, take enough food and drink for your needs, along with a little extra, just in case. If venturing across pathless moorlands, especially in poor visibility, ensure that your map-reading skills are good. Pack a small first aid kit to deal with any cuts and grazes that might be sustained along the way. Hopefully, you will not require anything more, but in the event of a serious injury or exhaustion, it may be necessary to call the emergency services.
The mountain rescue, police, ambulance or fire brigade are all alerted by dialling 999 (or the European 112). Be ready to supply full details of the nature of the emergency, so that an appropriate response can be made. Keep in contact with the emergency services in case they require further information or clarification.
The Pennine Way national trail has introduced many walkers to the wildest parts of the North Pennines (Walk 25)
Using this guide
This guidebook contains details of 50 walking routes, spread over all parts of the North Pennines. Most are circular, so that anyone using a car can return to it at the end of the walk, but a few are linear and require the use of public transport for completion. Together, these routes stretch nearly 800km (500 miles) across immensely rich and varied countryside, taking in some of the finest and most interesting features of the region. The route summary table in Appendix A is provided to help you choose the right routes for you and your party.
Read the route descriptions carefully before setting out, and if carrying Ordnance Survey maps in addition to the extracts used in this book, be sure to take the ones listed for each walk. The essential information for each route is given under the following headings.
Start/Finish: usually the same place, but sometimes different
Distance: given in kilometres and miles
Terrain: summary of the nature of the terrain and paths used
Maps: OS Landranger and OS Explorer sheet numbers
Refreshments: summary of pubs and cafés on the route
Transport: basic bus frequency and destinations.
CHAPTER 1 GELTSDALE
An old railway trackbed on the way back to Howgill (Walk 2)
The extreme northwestern part of the North Pennines is easily reached by way of Brampton and is dominated by the broad moorland dome of Cold Fell. The ‘mad’ River Gelt drains this area, having its headwaters on boggy moorlands partly protected by the RSPB and partly managed for grouse shooting. The King’s Forest of Geltsdale was established in the 14th century and was notable for the hunting of wild boar.
Four walks in this area are described, starting with an easy and attractive low-level circuit in the countryside near Brampton, which is just outside the AONB boundary. Cold Fell is best climbed in good weather and features extensive views, but the ground underfoot is nearly always awkward and boggy. Don’t expect to meet many walkers on top. (An elderly local farmer once asked the author to point out Cold Fell, on the grounds that he’d heard of it, but never really knew where it was!) The King’s Forest of Geltsdale is explored using tracks and paths around the flanks of the hills, rather than crossing over them. Croglin Fell, on the other hand, is climbed purely for its own sake. Interestingly, Croglin village achieved some notoriety following a series of ‘vampire’ attacks in the 19th century.
Public transport to Brampton is good, both by bus and train, but onward transport is quite limited. Some of the little villages may have a bus service on only one or two days in the week. While a full range of services is available at Brampton, facilities in the nearby villages are limited to occasional pubs, some of which provide accommodation. Bear in mind that accommodation in Brampton comes under considerable pressure in the summer months, as it is within easy reach of the popular Hadrian’s Wall National Trail.
WALK 1
Brampton, Gelt and Talkin
| Start/Finish | Moot Hall, Brampton (NY 531 611) |
| Distance | 15km (9½ miles) |
| Terrain | Gentle field paths, wooded riverside paths and quiet roads. |
| Maps | OS Landranger 86; Explorer 315 |
| Refreshments | Plenty of choice in Brampton. Pub at Talkin. Tea room at Talkin Tarn. |
| Transport | Regular buses and trains serve Brampton from Carlisle and Newcastle. Buses also link Brampton with Alston. |
Brampton is a bustling little market town of some character, centred on its octagonal Moot Hall. It is a splendid gateway to the North Pennines. There is immediate access to the ‘mad’ River Gelt, which rushes through a well-wooded gorge rich in interest and wildlife. The riverside walk links with quiet country roads, later passing the small village of Talkin to reach a popular little country park based around Talkin Tarn. The course of an old horse-drawn railway track, the Dandy Line, leads back to Brampton.
A Roman fort lies close to the River Irthing and a small settlement grew up there in the seventh century. It was later cleared as people transferred to a new site, where Brampton is now situated. A Moot Hall has stood in the centre of the bustling market town since 1648, but the current octagonal structure dates from 1817. The area saw plenty of Borders strife, culminating in the arrival of Bonnie Prince Charlie on his white charger. He made Brampton his headquarters in 1745 during the siege of Carlisle. The mayor and aldermen of Carlisle travelled to Brampton to hand over