Post on 30-Apr-2020
Chipchase Castle. Built between 1370and 1390. A fine, medieval towerhouse. By 1541 a house had beenadded to the tower, and later (1621) aJacobean manor house. Still a familyhome, Chipchase is open to the publicduring June.
Haughton Castle. The tower house atHaughton was extended and fortified in1373, but by the 16th-century hadfallen into disrepair. In 1816 workbegan to transform the castle into agentrified country residence, whichinvolved demolishing of the village ofHaughton to make way for a countrypark. The castle is reputed to behaunted by ‘Archie’, a notorious clanchieftain. He was imprisoned in thedungeon by the Swinburn’s who neglected to leave instructions to feedthe prisoner. Some days later Armstrong was found dead, having indesperation gnawed the flesh from his own arm.
Chesters Fort. CILURNAM (“The Cauldron Pool”). The best remains of aRoman cavalry fort in Britain. Built astride Hadrian’s Wall and guardingthe point where the Wall crossed the North Tyne, the site includes awell preserved military bath house, and the Clayton Museum of Romanartefacts.
Brunton Turret. Beside the Hexhamroad on the opposite bank to Chesters,is the best preserved example of aturret along Hadrian’s Wall. The backwall stands 2.4m high and adjacent toit visitors can see the broad wall, andthe narrow wall built on top of broadwall foundations.
The villages Places of interest
Wark village green is dominated by a chestnut planted in 1887 to celebrateQueen Victoria’s golden jubilee. The town hall was constructed in 1875, andthe bridge over the North Tyne was built in 1878, when the toll to cross wasa penny per person, and two pence for horse. In the middle ages, Wark wasthe seat of the “Lordships of Tynedale” and a motte and bailey castledominated the village. From 1150 to 1295 the Scottish kings held court inWark as the village was then part of Scotland. The lordship remained in royalhands until 1604. The lordship is now held by the Duke of Northumberland.
Simonburn was once the largest parish in England stretching from Hadrian’sWall, to the Scottish border 20 miles north. Simonburn has not seen any newdevelopments for the past 150 years, and remains much as it was in themiddle of the 19th-century, a secluded, and peaceful retreat in the North Tyne.
Humshaugh lies on the banks of the River North Tyne. The village ismentioned in the court rolls of Alexander, King of Scots. This is “bordercountry” and this part of Northumberland was then part of the Scottishcrown. Houghton Castle lies a mile north of the village and dates back to the13th-century. Hadrian’s Wall and Chesters Roman fort are within easy reach,a mile west from Chollerford bridge.
Fourstones and its twins Warden and Newbrough lie on an old Roman road,the Stanegate, which runs from Corbridge to Carlisle. The name is derivedfrom the ‘four stones’ that marked the village boundary, and were reputed tobe Roman altar bases. The winding gear from Settlingstones mine has beenreconstructed as a memorial to the miners and quarrymen of the area.
Warden derives its name from the Saxon “weard dun” which means “WatchHill”. On Warden Hill are the extensive remains of an iron age hillfort. StMichael’s church has been a place of worship for 1,400 years. A 7th-centurycross stands in the churchyard, and the tower is Saxon.
Essential information
Route 4: Humshaugh,Crown Inn GR 920715. Routes 5 & 6: Fourstones,St. Aiden's Church GR 888679.
The Mid Tyne is an area of quiet country lanes,wooded valleys,and openvistas. The area is steeped in history,from the early Iron Age,the RomanPeriod and Hadrian’s Wall,to the Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Periods withassociated Bastle Houses,Peel towers and Castles. The countryside isdotted with the remains of this turbulent past.
Start points
1. Humshaugh Village. 2. Fourstones; Railway Inn,or lay-by1⁄2 mile up the hill past the post office.
Car parking
Hexham. Trains run on the Tyne Valley line every hour from eitherNewcastle or Carlisle. Trains carry 2 and 6 cycles free of charge on a ‘first come,firstserved’ basis. For details pick up a timetable,or phone 08457 484950
Railway station
Moderate.Circular routes on quiet country lanes. Roadbikes or hybrids. Routes largely follow existing National Cycle Network: Hadrian’sCycleway ,National Byway ,and National Byway Loop. Allow a day foreach route. Terrain. This is Northumberland,so there are hills to negotiate on allthe routes,but nothing too steep
Type of routes
The Bike Shop16 St. Mary’s Chare,Hexham,tel: 01434601032,Bicycle Repair ManUnit 6b Earls Court,Low Prudhoe Industrial Estate,tel: 01434 830618,The Bike Shop,17 Westgate,Haltwhistle,tel: 01434 322544Don’t forget your puncture repair kit and/or spare inner tube!
Cycle repair
1. Explorer OL43Hadrian’s Wall,Haltwhistle & Hexham,scale 1:25 000,Landranger 87Hexham & Haltwhistle,scale 1:50 000. OS maps
Pennine Cycleway ,Hadrian’s Cycleway ,ReiversRoute ,National BywayOther cycle routes
The Crown Inn,Humshaugh. The Post Office Tea Rooms,Simonburn. The Railway Inn,Fourstones. The Boatside Inn,Warden.Refreshments
A full colour map with three easy to follow cycle rides in
the North Tyne Valley
CIRCULAR CYCLE ROUTESAROUND THE MID-TYNE
Humshaugh - Wark -Fourstones
Route 4: Humshaugh - Wark Circular17 miles The ride heads north via the village ofSimonburn and the beautiful valley ofthe Gofton Burn to Wark. Return alongthe opposite bank of the North Tyne,via Barrasford and Chollerton.
Route 5: Fourstones – SimonburnCircular15 miles Follow the rivers South Tyne and theNorth Tyne. Enjoy the dramatic changesof scenery between the lush woodedriver valleys,the wild,open countryside,and Hadrian’s Wall at Black Carts.
Route 6: Warden Hill Circular 6 milesAn easy route round Warden Hill,site ofan Ancient British settlement,withviews of the North and the South Tynevalleys. Stop to explore Warden Church,a place of worship for 1,400 years.
Hexham Link. To join these cycleroutes from Hexham,follow Hadrian’sCycleway Routefrom Tyne Green toWarden (2 miles).
Published by the Mid Tyne Community Trust. To find out more about what we do,contact us at:Women’s Institute House,Newbrough,Hexham,NE47 5AR. Tel: 01434 674904www.midtynetrust.ik.com email: midtynetrust@btopenworld.comRegistered charity no. 1095760
This project hasbeen funded by:
Haughton Castle from Barrasford, bythe river North Tyne
Chipchase Castle
Hadrian's Wall and turret at Black CartsThe Boatside Inn, WardenSimonburn
Bef
ore
star
ting,
visi
t th
e El
len
Whe
el,2
00
met
res
wes
t,ju
st b
eyon
d th
e pe
trol
sta
tion
on t
he le
ft.T
he w
heel
was
rest
ored
in 2
00
4 a
s a
Mem
oria
l to
the
min
ers
and
quar
rym
en o
f th
e Pa
rish
es o
f N
ewbr
ough
and
War
den.
Rou
tes
5 a
nd 6
.Hea
d ea
st,W
arde
nan
d H
exha
m,
indi
cate
d by
the
bro
wn
Nat
iona
l Byw
ay L
oop
sign
.Ea
st F
ours
tone
s Fa
rm b
ear
right
to
War
den,
pass
ing
Four
ston
es p
aper
mill
. Ta
ke c
are;
long
,sw
eepi
ng b
ends
,an
d al
thou
gh t
raff
ic is
infr
eque
nt,c
ars
trav
el q
uick
ly.
Boa
tsid
e In
n. L
eft,
,,a
nd C
hest
ers.
St.
Mic
hael
s ch
urch
,War
den,
has
a Sax
on t
ower
and
7th
-ce
ntur
y cr
oss.
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road
clim
bs s
teep
ly o
ut o
f W
arde
n.
Paris
h B
ound
ary
Sto
ne (
4 m
iles)
. Sax
on C
ross
bas
e on
the
righ
t ha
nd v
erge
.
Follo
w t
he la
ne s
ignp
oste
d H
ough
ton,
1 m
ile,i
ndic
ated
Nat
iona
l Byw
ay.
Afte
r a
mile
Hou
ghto
n Cas
tleca
n be
see
n on
you
r rig
ht.
Wat
ch f
or t
he n
ativ
e re
d sq
uirr
els.
T-ju
nctio
n w
ith B
6320.
Left
. TA
KE
CA
RE.
Thi
s ca
n be
abu
sy r
oad.
Up
hill
1 ⁄2km
; R
ight
at b
row
of
the
hill.
Fol
low
the
lane
to
T-ju
nctio
n; R
ight
.
Des
cend
hill
to
T-ju
nctio
n. T
urn
left
,B6320 (
War
k,B
ellin
gham
)
Turn
left
,.
This
lead
s to
the
pre
tty
villa
ge o
fSim
onbu
rn.
The
villa
ge P
ost
Offic
e ha
s a
smal
l caf
e fo
rre
fres
hmen
ts.
At t
he ju
nctio
n in
the
vill
age
follo
wba
ck t
o th
e B
ellin
gham
roa
d,an
d tu
rn le
ft.
50 y
ards
tur
n le
ft a
gain
,,a
nd S
tone
haug
h. C
limb
a lo
ng g
entle
hill
for
2 m
iles.
Loo
k fo
r re
d sq
uirr
els
in t
hew
oodl
and,
and
the
view
nor
th t
o W
ark.
EASY
TO M
ISS (
6 m
iles)
Tak
e th
e fir
st r
ight
.(In
dica
ted
bya
smal
l sig
n on
the
fen
ce,H
igh
Mor
alee
). T
his
is a
gat
edro
ad a
cros
s op
en f
ells
with
bea
utifu
l vie
ws,
and
desc
ends
the
gor
ge o
f th
e G
ofto
n B
urn
(71 ⁄2
mile
s).
Clim
bup
out
of
the
gorg
e to
Low
Mor
alee
farm
,and
the
n on
to
Latt
erfo
rdfa
rm.
Bew
are
of li
vest
ock.
T-ju
nctio
n. L
eft,
and
rejo
in t
he B
ellin
gham
roa
d. C
ontin
uein
to W
ark
(9 m
iles)
. Tu
rn r
ight
,sig
npos
ted
Bir
tley,
Bar
rasf
ord,
by t
he g
arag
e.
Cro
ss t
he b
ridge
,tur
n rig
ht,B
arra
sfor
d.
Chi
pcha
se C
astle
(11 m
iles)
.
Pass
by
Bar
rasf
ord
Qua
rry
and
go t
hrou
gh B
arra
sfor
d(1
3m
iles)
. As
you
com
e do
wn
the
hill
out
of t
he v
illag
e,H
ough
ton
Cas
tleca
n be
glim
psed
to
the
right
sta
ndin
gon
a p
rom
onto
ry o
verlo
okin
g th
e R
iver
Nor
th T
yne.
Clim
b th
e hi
ll an
d ta
ke t
he r
ight
for
k ru
nnin
g al
ong
the
river
val
ley
to C
holle
rton
.
Cho
llert
on (
15 m
iles)
. T-
junc
tion,
turn
rig
ht,C
holle
rfor
dan
d H
exha
m.
The
road
sw
eeps
und
er a
n im
pres
sive
railw
ay v
iadu
ct t
hat
used
to
carr
y th
e ra
ilway
line
up
the
valle
y to
Kie
lder
.
At t
he c
ross
road
s tu
rn r
ight
(C
holle
rfor
d an
dH
umsh
augh
)*.
Cro
ss C
holle
rfor
d B
ridge
. At
the
roun
dabo
ut b
y th
e G
eorg
e tu
rn r
ight
bac
k to
Hum
shau
ghan
d th
e C
row
n.
*Alte
rnat
ivel
y a
shor
t di
vers
ion
take
s yo
u to
the
wel
lpr
eser
ved
Had
rian
’s W
all T
urre
t at
Bru
nton
.To
view
the
turr
et,c
ross
the
roa
d,an
d co
ntin
ue t
owar
ds H
exha
m f
or2
00
yar
ds.B
runt
on T
urre
t is
on
your
left
.Ret
race
you
rst
eps
and
retu
rn t
o C
holle
rfor
d B
ridg
e.
Dis
tanc
e: 1
7 m
iles
Type
of
rout
e: D
ay r
ide
– m
oder
ate,
circ
ular
; on
roa
ds.
Sta
rt p
oint
: Hum
shau
gh,C
row
n In
n.
Rou
te 4
:H
umsh
augh
/W
ark
Circu
lar
War
k
Rout
e 6
(link
)
Birtle
y
Gun
nerton
North
War
ks B
urn
Tyne
Sim
onbu
rn
Chi
pcha
seC
astle
Hau
ghto
nC
astle
Had
rian'
s W
all (
cour
se o
f)
Chol
lerton
Barra
sfor
d
Colw
ell
Bing
field
Hal
lingt
onSt
oneh
augh
Hum
shau
gh
Chol
lerfo
rd
Wal
l
Acom
b
War
den
Four
ston
esN
ewbr
ough
Hay
don
Brid
ge
Sand
hoe Co
rbrid
ge
HEX
HAM
to Corbridge
A68
B631
8
B631
9A6
9
A686
A6079
A69
A69
0 03
mile
s
5 km
4
5
67
8
9
10
11
3
12
12
13
2
3
45
6
7
8
9
1
10
11
12
T-ju
nctio
n,W
alw
ick
Gra
nge
Farm
. (4
1 ⁄2m
iles)
*
*If
follo
win
g th
e W
arde
n H
ill C
ircu
lar,
turn
left
her
e an
dre
turn
to
Four
ston
es,(
a
nd
),ar
ound
War
den
Hill
,and
bac
k to
St.
Aid
en’s
Chu
rch.
.
To c
ontin
ue F
ours
tone
s –
Sim
onbu
rn r
oute
tur
n ri
ght
toC
hest
ers
(
)
.
T-ju
nctio
n,B
6318 (
5 m
iles)
. R
ight
,.
This
is t
heM
ilita
ry R
oad.
Tra
ffic
can
be
quite
fas
t,an
d is
als
o th
ero
ute
for
the
Had
rian
’s W
all P
ath,
so b
e w
ary
of w
alke
rs.
If yo
u ha
ve t
ime,
call
at C
hest
ers
Rom
an F
ort.
EASY
TO M
ISS.
Take
nex
t le
ft t
hrou
gh a
“ga
tew
ay”
entr
ance
,.
Linc
oln
Hill
. (6
mile
s).
T-ju
nctio
n. R
ight
,,t
o B
6320
and
cros
s th
e ro
ad in
to H
umsh
augh
.
Cro
wn
Inn
serv
es f
ood
and
refr
eshm
ents
.C
ontin
uedo
wn
the
lane
,Hou
ghto
nun
til t
he ju
nctio
n w
ith B
6320
Bel
lingh
am r
oad
is r
each
ed.
T-ju
nctio
n w
ith B
6320.
Left
.TA
KE
CA
RE.
This
can
be
abu
sy r
oad.
Up
hill
1 ⁄2 k
m;
Rig
ht a
t br
ow o
f th
e hi
ll. F
ollo
w t
he la
ne t
oT-
junc
tion;
Rig
ht.
Des
cend
hill
to
T-ju
nctio
n. T
urn
left
,B6320 (
War
k,B
ellin
gham
)
EASY
TO M
ISS.Le
ft,
Loop
and
con
tinue
to
next
T-
junc
tion.
T-ju
nctio
n. L
eft*
,(
Loop
). R
oad
bear
s le
ft a
gain
at
the
next
junc
tion.
Do
not
follo
w U
pper
tow
n. L
ane
now
lead
s on
to a
n un
dula
ting
gate
d ro
ad.
Plea
se c
lose
the
gate
s. S
harp
ley
Farm
(12 m
iles)
on
your
left
bef
ore
the
lane
clim
bs b
ack
up t
o H
adria
n’s
Wal
l.
*If
refr
eshm
ents
are
nee
ded,
turn
rig
ht h
ere
into
the
pret
ty v
illag
e of
Sim
onbu
rn,w
ith it
s po
st o
ffic
e,sh
op a
ndca
fe.S
t M
ungo
s Chu
rch
(13
th-c
entu
ry)
once
ser
ved
the
larg
est
parish
in E
ngla
nd.
T-ju
nctio
n. L
eft.
Had
rian’
s W
all a
nd B
lack
Car
ts t
urre
t.(1
3 m
iles)
. D
own
hill
appr
ox.
one
mile
to
next
cros
sroa
ds.
Rig
ht,
Loop
,and
Fou
rsto
nes.
Car
ry o
n do
wn
the
lane
for
2 m
iles.
T-ju
nctio
n. R
ight
,(
Loop
) do
wn
the
hill,
(igno
re t
hefir
st le
ft,
) an
d re
turn
to
Four
ston
es.
Dis
tanc
e: 1
5 m
iles
Sta
rt p
oint
: Fou
rsto
nes
Vill
age,
St
Aide
n’s
Chu
rch.
Rou
te 5
:Fo
urst
ones
– S
imon
burn
Circu
lar
Rou
te 6
:W
arde
n H
ill
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11
12
1 2
3 4 5 6 9 10
11
12
137 8
CIR
CU
LA
R C
YC
LE
RO
UT
ES
AR
OU
ND
TH
E M
ID-T
YN
EC
IRC
UL
AR
CY
CL
E R
OU
TE
S A
RO
UN
D T
HE
MID
-TY
NE
CIR
CU
LA
R C
YC
LE
RO
UT
ES
AR
OU
ND
TH
E M
ID-T
YN
E
Very
ste
ep h
ill
Stee
p hi
ll
Nat
iona
l rou
te
Rout
e 5/
Rout
e 6
(link
)
Rout
e 4
CAUTI
ON
: at t
his
poin
t,on
this
sec
tion
of th
e ro
ute
Junc
tion
easy
to m
iss
-ca
refu
l nav
igat
ion
requ
ired
Map
© C
row
n co
pyrig
ht 1
997.
All r
ight
sre
serv
ed.
Lice
nce
num
ber
100042280
The
repr
esen
tatio
n on
thi
s m
ap o
f a
road
or
trac
k is
no e
vide
nce
of t
he e
xist
ence
of
a rig
ht o
f w
ay.
Key
The
Mid
Tyn
e Com
mun
ity T
rust
can
not
be h
eld
resp
onsi
ble
or li
able
for
any
loss
or
dam
age
wha
tsoe
ver
aris
ing
from
the
use
of t
he N
atio
nal C
ycle
net
wor
k or
thi
s gu
ide.
Dis
tanc
e: 6
mile
s
Nor
thum
berl
and
Nat
iona
l Par
k st
retc
hes
from
Had
rian
’sW
all W
orld
Her
itage
Site
on
its s
outh
ern
boun
dary
to
the
Che
viot
Hill
s an
d th
e Sco
ttis
h bo
rder
in t
he n
orth
. Thi
sw
onde
rful
are
a is
criss
-cro
ssed
by
over
90
0 k
ms
ofw
aym
arke
d fo
otpa
ths
and
brid
lew
ays
– w
hat
bett
er w
ayto
exp
lore
the
bre
atht
akin
g sc
ener
y,w
ildlif
e an
d hi
stor
yth
an o
n fo
ot o
r by
bik
e? B
e su
re t
o m
ake
the
mos
t of
loca
l hos
pita
lity
– te
aroo
ms,
pubs
,sho
ps,g
alle
ries
and
cosy
B&
Bs
– al
l on
hand
whe
n yo
u fe
el li
ke s
topp
ing!
Wan
t to
kno
w m
ore?
Che
ck o
ut:
ww
w.n
orth
umbe
rlan
d-na
tiona
l-par
k.or
g.uk