mhodnett

Last updated 00:00, Friday, 16 November 2007

THIS walk takes you through the ancient woodland of a deep gorge steeped in the history of our industrial past, across a burn over six bridges to a fairytale waterfall, and then back to a delightful small market town for refreshments.

Bellingham is the main settlement of North Tynedale; an attractive village with interesting shops stocking good local produce for a picnic (try the pasties and sausage rolls from baker and butcher); excellent tearooms and several fine inns.

The Pennine Way passes through the village, and from Easter to September an award-winning Heritage Centre at the old railway station offers a fascinating look at the different ages of the valley’s history, from Reivers to railways.

The village has its roots in the 12th century when St Cuthbert’s Church was first consecrated (unique because of its arched roof covered in stone, perhaps the only one of its kind still in England), but its heyday was in the 19th century when it was a centre of iron.

The route

(A) Start the walk from the Northumberland National Park car park at Hareshaw Linn which is signposted from the village main street.

This place was once the site of an iron works in the mid-1800s which doubled the population of the town for a short time. On your right is the stone terrace of Foundry Farm that once housed the offices of the foundry managers.

Established in 1838 by Messrs Bigge and Partners with two blast furnaces, a further one was added in 1840. At the peak of its operation the site also contained 70 coke ovens, 24 large roasting kilns for calcining the iron ore, a range of coal stores, a blacksmith's shop, wagon shed, stables and stores.

The works were in continuous production until 1848 and were maintained by the Union Bank of Newcastle upon Tyne for a further 10 years in anticipation of the proposed Borders Railway. By the time it arrived the bank was in financial difficulties and the plant was auctioned and many of the buildings demolished.

As you pass the farmhouse look opposite the sheds for the bubbling water of the ‘well’, a spring that appeared whilst people were drilling for coal. Following the footpath you climb up mounds made from the spoil of the coke ovens. Nature recovers quickly – you would never believe now that this grassy place once raged with noise and smoke.

(B) Walk through the gate and you will see an old dam on your left. Continue along the path to an open area overlooking a small waterfall. The hummocky ground is the spoil from an old quarry which produced the stone used to build the miners’ houses.

(C) Climb up the steps. On your right is one of the blocked-up mine entran-ces. Walk through the kissing gate and into Hareshaw Linn proper. This is an ancient woodland – some of the oldest remaining in the county, with oak, hazel, elm and ash, and a host of plants that cannot be found elsewhere.

The Linn is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) designated for its rare ferns and the grey- green lichens that appear on the rocks and trees.

Lichens are in fact two organisms living together in a unique relationship between a fungus and an algae. Different types of lichen occur when different combinations grow together and each organism depends on the other to survive.

Humans have made use of lichens in the past for dying wool and in the preparation of cough mixture, perfume, antibiotics and even as food. Many lichens are very sensitive to air pollution and as a result some are used as indicators of how clean or otherwise the air is.

(D) Carry on up the hill past a curved stone seat. Walk over the first bridge to Cupid’s Bower seat overlooking the waterfall. Continue on over the second bridge and note the entrances to two old mine shafts on your left.

(E) Continue on over the third and fourth bridges where you will see tall Douglas firs, planted by the Victorians who built the first path to the falls in their passion for fern collecting.

When you come to the sixth bridge, note the wonderful organic shape. It was built by volunteers when the Linn walk was restored for the Millennium and is sited at the spot where the Victorians built a bandstand for picnics, music and storytelling.

(F) Wander up to the waterfall and admire its 30 foot curtain – very spectacular when there has been rain. Be careful of the damp stones and keep an eye on children. The depth and dampness give the feel of ancient rainforest – ideal conditions for the 300 species of mosses, liverworts and lichens that call this place home.

Return the way you came and refresh yourself with hot chocolate and cakes at the Fountain Cottage tearoom by the tourist information centre, or a well-earned pint at the Cheviot Hotel.

You can download a map and guide for this walk from www.northumberlandnationalpark.org. uk (type the words ‘rangers’ favourite walks’ into the search box on the home page).