Lent Walk 6: Cuddy's Corse (Chester le Street to Durham)

I woke u on Sunday morning to a glorious day and decided that now was the time to walk Cuddy's Corse.  I'd been putting it off since the start of Lent, to be honest I'd become scared to do it.  It wasn't familiar territory, what would I meet on the way? could I do this?  I've got some of my confidence back by doing Bede's Way, but I had tentatively asked a friend about doing Cuddy's Corse with me.  In the event, the day and time seemed right, so I just set off to do it by myself, reasoning that there might be more people around at the weekend.
So, I drove to Chester le Street and parked opposite the church (free on Sunday).  It actually took me some time to work out the route from the leaflet but after a quick canter round the church (what were the girl in the orange bikini and her young man hoping to find under the yew trees?) I found my way and was soon heading through the riverside park, and then crossing the roadbridge and following the footpath on the opposite side of the river.  It was a lovely walk up to Great Lumley, along field edges, great views, bright sunshine.

At Great Lumley, I missed my way again, and followed the road instead of the field path headed towards Finchale Abbey.  In fact the prescribed route then follows the road until the footpath drops down to the Wear and Finchale via a flight of steps.  Finchale was as lovely and peaceful as ever.  I stopped for a drink and a short sit down, mindful of how tired I'd become on the Durham walk.  Then it was on up the hill following the roadway until the footpath resumed between the two prisons at Frankland.  Bit of a weird atmosphere there, and I began to feel unsettled again.  I'd gone past the prisons and was just approached some cottages and becoming apprehensive about dogs, when my phone went, a text from a friend, nice to know I was still in touch with civilisation!
The path ran on nicely here and down to Frankland farm - here there was a dog, but it ignored me completely.  From here Durham cathedral and castle came into view and I could also spot landmarks from the Kepier walk on the far bank.  Almost home.  And indeed I was not far from Crook Hall and the Durham riverside.  Very little water in the river.  Due to time constraints, I didn't walk up the the cathedral but headed for the bus station and a bus back to Chester le Street where the car was waiting for me unscathed.

Lent Walk 5: Bede's Way Whitburn to Boldon

I feel as though I'm making heavy weather of Bede's Way, but with my current work pattern anything but a short walk is difficult, so this is the middle section of the walk.  I caught the bus to Whitburn, once again marvelling at how good the public transport system is in these parts (let no-one tell you otherwise) and then promptly retraced my path from Front Street back through a housing estate to the footpath over the Cleadon Hills.  It was here that the purpose of this walk became apparent:  confront your fears.  I was walking past a farmyard, would there be dogs?  Indeed a dog did bark from a yard but it must have been tethered as I didn't see it.  Relieved I passed on over the stile to the field path.  Then I looked back, a man is a red jacket was just passing through the yard and appeared to be heading for the path.  I felt anxious, should I continue?  I strode out along the field edge forcing myself to enjoy the scenery and put all thoughts of serial killers to the back of my mind.  At the next stile I paused, I couldn't see him and the day and the scenery were so nice that I thought a photograph would be good.  Then I spotted a glimpse of red through the hedge and I was off, up the path, thinking how far from civilisation I was.  At the crest of the hill he overtook me, nodded in a friendly way and continued along the path.  Not a serial killer then, just another walker (I think he was following the Linnet Way).
The views round here are fab, down to Sunderland, across to Penshaw, and what with the skylarks singing and the trees in bud, it was a truly lovely day for a walk.  There was a bit of a geography lesson going on at the windmill, and from there the path wound down past the water tower to Occupation Road.  More fears to confront, someone was murdered here within the last few years.  A young man dead, two others convicted, at least three lives shattered.  Did they go intending to kill?  Are we just filled with information about violence which makes us think that it is not real, just a game, press reset and nothing will have changed?

They put the red(ish) carpet out for me!

Cleadon water tower

The path to West Harton mineral line

Signpost  West Harton mineral line

I followed the path past the allotments, and Tilesheds nature reserve, and along the West Harton mineral line to the level crossing.  Then I walked along New Road towards the school and the bus stop to wait for the bus back to Shields.

Walk of the Week: Templer Way from Newton Abbot to Stover

The Templer Way runs 18 miles from Haytor to Shaldon.  I must have  walked the estuary bit loads - even before it was called the Templer Way, and it's a long time since I walked from Newton to Stover but this week was the week!  My friend and I set off in gloomy weather and joined the path by Whitelake Channel and headed out through Jetty Marsh.  There's no doubt that the path has been improved and it was easy walking out to Teigngrace.
From there we crossed the bridge and followed the path on the other side of the old Stover canal.  There were old canal workings to be seen but although we were really not far from the town we seemed to be in the heart of the country.  The path was muddy in places but well signposted - just as well because we didn't have a map.
We crossed the railway line and passed several very nice looking houses before joining the road and walking very carefully along it, though there wasn't much traffic.  A little further along another signpost directed us onto a field path.  Having had a bad experience being srrounded by bullocks in our teenage years, we checked the bovine inhabitants for udders before proceeding.  All was well and we crossed safely.  There was a jay in a tree at the other side of the field and we watched it fly away.

The path led on uphill through some pine trees and then skirted the grounds of Stover School.  Here it was that we spotted not only primroses but rhododenrons out in bloom.  As my friend remarked, that must be a very sheltered spot.  We were then on bullock alert again but the path was fenced as it passed through their field so we felt safe enough even though they were glaring at us.

We then came into Stover Country Park.  I haven't been there for years and so had missed the delights of the Ted Hughes Poetry Trail which its carvings and, um, poems.  There was also the outdoor classroom.  We sat and had a drink and a rest before taking our lives in our hands to cross the Drumbridges roundabout.  Actually it wasn't that bad, and a white van man even waved us across one of the slip roads.

Here  the signposts actually let us down and we were unsure of the way.  What we should have done was continue almost to the turn off for Liverton and then through Great Plantation.  What we did was walk through the industrial estate and along the road at Heathfield eventually coming out at the House of Marbles.  But as with all walks, this was a voyage of discovery and as our destination was Bovey anyway it didn't really matter how we got there. 

After lunch and a look at the glass museum and shop, we walked via a footpath into Brimley and then Bovey for charity shops and cake.  Although the sun never broke through, I was warm by the time we had finished our walk, and I was pleased to see that two old friends could keep in step just as they always did.

Lent Walk 4: Earth to earth

At the imposition of ashes at the beginning of Lent, the vicar made the sign of the cross on my forehead and said 'remember you are dust and to dust you shall return, be faithful to Christ and his gospel'.  The short walk from the cemetery chapel to the graveside of a quiet and lovely lady was something  I had not expected to do this Lent.  But it was a timely reminder to me that yes, she was dust as we all are, but her faithfulness and prayerfulness were celebrated and seemed to grow and flourish like little dandelion clocks blown along.  Seeds to take root in our hearts and inspire us.

Lent Walk 3: Bede's Way Whitburn to Monkwearmouth

Because I have only half days to walk in at the moment, I've split Bede's Way up into three sections to be walked over Lent.  This is the first bit and the others will follow not necessarily in order.  I wanted to walk from Whitburn to Monkwearmouth so that I could finish up at the church and the cafe. 

So I bussed out of Shields to Front Street and then followed the instructions on the Bede's Way leaflet - down past the church, along the footpath by the park to the coast road.  Then followed what is rapidly becoming one of my favourite walks in the north east - all along the seafront at Seaburn and Roker.  It was a fine but breezy day and the sea and sand looked glorious.  I wanted more than anything to be able to share it with a friend of mine who is grieving at the moment, maybe one day I will. 

I continued down to the marina and then past the National Glass Centre and the university to St Peter's church.  Due to the limited time I didn't explore the church as I might have done, but I did manage tea in the cafe.

Bede's Way signpost at Whitburn

Seaburn

Bede's Cross

beach with Dog and Cat cafe

rare cannonball rock formation

Bede's book sculpture

a Bede's Way marker and my foot

St Peter's church

Lent Walk 2: Durham City's Medieval Pilgrims Walk



Kepier Gatehouse



ruined chapel of  Mary Magdalene





River Wear


 

The Dun Cow

  

Prebends Bridge



This was not the walk I had planned for today, but I've discovered I've become quite nervous about walking on my own in the countryside.  Bad news:  I never used to be like this (within my limitations of course).  But after a fews days of agonising, I decided to do a walk in fairly familar territory and save the one I was concerned about till later in Lent.  A good move as it turned out as this walk has boosted my confidence about walking, taught me a lesson or two and been good fun - and all this on the day Durham was the warmest place in the country thanks to the Fohn effect!

I parked at the park and ride and walked from the market place up to the cathedral for the start of the walk.  I went into the Galilee first to set the scene and then set off.  The first bit was easy, up Claypath, down Providence Row and then along the Sands to Kepier gatehouse.  I'd never been that far along before and so was pleased with myself at discovering a great new walk by the river.  Kepier was one of the city's leper hospitals and judging by the size of the gatehouse it must have been huge.  The idea of this walk was to link all the medieval hospitals.  I got it from a book 100 Walks in County Durham. 

The walk looped back and uphill to the ruined chapel of Mary Magdalene which I have passed loads of times in the car and on into Gilesgate, down a steep bank to the college of St Hild and St Bede and then the river.  The weather was glorious, just like a summer day as I crossed over by Bath Bridge and walked along the other bank.  Here the whole enterprise could have failed as there was a gate across the path at the rowing club, but when I spotted a couple of locals just going round it, I did the same and continued back to the river (the twists and turns of the Wear will always defeat me), Maiden Castle, the main road and Houghall woods.

I was feeling quite confident now, as I've walked in Houghall woods before but it was here that things started to fall apart a bit.  For one thing, I was far too hot, for another I didn't stop for a rest and I didn't have a drink with me.  I followed the directions along the old wagonway and then a slight hiccup as I misread the book and ended up walking a footpath along a field edge - away and not towards Durham!  The good point about this was that I was not worried, in fact I was enjoying the birdsong and the countryside.  Houghall Woods will be so lovely when the bluebells come out.

Back on track, I made my way slowly uphill to the university buildings.  By now I felt distinctly jaded but I kept on, through what the book described as a field path but which is now university and a business park.

Across the road and down a lovely little cut to St Oswalds church and the riverbank the cathedral was in sight and I really couldn't get there soon enough.  Prebends Bridge was home to a class of overheated and over-exicited school children so I didn't pause to wonder if any more of the bishop's treasures were still at the bottom of the Wear.

At last the cathedral!  and a welcome cup of tea before visiting St Cuthbert's shrine.  Was I meditating or was I asleep?

Lent Walk 1: Shepherds Dene labyrinth

For Lent I thought I'd do some walks with a reflective or pilgrimage quality to them, and I naturally thought of the labyrinth at Shepherds Dene.  It's been there for ten years this year, apparently.  I've walked it a couple of times before and remember it as slightly rough and boggy but today it was fine, the paths were clear and no water lying around.  For those who care about such things, it's an eleven branched labyrinth, modelled on the one in Chartres cathedral.  I guess it took me just 15 minutes to walk slowly in and out, and as with any labyrinth it's a fab experience.  I don't know if its because this one is on a slope or what, but the way in and the way out always look and feel different.  Different views, different perspectives, and of course the beauty of the labyrinth is that you can't get lost or go wrong.  You just keep putting one foot in front of the other and you complete the journey.
I went today with all kinds of stuff going on in my head, and it all unravelled and rewound as I walked.  By the end of the walk I felt more focussed and by the end of the day future options had begun to become clearer.