Northumberland - County Durham Walk - Blanchland

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We’re spoilt in the North East. We have so much wonderful countryside that it can make life difficult when trying to decide where to go for the day. Fortunately, those in the know help us out by designating certain spots as areas of outstanding natural beauty. The North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (or NPAONB to its friends) is one such place and the medieval village of Blanchland is rightly at the heart of the NPAOB.

The village is a popular spot for film producers looking for period locations that evoke a nostalgic glow. That’s not to say that Blanchland is backward-looking. The presence of a deli, art gallery and a thriving post office will quickly put that thought out of your head. But there can be no denying that it’s a charming spot, unspoilt by fast food joints and other modern facilities.

Start the walk in the village square opposite the Lord Crewe Arms pub (and by the way, move your car to the village car park if it’s not there already, and put a pound into the honesty box for the privilege – the money is used in the upkeep of Blanchland).

Follow the road south, cross over the river bridge and out of Northumberland and into County Durham. Take the first right turn off this road and walk up past a cluster of farm buildings.

Continue to the top of the road and go through the gate into the field ahead, following the sign for the Bridle Way onto Buckshott Fell. Carry on along the edge of the field, going uphill in the same direction. Go through the next gate and continue to the crest of the hill.

This is heather moorland you’ve been crossing and it is a carpet of deep purple in late summer. However, at this time of year the carpet is distinctly threadbare, with square patches of burned heather picking holes in the weave. The burning is deliberate and allows the heather to regenerate fully each year, maintaining the moorland’s important ecosystem.

One of the beneficiaries of this policy is the red grouse. It’s more than likely that you’ll hear the bird’s distinctive ‘back, go-back’ call on the walk. It’s a grumpy sound, which is odd because the bird itself is a nattily dressed creature – its russet-coloured plumage perfectly adapted to its environment.

Once you reach the top of the hill, the path forks. Take the right fork and continue across the fell until you meet the Stanhope road. Cross over and continue left until you come to a waymarked footpath. Take this path, heading for the Sikehead Lead Mine chimney in the distance. You’ll pass a gun butt along the way. Thinking about it, this may be why the grouse is so grumpy.

Continue along the path until you reach a gate at the end of Sikehead Dam. Go through the gate, turn left and walk along the earth dam beside the lake and up to the chimney.

The area you’re walking through was once a hive of industry, with lead being pulled from the hills for use across the British Empire. Now all that remains are the 19th century flues of the lead mines. The mines themselves were worked out or abandoned early in the 20th century.

From the chimney, follow the path west toward the second chimney. Once you reach the chimney you’ll see that it’s fenced off. There are many hidden shafts and land slippages around this area, a Victorian legacy that will be with us forever.

From the fence follow the path north west and continue along this path, across Allenshields and Buckshott Moor, until you reach a wire fence, then turn left and go through the gate on the right-hand side. Follow the path along the dry-stone wall. This area can be boggy in places so watch your feet.

Eventually you’ll reach a gate on the left-hand side into a wooded area. Do not go into the woods; instead, take the path which heads right, through the heather, and head towards a house with a clump of trees.

Pass the house, onto the gravel track and at the top of the track, turn left back onto the Stanhope road and continue downhill until you reach the end of pine woodland on the right.

At the footpath marker on the right, go into the woods and follow the path along the dry-stone wall. A little way along this path there is a footpath marker on the left. From here, head across the field to the gate at the bottom right-hand corner. Turn right and walk along the road, then, at the next waymarker, head left into another field.

At the bottom of this field, follow the track as it curves round to the left, then go through the gate and head right, along the wall.

At the bottom of this field, cross left through the gate into the woods. Walk through this pleasant area of woodland until the path divides. Take the path which heads sharp right, following the course of the River Derwent, and continue through the woodland. This will eventually bring you back onto the road near the beginning of the walk. Turn left here, and head back into Blanchland.