Carlisle & District Rambling & Fellwalking Club

Walk & Event Reports

Sunday 7th January 2018

A Walk

Birdoswald to Haltwhistle

9 Miles Grade 3

Leader: Alan Dobson

Report by Alan Dobson

Photos by Alan Dobson, Ian Rowley

12 of us got off the bus at Birdozwald - it was like being transported inside an ice cube as all the windows  of the bus were frozen up inside except the drivers window due  to the very hard frost , however we were greeted by  beautiful blue skies , brilliant sunshine , no wind and a very white countryside due to the  hard frost - excellent conditions for a walk which were to   continue all day, which was a nice change from the  previous wet miserable days . The clarity and views were spectacular all day as we quickly walked along the wall to Gilsland then to Longbyre where we had a tea break atThirwell Castle .it was  

 quite firm underfoot on the open countryside but care was needed crossing the styles  wooden bridges and any stone paths . Lunch was  taken outside in the sunshine at Wall town Crags , then we followed the steep contours of the land to Cawfields     carpark , the terrain getting a little softer underfoot as the frost was giving and there were a few slightly wet patches to navigate . From here we took the burn path down a lovely gorge to Haltwhistle , which was flowing very swiftly in time for coffee however there were no  coffee shops open ??? - but we took refreshments in one of the many public houses that the town has to offer

Throughout the walk we hardly passed anyone and had the countryside to our selves and what a beautiful day it was for our walk, thanks to everyone who came along.

Alan