{"id":1759,"date":"2023-12-13T00:49:59","date_gmt":"2023-12-13T00:49:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/phoenixwalks.xyz\/?p=1759"},"modified":"2023-12-14T21:12:41","modified_gmt":"2023-12-14T21:12:41","slug":"231108-belford","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/phoenixwalks.xyz\/index.php\/2023\/12\/13\/231108-belford\/","title":{"rendered":"231108 Belford"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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08-11-23 BELFORD\n\n\n\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u00a0<\/p>

Distance 13.7 Km\u00a0 (8.7 miles)\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ascent\u00a0 \u00a0227 m\u00a0 (745 ft)\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Average moving speed\u00a0 4.11 Km\/hr\u00a0 (2.56 mph)\u00a0 \u00a0 Start\u00a0 10.40 am\u00a0 \u00a0Finish\u00a0 15.40pm\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>

My first walk back with the Phoenix, four and and a half months after my hip replacement op.\u00a0 On a very overcast day seven of us got off the bus in Belford and led by Peter Craig, we headed W for a short distance along the B6349.\u00a0 After turning NW for a short distance we headed W along a narrow stone “path” above the Belford Burn.\u00a0 By this time it had started raining and on slippery stone, the drop into the burn was somewhat disconcerting.\u00a0 After passing the turreted West Hall we turned NW on a reasonable track (St Oswald’s Way).\u00a0 We continued on this gentle climb until reaching Swinhoe Farm where several ponies looked very forlorn in the rain.\u00a0 \u00a0Turning left (WSW) at the farm, the track again climbed until we reached Dicks Old Walls which was to be our coffee stop.\u00a0 As it had stopped raining some waterproofs were removed before leaving the hut.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>

We continued WSW until just past Kiln Wood we reached a large wood at Cockenhaugh.\u00a0 There had been some tree felling nearby and there was an impressive pile of felled trunks adjacent to the track.\u00a0 As we made our way WNW through the wood, many of the trees were dressed in their autumn colours making an impressive sight.\u00a0 As the track turned NW we had some views of the stone cliffs below Cockenhaugh.\u00a0 After about 0.7 KM we reached St Cuthbert’s Cave Wood where we turned right to head up to St Cuthbert’s Cave.\u00a0 By now the sun was shining so we sat outside the cave in reasonably warm sunshine for our lunch stop.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

During lunch, a very noisy group of strangers arrived and as they left and just before we were due to move on, another couple of Phoenix groups arrived at the cave\u00a0 Leaving the cave we climbed the steep hill to join St Cuthbert’s way.\u00a0 Unfortunately there was a fence in our way so we headed along the fence looking for a gate or stile but not finding one, we climbed over the fence.\u00a0 This enabled us to join the Way and then after reaching the highest point, we left the Way and headed generally E.\u00a0 While this was the correct direction, unfortunately it was a very wet path and it was a case of trying to avoid the many pools of water which were not always very visible.\u00a0 As the path, where you could see a path, turned SE we joined St Oswald’s Way and headed into Virgin Hill Wood.\u00a0 At Upper Swinhoe Lake we stopp ed look at the Lake and take photos.\u00a0 On our way again, we headed SE to Swinhoe Farm where we turned left\u00a0 (E) onto a minor road.\u00a0 After 0.5 Km we left the road on a track which took us into Square wood.\u00a0 After a short distance we turned SSE on a track through the wood.\u00a0 On exiting the wood we had the impressive Sunniside Crag on our left.\u00a0 Passing Craggy Hall we then arrived at West Hall again.However this time rather than being cloaked in mist and rain, it was in silhuet with the setting sun behind it.\u00a0 A short distance down the road and we were back in Belford after a very enjoyable walk – except for the morning rain.<\/p>

Peter C\u00a0 –\u00a0 Thanks for an enjoyable walk.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u00a0Click on any photo to view full screen.\u00a0 \u00a0 Move through the gallery using the\u00a0 \u00a0<\u00a0 >\u00a0 arrows.<\/p>

Unfortunately, I had camera problems approaching St Cuthbert’s Cave so I have no photos of the return journey.<\/p>