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Northumberland-Walks.co.uk - photographic walks in Northumberland.Hethpool to Kirknewton Circular Walk - Page 2(If you have found this page from a Search Engine please click here to start from the beginning of the walk)
Continued from page 1 16) The track passes some cottages at Old Yeavering and joins the road from Wooler to Kirknewton which you probably drove along if travelling from the south. Turn left here and walk along the road towards Kirknewton. Care is needed along this road as some large trucks use it as well as local traffic.
17) The road turns sharp right at a row of cottages and the Kirknewton War Memorial on the corner provides a good view across the valley.
18) After a left corner in the road the church is soon approached and the entrance is along a lane. There are 2 paths into the churchyard, the second being the main entrance. This is the Church of St. Gregory the Great and is well worth a visit, especially if you are interested in local history. In the churchyard are the well tended graves of British and Canadian Airmen who died while serving at nearby Millfield Air Base during World War 2.
19) Leaving the village, on the right is the old Kirknewton Railway Station Building on the line that ran from Alnwick to Cornhill.
20) Just past the station is a track to the left with a public footpath signposted to Hethpool. This route could be followed but involves crossing the College Burn via a ford that at best will be almost knee deep or impassable without a tractor!
21) Instead continue ahead and over the bridge and immediately on the left take a path that leads along the bank of the College Burn.
22) The path was very narrow when we used it and overgrown with Gorse in places. It soon rises up away from the College Burn across a stile before dropping down into a small meadow.
23) At the far end of this meadow on the left is a ford across the College Burn mentioned earlier.
24) The path continues along the valley floor for a short distance through a gate then rises quite steeply up a hillside.
25) Looking back from here there are fine views past Kirknewton to the hills beyond.
26) The path levels out and passes through a gate / stile before skirting the woods above the College Burn.
27) After a while a stile on the left crosses a barbed wire fence. From here the path goes downhill towards the College Burn. It had recently been cleared when we visited but can be slippery in places so care is needed.
28) The path soon emerges beside a small footbridge on the left. This would be part of the short circular walk mentioned earlier. A detour to the footbridge is worthwhile to view the waterfalls below, but it is not the route back to Hethpool.
29) Instead follow the path straight ahead with the College Burn on your left to emerge on open ground.
30) A stile is crossed and a bog is soon approached that is crossed via a small wooden footbridge. From here the path goes straight ahead (not up to the right) across a field to rejoin the track to Hethpool.
31) Turn right up the track with the cottages ahead and from here it is a short walk back to the car park.
Notes
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