By REBECCA DIXON rebecca.dixon@hexham-courant.co.uk

Published at 13:38, Friday, 02 January 2009

IF A glut of festive feasting has left you feeling sluggish, why not try a series of local walks to work off the extra pounds and blow away the cobwebs ready for 2009?

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Tynedale is full of beautiful countryside and many of the district’s best walks go along public footpaths in the area.

A new series of leaflets produced by the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Partnership will guide tourists and locals alike around three picturesque walks near Blanchland.

The leaflets were produced using a £2 million Heritage Lottery grant as part of the three-year Living North Pennines project run by the AONB.

The walks have been designed in collaboration with local residents to give visitors, and those unfamiliar with the area, an insight into the history, landscapes and wildlife that make the area so special.

Each route also forms part of the Our North Pennines Stories, the community interpretation strand of Living North Pennines, which aims to celebrate human involvement in shaping the landscape and share these stories with the wider public.

Community interpretation officer Abi Wylde said: “Working with the Blanchland Community Development Organisation, what came over loud and clear was that residents were very proud of their village and keen to show visitors what makes Blanchland and the surrounding countryside so special to them.”

Carefully designed for walkers of varying abilities, the leaflets are packed with fascinating information on the flora and fauna found in the area.

The first in the series of three walks is titled ‘Along the river bank (A trail of three tails!)’

This leisurely stroll is just over a mile in length and takes walkers out of Blanchland along the River Derwent, highlighting the wildlife that lives at the water’s edge.

The three tails in the title are an otter, a water vole and a dipper, all of which are illustrated in the leaflet with information about habitat and lifestyle.

The riverbanks were damaged when heavy floods hit the area in September, but diversions have been put in place, meaning walkers can still enjoy the routes following the river.

A second trail takes walkers ‘Over the hill to Cowbyre Farm’ for a walk of around 3.5 miles.

Walkers may find this trail a little more strenuous as it starts with an uphill climb, taking walkers out of the village and through surrounding woodland and pasture.

This route affords magnificent views of the Derwent Valley along the way, a sure reward for those putting in the effort on the uphill stretch.

The leaflet gives a brief history of farming in relation to what walkers will see along their way, also highlighting the animal and plant life found at different times of the year.

Third on the list is ‘Newbiggin and the Carriers’ Way’, a nine mile walk for history lovers.

Walking with the leaflet, the enclosed information explains how the earliest settlers came to the area and how people have shaped the landscape through the ages with their activities.

The Carriers’ Way gets its name from the 18th century tradesmen who walked the route with their pack ponies that carried smelted lead to the River Tyne.

The route, however, may well have been used since prehistoric times.

Also along the route, walkers can see a Bronze Age ring cairn, where archaeologists in 1997 excavated a large urn containing bone fragments and a flint knife.

All three leaflets are available at most outlets in Blanchland village as well as at tourist information offices in Tynedale and Hexham library.

Alternatively requests can be made by contacting the North Pennines AONB Partnership on 01388 528801 or by downloading from www.northpennines.org. uk/index.cfm?articleid=11830

Those who enjoy taking these routes will be pleased to hear a new, fully accessible trail will be constructed next year.

Northumberland County Council will work in partnership with the Lord Crewe Estate to create a short route enabling those with mobility problems to get closer to the natural beauty of Blanchland.

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk