Last updated 13:22, Thursday, 27 March 2008

THIS trek, the latest in a series from the Tynedale Health Walks Project, offers two options in and around Allendale.Long WalkShort Walk

For both walks, leave the Market Place, along The Peth signed for Whitfield and Haltwhistle, passing the Allendale Inn.

Continue downhill, over the Mill Bridge and past the old corn mill. Turn left at Gate House and continue until the road forks at 1.

1. Take the right fork uphill past Low Broadwood Hall, then turn left at the junction. At Wager House turn left down the drive and go through the gate to cross diagonally to the right across a field to stone steps in a wall.

Continue roughly in this direction, crossing fields diagonally and four stiles plus a footbridge over a burn. Join the track from the cottage, going through a gate and turning right along the road to Wooley.

2. Go through the gate at South Wooley Farm, through the farmyard (which can be muddy) and when you see direction arrows on the gate post, turn right past a barn through a gate. Walk beside the fence on the right hand side of the field, over a small stile, then cross a field to a ladder stile.

Take the left path here (there is a path to your right which you should ignore) and continue across two ladder stiles, two gates either side of a track and two more stiles before you cross a footbridge over the burn and take the steps up to Steel.

3. At Steel take the track right until you reach Loaning Side, where you cross a footbridge at the sign to Park Heughs and pass into the farmyard.

Go through the metal gate on the left, follow the arrow, right, through a field keeping to the wall and fence on your right. Cross the stile with an immediate awkward step to the right afterwards, take care crossing the burn and go up the bank to The Hagg.

4. Keep to the left of the farm buildings, and on leaving the yard cross over a stile on your left. Keeping the wall to your right, cross over another stile then follow the wall and wire fence on your right to the field corner looking out for a stile post with a yellow arrow.

Cross this and go down the field to join the track left towards Park. Cross the burn, go over a cattle grid into the farmyard, keeping left and going out through a kissing gate.

5. Your route essentially follows the River East Allen back to Allendale. Cross a footbridge and a ladder stile, go along a grassy bank, through two wooden gates then keep to the right side of a field.

Cross a stile by a bridge and go straight on. At the next stile, by a wooden gate, cross the stream, then bear right on to the path beside the river bank (which can be muddy).

Pass ruined buildings on your right going diagonally right across a field to pass through the right hand gap in the wall. Follow the path until it turns left through the wall, then right to a small gate and footbridge over a river.

6. The path passes a ruin on the left then goes up to Peckriding, where you go through a wooden gate, straight across the track and then up the drive to join the roadside footpath, turning left back to Allendale.

Having passed the old corn mill and turned left at Gate House, take the left road fork going past the cemetery on your right up to Wooley at 2.

Go through the gate at South Wooley Farm, through the farm yard (which can be muddy) and when you see direction arrows on the gate post, follow the arrow left out of the yard through a second gate and keep the wire fence to your right.

Go through another gate where the fence meets a wall on a left hand bend. Follow the wall, keeping it on your left. Cross a stile on your left, head across the field in the direction of the arrow, across another stile and small bridge.

Go round the field to the right until you reach a gate. Cross the stile then keep to the right of the fence but above the drop on your right. Note that this stretch can be overgrown, with some nasty nettles.

Go over a stile, down the steps then across another stile and walk along the edge of the field beside the river.

Cross the stone wall stile beside a gate, go through the white gate at the end of the field and join the tarmac road back to the Mill Bridge.

Retrace your earlier route back up the hill to the Market Place.