Walk 28 - Linear - Carriageway Drive - Moderate Route
Distance: 4.5 miles (7.2 km)
Maps: Explorer maps OL42 and 332
Walking time: 2 hours
Start: Thropton – Local Bus stop (grid ref - NU031021).
Finish: Rothbury – Local Bus stop.
You can view the Bus timetable online at - https://bustimes.org.uk/services/NE_310_PB9957_16
DOWLOAD a PDF of this walk with a map from here.
Summary
With access from Alnmouth, Alnwick, Morpeth and Rothbury, using this local bus service makes for a great day out in the heart of Northumberland.
This linear walk starts at Thropton and climbs gradually up ‘Physic Lane’ to and along the Carriageway Drive that is above Rothbury.
This walk passes through some very varied countryside and treats you to some great views of the Simionside Hills, Cheviot Hills, Thropton and Rothbury.
Route Details.
Catch the Local Bus to Thropton.
From Thropton walk back down the footpath heading towards Rothbury.
As you reach the road bridge you will find a small footbridge to the left of it. Cross the footbridge and head up the hill towards the Cross Keys public house.
Walk in front of the pub (or call in and have a quick drink if you are not driving) and continue heading towards Rothbury.
After a few yards you have a small metal railing on your right, turn left here leaving the road and climb up some steps.
On your right you will see the remains of an old pill box that was built to overlook the bridge.
As you reach the top of the steps continue up the road and as you reach the T junction at the top, turn left.
You are walking up Physic Lane. Legend has it that the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem had a hospital at the bottom of Physic Lane during the 13th and 14th centuries. They probably gathered wild flowers, herbs and rose hips which are a very good source of vitamin C, calcium, phosphorous and iron. The Knights may have gathered the rose hips here to make a tonic to fend off coughs, and treat sore throats and bleeding gums. The leaves of elder, which also grow here were used in an ointment to ease swellings and bruises.
As you walk up the lane you will see a wonderful drink fountain on the left and then you reach and pass through a gate at the end of the houses.
Continue up the lane and ignore the paths either side until you reach and go through another gate.
Pass through it and you initially have a wall on your right with a wood behind it.
The route you are following is part of the route the Cragside Challenge Walk takes in June every year. This 13 miles Challenge Walk takes place at the end of the Rothbury Walking Festival. So if you fancy a challenge in 2017 I would certainly take a look at this.
Follow the path as it follows the wall on your right hand side. At the top you reach and go through a large wooden gate. Once you have passed through the gate, turn left and continue to follow the wall on your right for a short while before this bears off.
Follow the main path passing a large tree on your left and eventually you reach the Carriageway Drive.
Once you reach the Carriageway Drive (wide track) turn right along it.
After a little while Simonside can be seen on the opposite side of the valley. The distinctive flat top is very easily recognisable and as it stands away from the true ‘Cheviots’ it is very well known in the walking world.
The Carriageway Drive is reasonably level as it was made for the horse and carriage era, it winds around so that it keeps to level ground.
Continue along the carriage drive for some distance and you will pass some communication towers on your right.
After a little while you then reach and go through a small kissing gate located to the right of a large wooden gate as you enter the woods.
The path then gradually rises up as you pass over ‘Addycombe Hill’. Ignore the footpath going off to your right but stay to the main carriageway which narrows a little in a few places.
As you drop down you go through a few hairpin bends. Stay on the main track ignoring all other paths. Eventually the trees stop on your right and you follow a fence, with a field the far side of it.
From here you are again treated to another fine view of Rothbury, but this time from a very different angle.
As you continue on you reach a large tall marker post with a red band around the top, this post is marking the route of the gas main into Rothbury.
At this post turn through the kissing gate on your right and follow the fence on your left, dropping down through the field.
Pass through the next kissing gate and follow the path down to a small wooden gate which then drops down some steps to the track and turn right along it.
Continue along the track and after a little while it turns to tarmac underfoot and you start to get some houses up to your right.
Take the footpath on your left (Public Footpath – Rothbury ¼ ) and follow the gravelled fence lined path as it drops down steeply to Rothbury village. At the bottom you go through a small kissing gate and after passing a couple of bungalows on your left you reach the road. Turn right along it.
As you walk down the road you have Addycombe Cottages on your left which are the old workers cottages for the staff on Cragside Estate.
The road drops steeply and bears around to the left before reaching the T-junction.
Turn right and you will see the bus stop straight away, this is located outside the Queens Head Hotel. If needs be you can catch the bus back to Alnwick, Alnmouth or Thropton (and lots of place in between).
Revised Jan 2017