Northumberland : Allendale Town and Isaac's Tea Trail.
3 people attending
22 places left
Join Kieren and the ODL guys for a gorgeous 8.5 mile walk from Allendale Town. Uniquely, we set out on our walk by passing a darlek and Dr Who's phone box before taking a stroll alongside the beautiful River East Allen. After swooning at the bucolic loveliness, we tear ourselves away from the river to gradually gain height over the surrounding woodland and farmland.
Allendale gradually reveals itself to us in all its splendour. Eventually fields of fluffy sheep and woodlands of flowers give way to wild Moor and we see the industrial side of Allendale's past with the long disused but impressive flues which carried away the toxic fumes of the old lead mining industry up to chimneys high above the town.
Ruminating on the fate of the small boys who used to clean out the lead and sulphur, we descend back to the River East Allen to re-enter the town from the other side. Suddenly, the sulphurous past seems a dream and we repair of a coffee and traybake at an excellent tea shop.
Note that this walk is suitable for dogs, though there are some livestock fields and roads where they will have to be on leads. There are also some stiles which do not have adjacent gates.
All the photographs used on this event page were taken by the walk leader ncl_toby and permission is kindly given to OutdoorLads for their use.
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What to bring
Hand sanitiser and a face covering: whilst we are living with Covid-19, please bring your own to events to help keep everyone safe
Water: bring at least two litres
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Boots: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking, trainers are OK if the ground is dry and there’s little chance of rain
Gaiters: recommended for wet weather or boggy conditions
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch unless otherwise stated
Food & drink
Please bring a packed lunch, a flask and snacks. There's no where to buy any food on the walk. There is no store (other than a tea room) open in Allendale on a Sunday.