We arrived at Thrunton Wood early and paid a visit to the Thrunton Long Crag Trout Fishery for breakfast sandwiches and tea.
This was the second Thrunton Wood walk of this week. (See the previous post to this one for that.) It was still a popular one though, with eleven people making the walk. Many of them were regulars but it was Ally’s first walk with us.
Signs
We set off from the car park and headed along the red route. Just before we followed a narrow track through the wood, it turned out that Elaine couldn’t remember if she had left her phone on full view in her car. She had no choice but to return to the car and check. She said that she would catch up. However, she is a Guide Leader and we decided to leave a sign, just to be sure that she knew which path we had taken.
Castle Hill
About half way through the walk we had planned a stop on Castle Hill. However, Martin missed the gate and had to track back to find it. Once we found it we ascended the hill. It is surrounded by slopes covered in bilberrys. Some of the group enjoyed the wild bounty and wished that they had brought a box to collect them.
On the top we decided to have lunch. It is such an idyllic spot after all, with the ancient beech trees and the fallen branches touching the leaf littered floor. We also took the opportunity to take a group shot.
Thrunton Crag
After lunch we descended back down to the gate and then followed the forest track up to Thrunton Crag. A simple path only complicated by the 150m steep climb. Some of our group do not take kindly to hills. However, climb it we must and everyone gallantly took on the challenge.
Slowly but surely everyone made it to the top. Here we deviated from the red route and a little way along there is a seat at a view point. Some of the group took the chance to take a rest, before the homeward leg.
The Trout Fishery
From Thrunton Crag, we followed the path along the ridge to the West. There was plenty of opportunity to admire the views. Especially, at the bench that is a monument to someone who obviously enjoyed Thrunton Woods. In less than two miles we were back at the car park and cooling down.
Several of us finished the day at Thrunton Long Crag Trout Fishery. We enjoyed tea, coffee and various combinations of bacon/sausage/egg sandwiches. We brought our own cake.
At this point we discovered that two of our walkers, who had never met before, had actually grown up seven miles from each other, in the North East of Scotland. They had also went to same University and had started their courses only one year apart.
We hope that you enjoyed the walk and will be back with us in the near future, at one of the upcoming walks at Blanchland or Sycamore Gap. Thank you for coming.
Martin and Julie
Strolls with Poles – Nordic Walking for Fun and Fitness