Description
Haltwhistle, Featherstone and Lambley Viaduct
This circular walk visits Halwhistle, Featherstone and Lambley Viaduct. The majority of the outward stretch of the walk follows the South Tyne. At Lambley Viaduct we stop to admire the viaduct and the view from the top. The viaduct is on the South Tyne Trail, which we will use to walk back to Haltwhistle.
The start
We meet at Haltwhistle Railway station and walk out of town, towards the A69. Luckily there is a path under the A69, at the bridge over the river. So, we don’t need to cross the busy road. The path continues up a farm road to Wydon.
From here, the path crosses fields until it joins another old lane to Wydon Eals. Interestingly, Wydon means wide flat valley and Eals are islands of land in the valley that can be flooded. Once you see Wydon Eals you will see that the name describes it perfectly. This is a large flat and very green area that is used for farming now.
Featherstone
The path works its way along a farm track on the edge of Wydon Eals, towards Featherstone Bridge. This is a lovely place to stop and admire the view up and down the river.
We walk along the road by the river for a short distance before joining a path again. This path gives good views of Featherstone Castle, which is now a private residence and can be hired for various events. As we walk in the grounds, we pass the remnants of an old WW2 POW camp that housed German Officers during and after the war.
The path continues along the river. At this point we can see how powerful this river is when in flood. Part of the access road has been undermined and parts of the POW camp buildings can be seen in the river.
Lambley Viaduct
We continue to follow the river across fields until we reach Lambley Viaduct. This viaduct was opened in 1852 for the Haltwhistle to Alston branch line. The railway operated until the 1970s, when it was closed. In the 1990s the viaduct was renovated and opened as part of the South Tyne Trail.
As we climb up to the top of the viaduct, where the South Tyne Trail is, it makes sense to use the nice, easy path along the old railway and back to Haltwhistle.
If you want to take a look at the blog for the recce of Haltwhistle, Featherstone and Lambley Viaduct, then look here. Hope to see you there.
Julie and Martin x
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Strolls with poles – Nordic Walking for Fun and Fitness