Description
Allenheads
This walk takes us around the beautiful Allenheads area. This area is full of industrial history. The walk passes many old mine shafts. Remnants from the lead mining past.
We will start with a short walk up onto Byerhope Bank, where we should get fantastic views of the valley, weather permitting. The first half of this walk stays at the height that we start at, following old quarry paths along the side of the hill, before returning down to the River Allen.
The short stretch along the river is one of the prettiest parts of the walk. Small waterfalls, bridges and trout swimming make this area enchanting.
The second half of the walk is on the opposite side of the valley to Byerhope Bank. This is mostly farmland where sheep farming is prevalent. There is a different perspective of the valley from this side, where the path is somewhat lower than on the other side.
We continue along the river until we divert into the woodland at the back of the village, emerging next to the old Post Office and back to the car park.
Places of interest
The C2C route
The C2C (Sea to Sea) is one of the most popular long distance cycling routes in the country. It spans 136 miles from the Irish Sea to the North Sea and visits Lakeland, the Pennines, County Durham before ending in Tyne & Wear.
The Hemmel Cafe
Popular with cyclists The Hemmel Cafe has both an indoor area, incorporating a arts and gift shop, as well as a large open outdoor area. There is a wide range of food and drink on offer here, that is often homemade.
The Allenheads Inn
The Allenheads Inn is a large building right in the middle of the village. It offers two bars, a pool room, a restaurant and accommodation.
Armstrong’s hydraulic engine
In the middle of the village there is a building which holds Armstrong’s Hydraulic Engine. This engine was designed and built by Lord William Armstrong, at his Elswick factory in Newcastle. Armstrong was a prominent 19th century industrialist, famous for his Cragside estate in Rothbury.