with any long-distance walk, the golden rule is not to burn yourself out on the first day. This is a long day’s walk, with fiddly route-finding all the way through the valley of Devil’s Water, followed by a long moorland crossing that can be wet and boggy on its higher parts. If it seems too much, then break the journey using one of three accommodation options before the halfway point, and cover this initial stage over two shorter days.
CORBRIDGE
Spend time in Corbridge before starting the Reivers Way – if possible try to arrive in the afternoon and stay for the night, or at least arrive early in the day just to be able to stroll round the streets before leaving.
When the Romans pushed Dere Street north through Northumberland, they crossed the River Tyne near Corbridge, linking with the coast-to-coast Stanegate. The Roman fort of Corstopitum stands at the junction of these two roads, pre-dating Hadrian’s Wall. There is a splendid museum on site, as well as a café. There is an entry charge, and the site is open daily from April to October, and at weekends through the winter, tel 01434 632349, www.english-heritage.org.uk.
The parish church in the middle of Corbridge – a village that has seen centuries of warfare and strife
The fort guarded the Roman bridge, though masonry from the bridge is now inconveniently located on the opposite bank of the river. The river has shifted since the bridge was built, and to spare the massive stone building blocks from damage, they were lifted, moved and rebuilt away from the riverbank.
There are plenty of fine old buildings around Corbridge, such as St Andrew’s church, with the Vicar’s Pele Tower alongside. There is another pele tower where the old Newcastle road leaves town, built into Low Hall. These towers are features of reiver country – places where cattle could easily be driven inside on the ground floor, while people took refuge above in time of strife.
There was plenty of strife in this area. Ethelred, King of Northumbria, was slain here in 796AD, and it is also where Regnald the Dane defeated both English and Scots armies in 918AD. King David I of Scotland occupied the town in 1138, while King John sacked it in 1201. Corbridge suffered three burnings, by William Wallace in 1296, Robert the Bruce in 1312, and King David II in 1346.
There is accommodation in Corbridge, plenty of pubs and restaurants, shops, a post office, two banks and an ATM. The tourist information centre, tel 01434 632815, offers a leaflet called ‘A Walk of Discovery around Corbridge’.
Leave Corbridge by heading downhill from the Angel Inn, once an important coaching inn. Cross the bridge over the River Tyne. A ferry and ford at this point were replaced by a bridge in 1235, but the present bridge dates from 1674. This was the only bridge on the river to survive a devastating flood in 1771. Keep left to follow the B6529 past the railway station, which could be used as a starting point, and is handy for the Dyvels pub, an Indian restaurant and Fellcroft bed and breakfast.
Cross the bridge over the railway, then, as soon as the road bends left, exit to the right up a few steps behind traffic mirrors. A path leads up a wooded slope and a stile leads into a field. Walk straight ahead alongside a hedge and cross another stile, then cross the A695. Continue straight over a stile to follow another field path, crossing a stile to reach a quiet road. Turn right along this road and follow it almost to West Fell, where it becomes a private drive.
Continue straight along an enclosed path and later go through a gate. Follow a grassy path flanked by gorse and thorns, keeping well to the left of High Town. Go through a gate and follow a track away from the farm, but turn left up a path on a wooded slope.
Keep to the edge of the wood, watching for pheasants and deer, and avoid a couple of lesser paths climbing to the left. The path climbs more steeply and bends left to reach the top of a plantation. Turn right through a gate and walk alongside a wall. Pass through two large fields, converging with a pylon line to reach a gate and a road near West Farm.
Turn right along the road to reach a junction where a grassy patch sits in the road. Keep straight ahead as signposted for Lightwater Cottages, following a grassy path between forest plots of different ages. Note the parallel lines of tumbled drystone walls, which the path follows faithfully through Dipton Wood. Enough light reaches the forest floor for it to support plenty of heather and bilberry.
Cross over a prominent track around 190m (625ft) and keep straight ahead along another track as marked. Climb a little, then descend, and the path is worn deeply into creamy, soft sandstone. When Lightwater Cottages are reached, walk down the access road to reach the B6306.
Turn right up the road, then left as signposted for Ordley, passing through a stone gateway and following an access road down to a stud farm at Linnel. Keep right of all the buildings and go through a gate into a field. Look across the field to spot another gate, where a track leads down a wooded slope. Cross a footbridge over Devil’s Water, then climb up stone steps to reach a track.
Turn right to follow the track a little downhill, then uphill.Nunsbrough Wood is managed by the Woodland Trust, while a nearby wildflower meadow is designated access land. Turn left down a path to enter the meadow at a gate and stile, turning right to follow a path through it. Cross a little footbridge and walk upstream beside Devil’s Water, towards a fine house and garden at Peth Foot. Before reaching the house, turn left to cross a footbridge. The Travellers Rest lies uphill off-route, offering food, drink and accommodation.
Turn right to continue along Devil’s Water, crossing a footbridge over a little inflowing stream. Walk through dense forest until the path drifts uphill away from the river and reaches a road. (Turning left uphill leads off-route to Dukesfield Hall Farm bed and breakfast.) Turn right down the road, but don’t cross a bridge at the bottom, instead turning left along a broad track. Crossing the bridge allows walkers to reach a bed and breakfast at Juniper.
Again, the route traces Devil’s Water upstream through a wooded valley, passing a curious ruin that was once a smelt mill. The track later leaves the forest and heads through fields to reach a house at Redlead Mill. Walk straight past the house and through a gate to continue further upstream.
The track ahead was used by both Wade and Roberts, but is not a right of way. It leads further upstream, then pulls away from the river and climbs to a bend on a quiet road near Viewley.
To stay on rights of way, however, turn left after leaving Redlead Mill and follow the track away from the river, then head right along a forest path. Continue up through fields and keep left of the farm buildings at Steel Hall. Turn right to follow a track past the farm and across fields to pass a solitary byre. Enter a forest and walk straight ahead to reach the bend on the road near Viewley.
