Route: Corbridge
Area: Northumberland
Date of walk: 9th August 2019
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 5.1 miles
Ascent: 150 feet
Weather: Sunshine and showers, warm
The weather this morning was miserable, with heavy rain and thick cloud just as forecast, and we abandoned any hopes of a walk. We decided to visit Hexham Abbey, which is close to our base in Corbridge this week. The abbey is one of the earliest seats of Christianity in England, and is an evocative place steeped in history. I hope that the few photos of the abbey which follow will capture some of that history
Later in the day the weather unexpectedly improved and provided a window of opportunity for a walk. Corbridge was the obvious choice, as we’d be able to start directly from our rented cottage near the centre of the village. From Princes Street, we crossed the River Tyne via the seven arched Corbridge Bridge which was completed in 1674
At the end of the bridge we turned right to follow the path along the floodbank in the direction of Dilston. We didn’t have sufficient time to walk as far as Dilston, since we also wished to visit the Roman Town of Corbridge. At a point where Devil’s Water flows into the Tyne we retraced our steps back along the path and over Corbridge Bridge
At the north end of the bridge we joined a path along the other bank of the Tyne, which eventually left its banks and, after a short road section, brought us to Corbridge Roman Town, under the stewardship of English Heritage. After wandering around the ancient and well preserved ruins of the roman town we walked back into Corbridge to complete our walk
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
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Hexham Abbey - there has been a church on this site for more than 1,300 years, and the Saxon crypt and apse still remain
A few photos of the interior of the Abbey...
We returned to the car in heavy rain, having given up on the idea of a walk today...
The War Memorial in Hexham Park at the end of our short visit to Hexham
Later that day, back in Corbridge, a sudden change in the weather and we decided to explore the village, which has been our base for this short stay in Northumberland
Starting from the village centre we walk towards ancient Corbridge Bridge
From the bridge, looking west along the River Tyne...
...and now looking east
A view back to Corbridge
We turn right at the end of the bridge
We follow a path along the top of the flood defence
Looking back to the bridge
We pass by the remains of the southern end of old Roman bridge, which was built to carry Dere Street (the Roman road from York to Scotland) over the River Tyne
We wanted to visit the Roman town on the other bank of the river, and were running out of time, so retraced our steps from this point
We re-cross Corbridge Bridge
At the other end of the bridge we turn left to follow a path by the north bank of the River Tyne
Looking across the river, where we'd been walking a few minutes earlier
We continue along the attractive path...
At a bend in the river, the path turns inland and we pass by an old millhouse
We arrive at Corbridge Roman town, which was the most northerly town in the Roman Empire
Looking towards Corbridge village...
There's much to see here, including the Corbridge Hoard - a wooden chest containing objects buried by a Roman soldier some 1,800 years earlier
At the end of a fascinating visit we returned into Corbridge village, passing by St Andrew's Church
Street scenes in Corbridge at the end of our walk...
