The Reivers Way. Paddy Dillon
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cattle was enclosed within parkland at Chillingham, and since then has had no interaction with other cattle, or much interaction with human beings either, so visitors can observe how the habits of the ‘wild’ Chillingham herd differ from those of domesticated cattle.
The Reivers Way runs almost all the way round Northumberland, which is excellent cattle country
Apart from farm stock, or feral goats in the Cheviot Hills, other large mammals that can be seen around Northumberland include shy roe deer, generally seen grazing the margins of forests at dawn and dusk, along with rabbits, foxes and badgers. Britain’s most northerly colony of dormice are found at Allen Banks, and the elusive otter can be spotted, with patience, beside rivers, ponds or on the coast.
Reptiles are seldom seen, but adders and grass snakes are present, along with slow worms and common lizards. Amphibians such as frogs are more likely to be visible, while toads and newts are much less common.
The heather moorlands of Northumberland are managed for grouse shooting, and apart from large populations of red grouse, there are a few black grouse in the region. Late spring and early summer are important times for breeding birds. Cuckoos will be heard as they advance northwards, while skylark, lapwing, snipe and curlew are often seen on broad moorlands. The curlew is the emblem of the Northumberland National Park. Watch out for buzzards and kestrels in open areas. Herons fish in ponds and watercourses, while dippers and grey wagtails will completely submerge themselves in rivers.
On the coast, and more particularly on the Farne Islands, thousands of pairs of breeding birds fill every possible nook and cranny to rear their young. Most notable are the puffins, with guillemots, shags and razorbills also seen in great numbers. Raucous arctic and sandwich terns, kittiwakes and other members of the gull family are also present. The autumn and winter months are notable for an influx of wildfowl, especially around Budle Bay and Lindisfarne. Be ready for surprises – old gravel pits in Coquetdale have been transformed into wildlife habitats that are now popular with bird-watchers.
The emblem of the Northumberland National Park is a curlew, commonly seen and heard on the moorlands
ACCESS LAND AND THE CROW ACT
When Harold Wade walked the Reivers Way in 1975, he didn’t always follow rights of way. When James Roberts walked the route in 1992, he made sweeping changes to ensure that rights of way were always followed. In a couple of instances, both Wade and Roberts followed roads when they could have used nearby rights of way. Things have changed over the years, and most rights of way are clearly signposted and waymarked. Indeed, a couple of places that once lacked rights of way now have them. Furthermore, large areas of open moorland have been designated ‘access land’ under the Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act 2000. Routes that Wade ‘trespassed’ upon, and Roberts saw fit to avoid, are now available to walkers, and therefore included in this guidebook.
‘Access land’ should not be regarded as offering unlimited access. Some areas are indeed open all the time, but others are ‘restricted’, and can be closed for various reasons, including grouse shooting and the movement of animals. Access land on the Reivers Way will either be available to walkers all of the time, or at least most of the time, so it will usually be possible to stay high and follow Harold Wade’s original route. Just in case the land is closed for any reason, the low-level detours made by Roberts serve as alternative routes. It is possible to check in advance whether access land is open or closed by going to www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk. It is also likely that notices will be posted at the main access points indicating the nature of any closures.
TRAVEL TO NORTHUMBERLAND
By Air
The most convenient airport for the Reivers Way is Newcastle Airport, tel 0871 8821121, www.newcastleairport.com, which has good connections with the rest of Britain, as well as several European cities. The Metro system links the airport with Newcastle Central Station every few minutes for onward travel.
By Sea
Ferries reach Newcastle from Amsterdam, bringing the Reivers Way within easy reach of the Low Countries. Check ferry schedules with DFDS Seaways, tel 0871 5229955, www.dfdsseaways.co.uk. DFDS runs its own buses between the ferryport and Newcastle Central Station for onward travel.
By Rail
Cross Country trains provides direct long-distance rail access to Newcastle and Alnmouth from Exeter, Bristol, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow, tel 0844 8110124, www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk. Newcastle also has direct National Express East Coast rail services from London Kings Cross and Edinburgh, www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com. Rail services between Carlisle and Newcastle are operated by Northern Rail, www.northernrail.org, which also operates between Alnmouth and Newcastle.
By Bus
National Express runs direct services from London Victoria Coach Station to Newcastle, as well as direct services from Edinburgh and Wrexham, passing through Otterburn, tel 0871 7818181, www.nationalexpress.com. Some long-distance Arriva buses operate to Newcastle, and the city is one of the hubs in their network, tel 0870 1201088, www.arrivabus.co.uk. Classic Coaches offer an interesting, regular cross-country service from Blackpool to Newcastle, www.classic-coaches.co.uk.
TRAVEL AROUND NORTHUMBERLAND
By Train
Regular daily trains from Newcastle serve the start and finish of the Reivers Way, Corbridge and Alnwick. Services from Newcastle to Corbridge are operated by Northern Rail, www.northernrail.org. Services from Alnmouth to Newcastle are operated by Cross Country trains, www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk, and Northern Rail, www.northernrail.org.
By Bus
Arriva North East provides the bulk of bus services out of Newcastle, www.arrivabus.co.uk. There are also half-a-dozen minor bus operators providing useful rural services around different parts of Northumberland, and these are mentioned in the guidebook where appropriate.
Traveline and Taxis
It can be frustrating trying to gather individual public transport leaflets, and there is no comprehensive public transport guide covering Northumberland. However, details of all modes of transport to the area can be checked with Transport Direct, www.transportdirect.info. Public transport in and around the county can be checked with Traveline North East, tel 0871 2002233, www.travelinenortheast.info. If a taxi is needed at any point and you don’t have any local numbers, call the National Taxi Hotline – on 0800 654321 – and they will connect you with the nearest taxi in the scheme, so that you can negotiate a journey and check the price.
Some places have very little accommodation, such