Our walk started on the lane leading to Edlingham Church and Castle. In Old English, Edlingham means 'homestead of the sons of Eadwulf' and has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon period.
Edlingham Castle and railway viaduct. |
The castle, set in the valley of the Edlingham Burn was originally built around 1250 by John de Edlingham as a two-storey moated manor house.
Ownership passed through several hands until being abandoned in 1650, being in ruins by the end of the 17th century.
In the distance the railway viaduct can be seen; a striking reminder of the Cornhill branch line of the 1880's which closed in 1953.
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We travelled south-west along the lane leading from the church, walking straight on instead of following the road to the right. After passing through Demesne we turned left along a track heading due south along the route of the 'Devil's Causeway', an old Roman Road, until reaching the B6341.
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Ken and Jimmy on footbridge along route of Devil's Causeway |
After crossing the road we continued walking on the footpath, climbing, with Caller Crag on our left. Here we stopped for a coffee break.
We continued until we reached the wood, passed through a gate, turned sharp right along a fence then left through a cut in the forest. The footpath continued past Wellhope until reaching some crags at (127053) near where a cup and ring marked rock is shown on the map. Here we had our lunch.
We spent time to try and find the cup and ring marked rock without success. Continuing on the path to Snook Bank, after the buildings we turned sharp left, passing through fields to Glantlees, and then turned left on to a minor road (148056).
After passing through the hamlet of Sheil Dykes we followed the bridleway turning left just before reaching a gravel pit. We turned right after the gravel pit (149074) to join a footpath.
We followed the footpath through Phyllis's Plantation and Stirkhill Plantation, walking by Mare's Rigg.
Shortly after Mare's Rigg there is a steep decline where care has to be taken to avoid going off the path resulting in difficult walking through rough bracken and heather (as we found to our cost).
When we reached the main road we turned right then left on the minor road back to the cars.
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