After being dropped off at Catton we walked south for a while on the B6295 before, just after crossing the East Allen, we joined a footpath on our right, the path following the river to Oakpool. Here we turned left onto a lane and walked steeply uphill to join a path on our right which took us to Hindley Hill then towards Hindley Wrae.
View from Monk Wood towards Whitfield Hall
The tranquility was spoilt by the sound of a constant barrage of shotgun fire from the vicinity of Whitfield Hall. We had visions of thousands of birds being blown out of the sky but it turned out they were clay pigeon shooting - probably practicing for the "glorious 12th". Before reaching Hindley Wrea we turned left and followed the path, passing some estate workers firing clay pigeons, through Monk Wood, to a road.
We turned right to across Blueback Bridge at Whitfield, the Elks Head pub invitingly coming into view up ahead. A quick stop for refreshments then we backtracked a bit up the lane to join a track taking us through Monk and Monk Wood to Gate House where we bore left keeping Gate House Burn on the right soon reaching a lane. Here we turned right then left at the T junction to join a footpath almost immediately to our right.
An action shot near Ripley Carrs trig point.
Soon we left the right of way (NY794545) to make our way steadily uphill over rough ground in an effort to locate the trig point at Ripley Carrs - it turned out to be hidden behind a dry stone wall.
Ahead we could see two chimneys - we headed for the one on the right, the shorter of the two.
Sheltering from the wind in an Allendale Chimney.
From here we could see the two huge flues which snake up the hillside from Allendale.
They were designed to draw the toxic fumes of lead-smelting away from the settlement but a by product of this was that the lead and silver residues could then be collected from the walls of the chimney. This recovery, often carried out by young boys, was a dangerous and dirty job as there were poisonous substances present in the residues.
This flue system is one of the best preserved in England and as a scheduled monument is protected by law.
From here we followed the line of the flue until we reached a road which we took us into Allendale.
