Lordenshaws  Walk  or  a  Trip  to  the  Equator

What a perfect day and what a beautiful drive over to Rothbury and back.  Driving past Cragside the golds and bronzes of the Larch and Beech trees were just glorious.  So too were the views, even if slightly hazy looking north and west with Rothbury nestled down in the valley.

It was lovely to have so many of us as we followed the grassy track to the Cup and Ring marked rock.  These are still a puzzle to archaeologists, but the local sandstone must have been wonderful for carving out the rings around the cups.  The Neolithic carvings are more than 3000 years old, and often along old tracks and or near later sites.

From here we wandered gently up hill through the outer gate and walls of the Romano-British Iron Age Hill Fort.  These are more likely to have been used for religious ceremonies and gatherings of the ‘clans’ than for fighting.  Despite 2000 or so years, the walls are still very visible, along with some round houses.

After wandering back to the carpark we then climbed the first part of the Simonside track.  The wonderful explanation board told us that once this area had been around the equator!  The path has been improved with large slabs from Yorkshire mills, themselves fascinating with their own history.

Another excellent walk – thank you Northumberland!                               Madeline