On one of those crisp autumn days with the sun shining on those gorgeous golden and auburn coloured leaves what can be better than a lovely woodland walk? Well, Northumberland has plenty of woodland walks to offer. Get your wellies on, grab a picnic basket and set yourself off and enjoy all the nature that will encircle you.
Hartburn is a charming little village in Northumberland where you can find one of the nicest short woodland walks in the area. It is known as one of the little gems in the county. This walk is suitable for any age group, including toddlers but just make sure to bring along suitable footwear. This walk truly is stunning with the sound of flowing water everywhere along the way as the burn tumbles down the valley. On this 3 mile walk make sure to keep your eyes peeled for red squirrels and no matter what age you are it’s always a bit of fun kicking the fallen autumn leaves and hearing the rustling sound of them with every step of the walk.
You can really engross yourself with nature on a wonderful woodland walk near Bellingham that follows the Hareshaw Dene up to The Linn, a 30ft waterfall! This walk is subsequently called Hareshaw Linn and has been enjoyed by the locals since the end of the 19th century. Along the 3 miles of beautiful woodland scenery there is a wide range of fauna and wildlife to be spotted so it is definitely a walk to take your time with.
Why not enjoy one of the classic childhood favourites…conker picking! Allen Banks woodland is one of the best places to find conkers. This can be a truly lovely way to spend an afternoon with the family on a beautiful autumns day. The horse chestnut trees in Allen Banks are scattered about in the woods so you may need to do a fair bit of exploring to see who can find the largest conker! Who would of thought that this simple pastime could be so much fun with the family? Allen Banks is one of the largest areas of ancient woodland in Northumberland so be sure to look out for the remains of a medieval Pele tower along the way and with over 70 species of birds spotted there really is plenty to keep your senses alert.
The 365 acres of Chillingham Park will definitely be a walk to remember with your friends and family with wildlife in abundance and with it being a somewhat historic walk due to Chillingham Castle being situated in this area. Most people know this 12th century castle to be Britain’s most haunted castle and it would be well worth a visit! These spectacular woodlands are home to a huge number of deer, red squirrels, badgers, foxes and rabbits so if you’re quiet you’ll be lucky enough to see the creatures of Chillingham Park. The wild cattle are a separate visitors attraction but you might catch a glimpse of them along your woodland walk. They are the only wild cattle left in the world and with the herd number being about 100 beasts; it makes them much more rare than the Giant Panda. This herd is said to be the only surviving one of the many that once roamed all of Britain’s forests. Chillingham Park has beautiful views across the Cheviots and offers a wonderful family day out.
Holystone Wood is nestled away in a tranquil corner of Coquetdale and has everything an autumnal, woodland walk can offer you. Steeped in history due to the 12th century nunnery that was built there and around which Holystone grew you can also admire all of the nature with the waterfalls, crags and plenty of aged woodland which looks pretty spectacular in the autumn as the colours of the leaves begin to change and glisten in the sunlight. In this part of the Northumberland National Park you can really escape from your thoughts and just soak up the glorious countryside views.
Other places that might be of interest to those of you who wish to go on a beautiful woodland walk in Northumberland would include Harwood Forest, Hepburn Wood and Thrunton Wood. So what are you waiting for? Grab those wellies out of your cupboard, kick up the vibrant autumn leaves, splash in puddles, hear the sound of tumbling waterfalls, see the sun shining through the leaves and watch the wildlife that will surround you in the otherwise complete silence and tranquillity.
