Bill's Walks

Another Walk in Geltsdale

Filed under: Other

Distance: 11 miles

Start: Castle Carrock Village

Click to view start position on Google Maps

Map: OS Landranger 86 – Haltwhistle and Brampton

This new walk around Geltsdale (see also Cold Fell and Geltsdale and Space and Solitude in Upper Geltsdale”) starts in Castle Carrock and begins by going up the Brampton road to turn left on to the bridleway just past the Village Shop. After a short distance across two fields it reaches a bridleway heading north to south and this is taken north for about one mile to the ford and bridge over Castle Carrock Beck which is crossed to return to the Brampton Road. Here we go north for about 250 yards to a stile on your right signposted to Talkin. Note the deep chasm of the Gelt which is crossed on the way. Here you go north-east diagonally across the field to a gate which picks up the track to Hill House Farm. Do not brag about your walking prowess here as the farmer is an accomplished walker who in 2009 completed the circuit of Mont Blanc! At the end of the farmyard is a track but instead go across the farm to the top left hand corner where there is a waymark. The route which is waymarked continues in a north-east direction with the wall on your left to reach Talkin village at the Blacksmiths Arms via a stone stile.

At the village cross roads on your left continue straight ahead along the road and in just less than one mile you reach the Tarn End Hotel. This was until quite recently a lovely hotel which is now sadly in serious disrepair. Go through the kissing gate to Talkin Tarn. You can go round the tarn on either side. Talkin Tarn is a Country Park of about 120 acres and the circuit of the tarn is about one mile. A pleasant spot with interesting birdlife in the winter. There are toilets and a cafe and gift shop at the northern end. Leave by the footpath about 100 yards to the east of the cafe and follow the road to Brampton station to the right where you go over the station footbridge. Here turn left on to a track beside the platform and head north-west alongside Rowbank Wood. You pass under the A69 Brampton bypass after half a mile and a further half a mile or so brings you into Brampton village itself.

Brampton is an interesting place with good facilities and two good churches. The Old Church, about one mile to the north-west (at GR510616), is on the site of a Roman fort and is partly built of Roman stone. It is situated on the banks of the River Irthing on Old Church Lane off the Longtown Rd. St Martins in the village has stained glass windows designed by Edward Bourne-Jones. Regrettably the pubs are not up to the standard of those at Talkin or Castle Carrock so save your money.

Head for St Martins Church and then go left on the Carlisle road which turns half left after a few yards and after about 200 yards take the footpath through a kissing gate on the left marked to Capon Tree Road. This is followed for half a mile to the road which is crossed to pick up the footpath waymarked Low Gelt Wood. You soon pass the Capon Tree Memorial and then reach a gate.

HERE IT IS NECESSARY TO CROSS THE A69, TAKE GREAT CARE AS TRAFFIC HERE IS FAST!

Follow the road ahead on the other side and in half a mile arrive at Low Gelt Bridge at GR520591. At the bridge turn left following the path to Middle Gelt Bridge which is nearly two miles upstream. Gelt Woods are a RSPB reserve where you can find woodpeckers and pied flycatchers among the beech, birch, ash and old oak trees. It is twinned with Poiplie Nature Reserve in Poland. Note the bird hides made of oak and bracken to a Celtic design. The riverside route can be difficult in times of flood but there is an alternative where you head up about 250 yards downstream from Low Gelt. You pass through the Roman Quarry, now 2000 years old. The inscriptions which are high up can only be read by taking a ladder and climbing the quarry face. They are now fading and by all accounts not as legible as in the 1800s.

Cross the river at Middle Gelt and take the Greenwell road going under the viaduct and virtually immediately turning left on the path alongside the river to reach Greenside Farm after half a mile. Go along the access road leaving the Gelt and stay on the bridleway which soon reaches the ford and bridge passed on the way out. Here stay on the bridleway all the way south to arrive at the west end of Castle Carrock village where you then turn left back to the start.