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The Falstone Circular Walk is a lovely little ramble around dramatic riverbanks and an old railway line. The old railway line you follow on the walk was once part of the Border Counties Railway which was in use between 1862 and 1958. Imagine steam trains bound north for Riccarton over the Scottish border – an easier journey than by car today.
Calculated time: 1h05[?] 
Distance : 2.21mi
Vertical gain : 49ft
Vertical drop : 52ft
Highest point : 515ft
Lowest point : 440ft 
Difficulty : Easy
Back to starting point : Yes
Walking
Location : Northumberland
Starting point : N 55.180484° / W 2.435595° (D/A) Turn left out of the car park and walk to the road junction. Turn left again and head for the railway arch. Go under the arch and then left up a track leading to a gate which brings you on to the course of the old railway line. From here you can see the top of Kielder Dam. The track is level easy walking and brings you past a row of houses built for forestry workers. As the track emerges from a shallow cutting the view ahead opens out to reveal the old farm of Hawkhope (meaning ‘hawk valley’).
(1) The railway track now joins a forestry track. Turn left on to the track, cross over the Hawkhope Burn, almost hidden among the alder trees, and turn left again down the track to the Farm. Pass through the gate and continue along the road through open pasture and over a hump-back bridge crossing the Hawkhope Burn. The fenced areas on the sides of the burn enclose a conservation project managed by local volunteers. The next gate takes you into the show field, where the Falstone Border Shepherds’ Show is held every year in August. The route now runs alongside the River North Tyne, a favourite spot with fishermen hoping to catch trout and salmon. The route brings you back towards the village.
(2) At the bend in the road by the tennis courts take the path alongside the river as it bends back away from the village. In summer it is aglow with wildflowers. Continue through a wicket gate until the path opens out at a wide sweeping corner of the river. Situated here is the sculpture ‘Stell’. Follow the path to the stone bridge. At the bridge, bear left and head through a wicket gate ahead and in between a group of conifers until the path emerges on to the road and leads back to the tearooms. Tea anyone? (D/A)
Waypoints :
D/A : mi 0 - alt. 466ft - Car park
1 : mi 0.89 - alt. 512ft - Hawkhope
2 : mi 1.59 - alt. 449ft - Path alongside the river
D/A : mi 2.21 - alt. 463ft - Car park
Car Parking and Toilets: Falstone Old School Tearooms
Local Services: Falstone, Kielder, Bellingham
National Park Information Point: Falstone Tearooms
Terrain: Well signposted paths and tracks with one or two muddy sections
Getting there
From the south/east/west (A69): Near Hexham leave the A69 and take the A6079 north. Turn left onto B6318 to Chollerford and at the roundabout take B6320 signposted for Bellingham. From Bellingham turn left and follow the tourism signs for Kielder Water and Forest. Just before Kielder reservoir turn right into Falstone.
Park in the Old School Tearooms car park.
From the north (A68): Follow the A68 south from Jedburgh then take the B6320 to Bellingham. From Bellingham follow the tourism signs for Kielder Water and Forest. Just before Kielder reservoir turn right into Falstone. Park in the Old School Tearooms car park.
Public Transport
For information on public transport contact Traveline
Tel: 08706 082608
Visorando and this author cannot be held responsible in the case of accidents or problems occuring on this walk.
Local facilities
Falstone Old School Tearooms welcomes walkers and cyclists and offer home cooked food, teas and coffee, lunches and cakes. Local crafts are also on sale. The Blackcock Inn at Falstone and the Pheasant Inn at Stannersburn offer bar meals and snacks.
It’s worth popping into Falstone Village Hall (open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings) to see the Falstone tapestry and the many old photographs of Falstone. The Jubilee Garden, a community project, provides an attractive place to sit, picnic and play.
The nearby Kielder Water and Forest Park has attractions and activities for all the family.
Points of Interest
The old railway line you follow on the walk was once part of the Border Counties Railway which was in use between 1862 and 1958. Imagine steam trains bound north for Riccarton over the Scottish border - an easier journey than by car today.
Falstone folk are very proud of the Stell, their very own sculpture inspired by the area’s rich natural and cultural history and a record of place names now submerged beneath Kielder Water. Artist Colin Wilbourn worked with local people to produce this artwork in 2006.
Falstone Old School Tearooms are housed in the village's old Victorian schoolhouse. Pupils once rode into the school from the outlying farms and left their horses at the stables - now the kitchen! Northumberland National Park Authority worked with the local community to renovate the building in 2004, incorporating many innovative renewable energy features.
The dam which dominates the skyline for much of the walk holds back the Kielder Water reservoir which opened in 1982. It is surrounded by Kielder Forest - forestry has been and still is a significant industry and employer in the area.
2.6mi
+171ft
-171ft
1h20
Easy
Starting point in Tarset - Northumberland A lovely walk along the stream of Greenhaugh Burn, along country lanes and through the fields from Greenhaugh, with some great views across the Tarset Valley. During July and August, you will be able to see some of our beautiful hay meadows full of incredible wildflowers.
2.89mi
+348ft
-348ft
1h35
Easy
Starting point in Bellingham - Northumberland Hareshaw Linn is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), designated for its rare ferns and lichen. More than 300 different types of mosses, liverworts and lichen can be found. The ‘Linn’ is also home to red squirrel, great spotted woodpecker, wood warbler, spotted flycatcher, badger and Daubenton's bat.
6.95mi
+535ft
-531ft
3h35
Average
Starting point in Henshaw - Northumberland This walk covers a section of Hadrian's Wall. Starting from Steel Rigg, Northumbria National Park, the route includes a visit to Housesteads Fort and the dramatic scenery of Hotbank Crags and Crag Lough. The route along the wall has many ups and downs but does provide you with a chance to walk in the footsteps of the Roman Legions.
3.46mi
+203ft
-213ft
1h45
Easy
Starting point in Henshaw - Northumberland A circular walk along one of the most scenic sections of Hadrian’s Wall involves some short, sharp ascents.
8.56mi
+587ft
-561ft
4h20
Average
Starting point in Bardon Mill - Northumberland This Northumberland walk includes Hadrian's Wall and the Pennine Way. The route crosses some rough ground which can be rather boggy after heavy rain.
7.97mi
+676ft
-666ft
4h10
Average
Starting point in Bardon Mill - Northumberland This Northumbria walk explores one of the more dramatic sections of Hadrian's Wall and also includes Vindolanda Roman Fort. This walk can also be undetaken using the Hadrian's Wall bus service AD122 which runs from April through to September.
4.85mi
+669ft
-656ft
2h45
Easy
Starting point in Bardon Mill - Northumberland The opportunity to visit the remains of two Roman Forts and walk along one of the best sections of Hadrian's Wall are the main features of this walk in the Northumberland National Park. The walking is generally easy and for the most part the walk follows well trodden routes.
1.83mi
+266ft
-266ft
1h00
Easy
Starting point in Greenhead - Northumberland Take a stroll to see Thirlwall Castle, a relic of troubled times between the 12th and 15th centuries.
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The GPS track and description are the property of the author.
