Hedgeley near Powburn

The Location

Just off the A697 beside Powburn, about 9 miles south of Wooler

What's there

A short, half hour walk around a nature reserve, by a river then back by a road. There is an option to visit a cafe and antique shop.

How to get there

Postcode for Satnav - NE66 4HU. This is for Hedgeley Station, the cottages where you turn off the A697. The car park is a short drive up this road.
Powburn village on the A697, about 9 miles south of Wooler and about 23 miles north of Morpeth. Coming from the south, drive right through the village, continue past the Esso garage, then turn right just past the last house in the village, signposted Bolton,Titlington. This turn is quite narrow and easily missed. Coming from the north, as you enter the village you cross a bridge over the river Breamish. turn left about 50 yards past the bridge, just before the first house. The car park is about 300 yards up this road on the left.
Beware! Northumbria Police often park their mobile speed check van in this village and it is painted up so it does not look like a police van from a distance.

The Walk

Click here to see a detailed routemap of the walk. It will open in a new tab.
From the car park, take the small gate on the east that leads into the field by the lakes. Follow the path over the field to another gate that leads you through to a trackway. turn left here, then follow the trackway as it winds around the lake and on to the river Breamish. Now follow the trackway by the river, until it crosses the river on a bridge. Don't cross over, but continue along a pathway on the south side of the river. Follow the path along as it narrows then goes between gorse bushes, until you see the remains of an old railway bridge that once crossed the river. Just before the bridge, take the path on the left through a small gate and follow it along then up a short rise onto the track of the old railway. Follow the railway along until you reach the road that leads back to the car park. This road is usually quite quiet, you might see more horses on it than cars.

Another option for this walk is, when you reach the roadway at the end of the railway track, turn right, then left onto the the path by the A697. This is a busy road. A short way into the village you will find a small antique shop, a garage that sells snacks and takeaway coffe, and a cafe behind the garage that is sometimes open. Once you stock up, continue walking alongside the noisy road into the village, and just before the bend for the bridge, take the roadway that runs past a green hut (it was there in 2020). This roadway leads to a path that runs alongside the Pow Burn, then past a wood and eventually rejoins the Bolton road near the car park.