Forthcoming Walks and Events

All walks start at 10.00am unless otherwise stated

Sunday 7th December      Powburn/Beanley

Saturday 13th December  Christmas Meal at Laird’s House, Bedlington

Sunday 14th December    Bedlington Blue Plaque Trail 

and for the start of 2026......

Sunday 4th January  Alnwick Greenway Circular

Friday 9th January    Amble Old Customs House (Branch Lines)

Sunday 18th January Newcastle University’s School of Computing

Sunday 1st February Ponteland Circular  

Sunday 15th February  East Chevington Nature Reserve

Sunday 1st March     Ingoe Circular

Sunday 15th March   Seaton Sluice/Holywell Dene Circular

Sunday  29th March  South Shields Circular

You will soon be able to see our 2026 Annual Programme of Walks, Meanwhile our 2025  Annual Programme of walks or  click on this link to download a copy as a PDF file

Please check our Guidance page, if you are unsure of anything, which helps to make our group walks so enjoyable

Walk Information

If in doubt about any aspect of a forthcoming walk, please contact the walk leader for advice. Phone numbers are in the walk details in Trackchat. If, on your journey, you become aware that you may be late for the start, please ring the walk leader as it may be possible for the group to wait for you.

Reminder

Members, please make sure you have your current membership card with you and that it is easily accessible in your rucksack.

It is the responsibility of each member to carry their own first aid kit with them.

Sunday 7th December    Powburn/ Beanley Circular

Start Point:      Private car park immediately right after the Plough Inn before crossing the bridge in Powburn village. Although there are signs suggesting the car park is private, special dispensation has been obtained from the owner so our being there will be allowed on the day.

Grade:       Moderate for distance. For those who find walks over 6 miles too much then this is not for you.

Walk leader:    George Sainthouse

W3W:         polka.referral.profiled

How to get there: Powburn is on the A697 and is easily accessible from all parts of Northumberland.

This is a reasonably simple walk described as moderate for its 8.5 mile distance. It is a circular walk taking in former railway routes, along farm roads and forest trails. The walk undulates and gentle hills (not mountains) will add interest!

Enjoy!

Saturday 13th December Club Christmas Dinner

Venue:   The Laird’s House, 40 W End Front St, Bedlington, NE22 5UB

Wheelchair access is available

Car Park:   Postcode for car park is : NE22 6JX. This is a free car park behind the Laird’s House and uphill from Lidl.

Time: TBC nearer the time by email but provisionally booked for 12.30pm dining.

Sunday 14th December Bedlington Blue Plaque Walk

Start Point & Car Parking: Attlee Park Car Park on east side of Bedlington NE22 5AB

Distance:                 5 or 6 miles

Leaders:                  Alison Waters

Grade:                     Easy overall but woodland paths could be muddy, undulating with loose stones and possible tree roots.

How to get there: Attlee Park is on the A193 which connects Blyth to Bedlington.

Walk Description: Bedlington played a pivotal role in the Industrial Revolution and is especially rich in railway history. Some of the town centre buildings form a Conservation Area which we will explore.

We will walk along the River Blyth through Humford Woods. Once we approach the town centre after some countryside walking, the Blue Plaque Trail will take us along Front St and back down to the car park.

Sunday 4th January 2026 – Alnwick Greenway Circular

Start Time:              10.30am  (M&S Foodhall open at 10am)

Parking & Start Point: Willowburn Retail Park outside Starbucks

Leaders:                 Alison Waters and George Sainthouse

Grade:                     Easy

Distance:                6½miles                 

How to Get there: Take the first turnoff from A1 marked as Alnwick/Alnmouth A1068. At the roundabout turn left. At the next roundabout turn left  then left again before a zebra crossing. Follow the road past B&M Garden Shop into retail park car park. Park near NEXT and Starbucks then meet outside Starbucks.

The Walk: We will walk from the Retail Park to the start of the Alnwick Greenway. This is Phase One of a larger project to create a shared walking/cycling route ultimately from Alnwick to Cornhill, near Coldstream, by opening up old railway track. Part of the route will be the drier cycleway, and the rest of the way is likely to be a bit rougher with mud so poles advisable.

Friday 9th January           Amble Old Customs House (BRANCH LINES)

Something new for 2026.

Most members love the Society’s fortnightly walks, but some now find themselves struggling with distance, stiles or uneven terrain. Since we want to offer walking opportunities to all NRWS members we hope a new venture alongside the regular twice a month walks programme might appeal. What better time to give it a try than in a new year when our Society celebrates its fortieth anniversary?

Therefore, Jennifer Graham and Marion would like to invite members to join them on a monthly morning walk of about one to two miles at a leisurely pace featuring coffee shop breaks with perhaps an option for lunch. Just coming along for a cuppa and chat would be great too.

To set the ball rolling we propose meeting on Friday 9th January at 10.30a.m for an inaugural Amble Ramble meeting at The Old Customs House.

There are a number of pay and display car parks in Amble as well as free on street parking. The nearest carpark to the Old Customs House is probably the Harbour Road car park (NE65 0AP).

Our plan is to walk along the harbour and out along the pier before returning via the Little Shore. We hope to have a coffee/lunch stop at The Old Customs House—they will be open that day and expect us at 11.30am. We would like to meet again on Friday 13th February and Friday 13th March—venues yet to be decided.

If you fancy coming along you will be most welcome. Jennifer and I hate being “Johnny no mates”!

Sunday 18th January – Tour of Newcastle University’s School of Computing (on the Newcastle Helix site) & Discovery Museum, Enigma Gallery.

Time:     10:30 am

Distance: 1.2 miles

Leader: Brian Randell

Meet at: Central Rail Station under the portico

Description We’ll walk (28 minutes) to Newcastle University’s School of Computing, passing a fine stretch of the Medieval City Wall.  After visiting the School’s Historic Computing Display, we’ll then walk the short distance to the Discovery Museum (free) and visit the small but excellent Enigma Cipher Machine Gallery. Some might then wish to spend more time exploring the Museum, have lunch in its Turbinia café, or eat their packed lunches at the indoor picnic benches. (The distance quoted assumes a direct return to the Station).

Sunday 1st February 2026 – Ponteland Circular

Leader:          George Sainthouse

Grade:            Easy

Start Point:    W3W: Costumed.squaring.greet

Distance:       7½ miles

The Walk: This is an easy circular walk of approx 7.5 miles beginning at the leisure centre heading initially towards the airport, thereafter crossing fields in the direction of Darras Hall housing estate. The walk leads us through the estate via various routes passing many of the North East’s most imposing properties. Escaping therefrom we head back out into the countryside basically following the path of the river Pont ending eventually back through the park in Ponteland and to our cars.

Sunday 15th February – East Chevington Nature Reserve Loop

Distance:       6½ miles

Leader:          Alison Waters

Grade:            Easy

Parking and Start Point Red Row Welfare Football Field. I have permission for us to have free parking here using the 6 spaces at the gate. More space may be available depending on football fixtures. It is also possible to park on the adjacent road.

How to get there Driving north on the A1068 once past the Widdrington Roundabout turn off left for Red Row. Turn right at the Gingerbread Café and pass The Brick Club. Turn left through metal gates into Red Row Welfare and park. At the time of writing the sign was obscured by foliage. This is just before you would rejoin the A1068.

The Walk We will be walking on good flat easy paths with access to several bird hides. We’ll call in at a couple so bring binoculars, especially the birders amongst us. We will stop for lunch at Druridge Country Park Visitors’ Centre which has toilets and food available. We will proceed along the beach/sand dunes and then come back into the nature reserve. This is mainly a haven for small creatures such as butterflies and birds so I’m not promising sweeping herds of wildebeest.

Sunday 1st. March 2026 – Ingoe Circular

Leader:          George Sainthouse

Start Point:    W3W : Nitrate.imparting.vines.

Grade:            Easy/Moderate

Distance:       7½miles.

How to Get there: Head to Belsay on the B6524from  Morpeth or the A696 from the Newcastle area if travelling via Ponteland. Stay on the A696 heading north through Belsay then take a left onto the B6309 till signs for Wallridge and Ingoe appear. Leave the B6309 drive through Wall ridge and arrive at Ingoe. Park through the village next to a ‘no longer used’ bus shelter.

The walk: Described as easy/moderate, the walk is between 7 and 8 miles mostly along easy to follow paths and roads. In places, very brief, the terrain is uneven and requires a degree of care, but it is well within our group’s capabilities. The final stretch is a gentle uphill stroll whereafter a short mini detour will take us to an ancient stone edifice known as the Warrior Stone. ( Not quite Stonehenge) but interesting maybe. Coffee and cake at The Blacksmith to end the day.

Sunday 15th March – Seaton Sluice Holywell Dene circular

Distance:       7-7½ miles

Leaders:        Margaret and Roger

Start point:    Fountain Head Car park. Seaton Sluice  

W3W:             /// always.alive.quite

This should get you to the access road to the car park off the big roundabout on the A193. If this car park is full you may need to park nearer to the Waterford Arms or the King’s Arms pubs.

Walk details. 5 easy stiles and one steep flight of steps near the beginning. We follow the Seaton Burn for a while then up the steps. After that we walk through fields, with views of Delaval Hall and its Obelisk and end up on the path of the old Blyth and Tyne railway. We then walk past the Holywell Pond Nature Reserve and round back to the wagonway. Then we head into the dene following the burn, ending up back in Seaton Sluice.

Sunday 29th March – South Shields Circular

Car Parking & Start Point: Mill Dam Car Park (free), Daltons Lane, South Shields NE33 1EX

W3W:              plots.posts.onion

Distance:       6½ miles

Leaders:        Dave & Eleanor Haddon  

Grade:            Easy walking on pavements, tarmacked surfaces, muddy paths, grass and a beach

How to get there

By Car - A1 south to A19. Drive on A19 to Jarrow. PLEASE NOTE TOLL FEES AT TYNE TUNNEL. At Jarrow Interchange, take the 2nd exit onto Straker Street / A185. Continue straight onto Jarrow Road / A194 following signs for South Shields. At a roundabout by ASDA, take the 2nd exit onto Harton Quay and then onto Brewery Lane (35 mins from Morpeth 21 miles distance)

By Metro: Mill Dam Car Park is 10 mins walk from South Shields metro station.

By Ferry: Mill Dam Cark Par is 6 mins walk from Shields Ferry Landing (South Shields)

Walk Description a circular walk which starts with a 2½ mile route through urban and residential areas. We take a coffee stop at Trow point, then beach or promenade walking with a lunch break at Marine Park.  Then riverside walking back to the start point. Lots of interesting things to see.