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Ok! ...... So this a little way from Rothbury. But just in case you are interested there are a quite a few fascinating walks in the area of Old Bewick. Park your car at the side of the road to Alnwick (B6346), and follow the signed pathway to Blaewearie. The hill to your right abounds in prehistory and there is a well defined path from the second gate to the top.
First, there are the Cup & Ring marks that seem to abound in
Northumberland, usually close to iron age camps. These were originally thought
to be unique to Northumberland but are
now known to be
found in many other areas, both in Britain and abroad. In Britain they are about
4,000 - 5,000 years old. Generally they consist of concentric circles carved into the surface of the rock, with grooved channels linking various sets of rings, small hollows and horseshoe shaped grooves. The meaning and purpose are still a mystery although some consider them to be associated with burial practices or religious rituals. In any event they are normally to be found on high ground with excellent views over the surrounding countryside. There are two large rocks on either side of a fence clearly showing cup and ring marks and it was here in the 1820s that they were first recognised as being of immense archaeological importance. The leading local authority on cup & ring marks is Stan Beckinsall who has made it his life's work to catalogue and document them. Wander along the top of the hill searching for other interesting finds such as the World War II pill box, now a listed building or the iron age fort. Amazing place! Beautiful views! A
mile further on, past a burial cairn lies Blaewearie, a deserted farmhouse
set among a few trees and which really merits a page in its own right.
Situated in the middle of a wild moor in perfect peace and tranquillity, this a magical place. Now a ruin, it was once home to the Rogerson family, the last members leaving in the 40's. The original house was 3 bed roomed, one upstairs with windows facing Old Bewick, one to the right of the front door, and the third through the living room with its window hidden by a bush. The living room was quite large with a kitchen range, and the scullery was to the right of the front door. The white gate at the right of the picture led into the garden and further down to the outside loo.
I am indebted to Mrs M. Anderson for the photograph and the above description. Remains of the outside privy still stand as does the remnants of a terraced garden, sheltered from the winds and once lovingly tended, but now neglected. Water from a spring, a warm roof over your head, plum and cherry trees, silence apart from the whistle of the wind; what more could you ask for? A peaceful, beautiful place! A mile and a half past Blaewearie stands Cateran Hill, just before you reach Quarry House. Just another hill in Northumberland and not even a particularly high one. So why the interest?
Well, at the top of the hill is a hole.
It is quite easy to walk past it, especially in the
Stone steps lead down to a tunnel entrance There is a stone bench to the right and the tunnel continues for some 100 ft until a large rock prevents further exploration. It is believed that the tunnel continues for another 200 ft past the blockage.
Some sources swear that it leads to the church in Old Bewick or Ros
Castle, or even Chillingham
Personally I think it a natural phenomenon used and enhanced by travellers, and you can certainly imagine smugglers hiding here on dark and stormy nights waiting for excise men to pass. After all this is on a main route to Scotland. Salt to Scotland: Whisky to England. Sounds good to me! The tunnel is high enough to stand even if you happen to be six foot tall, and the floor is fairly even. Remains of candles and matches are littered around and the roof contains a number of names and initials smoked on by previous visitors. So have you seen enough for one day? And so far we have not touched on all the other hill forts, burial cairns, bastles and follys hereabouts. Nor even Ros Castle with its superb views. Surely this area warrants a visit? |
At
the back of the house was a big walk-in pantry. Water was from a well in the
front of the house.
mist, or
even the summer, when
grass and heather are growing strongly.
Castle
a few miles down the road.
Castles were always supposed to have secret tunnels weren't they?