Beamish Causey Arch Circular

19^th May 2011

After fighting flu, battling bronchitis, visiting family, a break in Bruges and triumphing over trigeminal neuralgia we are eventually returning to our walks.

Today promised good weather and wanting a gentle outing we agreed on Beamish Causey circular walk a distance of 7 miles and only a short ride from home.

We parked at Eden Place picnic area very close to Beamish Open Air museum, well worth a visit make sure you allow a full day and preferably one with good weather!  http://www.beamish.org.uk 

Our walk skirted the museum boundary and we were soon in fields following the Beamish Burn. The eagle eyed project manager noticed tracks on the bank that may belong to an otter there was also poo nearby! but as neither of us is experts on otter dropping his suspicions could not be confirmed. Never the less the burn was teeming with life, midges, dragon flies, tadpoles, frogs and fish and maybe an otter the full food chain on view.

The woodland was carpeted with late spring and early summer bloom. May blossom  predominated with fading bluebells giving way to dog rose, wood sorrel, geranium, cow parsley and a few more I could not identify.

Even the hedge rows were attractive with a beautiful section in interlaced willow followed by brilliant yellow gorse like a guard of honour as we walked along a dusty track where numerous lady birds lay sunning themselves. Above us a red kite soared, unfortunately a bit too high on a thermal for us to appreciate his plumage.

The track brought us out at Beamish Hall, we had to walk on the minor road for a mile or so which was very quiet until we reach the busy A6076. Crossing here we arrived at the Causey Arch picnic site stopping for coffee and flap jack.

The http://www.tanfield-railway.co.uk passes alongside the picnic site, but only on weekends and bank holidays, a real treat for steam train enthusiast.

Continuing on our way we took the high path along the top of the gorge towards the scenic view of the Causey Arch. While taking this photo opportunity the very observant project manager called for silence, he thought a fox was in the nearby undergrowth, we held our breath and couldn’t believe our eyes when a deer scrambles out of the foliage onto the railway track allowing us a photograph before bounding off.

We followed the line of the woods then crossed the railway track heading up towards the meadow, this was the highest point. We could see Penshaw monument in the distance and a back plume of smoke over Tyneside where an industrial fire that was causing havoc to Byker.

Descending from here we again crossed the A6076 following the way marks past Causey Hall across the burn and into Beamish Woods. Its floor covered as far as the eye could see in wild garlic .

The meandering path woodland path eventually returned us to the car park.