Brahal one

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I walked this route, starting at Haltwhistle and finishing at Brampton. This is a challenging but rewarding route with just a handful of minor issues.

Coming out of Haltwhistle, the route recommends a rather circuitious diversion involving crossing the South Tyne twice. It would appear a shortcut saving about a quarter of a mile is possible by simply continuing along Wydon Lane, and turning right at the end to go along a footpath which goes under the A69 Bridge. After this, there is a farm track which becomes a footpath through several undulating fields containing sheep - the path here isn't that clear but certainly is navigable.

Eventually, you come out at a lane which bridges across the river. The footpath continues into a woodland. Other than a fairly steep muddy bank, the path here is fairly straightfoward and pleasant. After passing several farm buildings and then crossing a road, you enter the fells - there's a steep ascent but the views become increasingly impressive, particularly of the Pennines to the south.

The section across the fells varies quite dramatically in difficulty. I found the eastern part quite straightforward, with the bridleway here quite clear and the ground fairly firm. However, as you head west the ground tends to get quite boggy, even in relatively dry weather, and the bridleway also becomes more difficult to follow. Fortunately you're going in a straight line so navigation isn't too hard, but I'd recommend a compass to make sure you stay on track. In addition, I found many of the gates were quite difficult in this part, with one or two of them genuinely stumping me.

The worst part of the fells is towards the western end, where you pass between two large tree plantations. The ground here is extremely muddy and you will struggle to make decent headway. The fields immediately either side are also among the boggiest on the route. But once you get past them, things begin to get easier and the path begins to descend a little. The views here are possibly the most dramatic on the route, with the vast expanse of Cold Fell to the south a sight to behold, as well as good views into the valleys to the north. Before long you begin to reach a proper farm track again and the route becomes much easier going.

The section through Coalfell and Hallbankgate is quite pleasant, though there is a large quarry nearby which means the road has more than its fair share of lorries. There are reasonable grass verges though, and I didn't feel unsafe because generally the road is very quiet. Hallbankgate is a good pit stop, with the village containing a small shop, cafe, and pub.

From Hallbankgate to Brampton the route is fairly straightforward. The roads here are even quieter than before, and the scenery is pleasant. That said, there were some steep descents here (particularly at Kirkhouse) and so heading eastbound this is likely to be one of the harder parts of the route. The route conveniently goes right through Brampton railway station, and then follows a disused rail line through woods into the town itself. The route then continues through Murray Park and a small housing estate, ending right in the heart of the Market Place.

Both ends of the route have a good range of facilities including pubs, cafes, and shops. There are also good bus and rail links towards Hexham, Newcastle, and Carlisle.

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