Wednesday Walk in Wreay Woods

Our Wednesday morning walks are becoming a regular fixture now. We set off from Newbiggin picnic area where the sounds of the M6 almost drowned out our conversation. Followed the river Petteril through pastureland and then into lovely Wreay Woods. A sign at the gateway to the woods told us there have been woodlands there since the middle ages and they have been managed woodlands since the eighteenth century. We were certainly glad of the shade provided by the leaves and a chance to cool off from the heat of the morning. A quick climb up the hill into Wreay itself, a small village clustered around a very pretty church. St Mary’s Church was built between 1840 and 1842 by Sara Losh, described by Simon Jenkins as “a Charlotte Bronte of wood and stone”. From Wreay we followed the road back under the M6 and took a footpath along and over the main West Coast railway line, passing Newbiggin Hall before crossing the newly repaired bridge over the Petteril and back to the picnic spot. A 2 hour walk and between 5 and 6 miles I’d guess.

St Mary’s Church, Wreay

For more about walks in the Eden Valley click here.