| Parking | Lambley Viaduct South Tyne Trail Car Park (Free) |
| Pram accessible | No |
Parking
We parked at the Lambley Viaduct South Tyne Trail Car Park which is free (NE49 0QU). There is also additional parking available at Coanwood car park which happens to be a little bit closer to the viaduct itself.
Our Visit:
The route that we took was approximately 4.5 miles, taking in Lambley Viaduct, some old POW camps and Featherstone Castle. It was about 8.30am when we arrived at the car park and we were the only ones there. When we got back, it was a different story of course. So get there early if you prefer your own company. It’s only a short walk to reach the viaduct, so you don’t have to go on the longer walk, but we would definitely recommend it as there is alot to see along the way.
The viaduct is a stunning example of Victorian engineering and what we all loved about it was the fact that we were able to walk over the top AND underneath it, so we could appreciate the views down the river as well as taking in the full view of the viaduct. It was once home to a stretch of the railway line from Alston to Haltwhistle, up until its closure in 1976 and at over 100ft tall and 850ft long it’s a pretty impressive structure.
The second point of interest along the walk is Camp 18, which was one of the largest prisoner of war camps in Britain, housing around 4000 German soldiers. Only a few red brick buildings are still standing but evidence of other buildings are still visible on site.
Soon after you’ll pass Featherstone Castle, it’s privately owned but you can admire it from afar. And who doesn’t love a castle?
All in all, a fantastic place to visit and it was perfect for wearing in the kids new walking boots! We always find that the more there is to see, the easier it is for the kids and in turn the easier it is for us as parents. Less whinging is always a bonus.
touringwiththekids.com 