Wallington Wander

Wallington Hall is one of the best National Trust properties in the region and as well as the hall, there are some beautiful grounds on the estate. The circular riverside route which I followed is well marked and there's plenty to see on the way round.

Before the start of the walk, I always like to have a quick peek in the visitor centre where there is a window to watch birds feeding. We've spotted Nuthatch, Chaffinch and Brambling here, as well as a Bank Vole who poked his nose out once.

So onwards to the walk. I started by walking under the clock tower and turned right. This takes you into the woodland, and as I picked a quiet Wednesday morning in March, there was no one else about. Perfect. There were loads of birds here again, Siskin, Nuthatch and plenty of others.

There are also a couple of ponds here with Moorhen, Little Grebes and Mallards and further into the woodland is a bird hide overlooking Middle Pond where you can sit and relax for a bit. You may also be lucky enough to see red squirrels in this area too.

The path continues over a little bridge and the ground is a bit up and down here. Keep walking and you'll start to get Paine's Bridge into view. This is a really pretty bridge and when you head over it, you'll get some lovely views of the river. Sadly for now, the stepping stones that took you over the river are no more, and there are some notices advising you of an alternative route over the bridge.

Carry along the road and you'll see a signpost on your left pointing towards the hall and gardens. Pass through the gate and head up through a small avenue of trees, and you'll see an ornate gate ahead. Head through this and you've reached the gardens.

They are a maze of beautiful flowers, plants and trees and you might spot crocuses and snowdrops here in the spring. There is also a large Edwardian conservatory which holds a variety of beautiful plants, though this was not open on my visit. There are also some water features towards the top of the garden and stunning views over the Northumberland countryside.

Head through another ornate gate and you'll see the Garden Pond with some more familiar wildlife. You'll wander through more woodland and will soon reach the road heading towards the car park. If you turn left, you'll spot the iconic dragon heads and the classic view of Wallington Hall.

Go back on yourself and head into the East Wood. The first thing you'll spot is the Elementree art sculpture by Tommy Craggs who has artwork all over the region. He created the fabulous sculpture trail at Thornley Woods which we have mentioned on the site before. There is another circular route around the woodland and you can do a bit more birdwatching here if you fancy.