Baybridge and Nookton Fell
Filed under: County Durham BorderDistance: 13 miles
Map: OS Explorer 307 – Consett and Derwent Reservoir
Start: Baybridge Picnic Park
Click to View Start Position on Google Maps
This walk is a continuation of the border walks which began at Birtley and follow the border through Beamish to reach the River Derwent and follow it upstream to Pow Hill.
The border runs through the middle of the Derwent Reservoir to Carricks before picking up the river again. The north bank of the river is Northumberland but this is not the case at Baybridge Picnic Park which is a Durham County Council site. The reason for this is that at some time in the past the river was diverted here for a short distance. This corner of north-west Durham is especially attractive with the river flowing through a gorge to the west.
We leave the picnic park by turning left onto the road and then left again to pick up the track to Newbiggin Hall. The road up the hill is an old drovers route to Pennypie as well as a packhorse route. The going is easy, broadly following the contours on the access road to Riddlehamhope to return to the river at Heathery Burn (GR 905494).
Riddlehamhope Hall
Riddlehamhope is an unusual building being originally a fortified farmhouse which was modified and improved in later times although sadly it is now a ruin. (Update 2020: Unfortunately Riddlehamhope has now been demolished but I left the information and photo in this walk for historical reference). The border here is the Norham Burn, a short distance to the east and this is followed south to the grouse butts to the west of Nookton Fell. It is now only a climb of about 100 feet in the half mile to the top.
We continue east on the grouse shooters track to Nookton Farm which is in very pleasant surroundings looking down onto the Nookton Burn. We now follow the right of way, high above the burn to arrive at Gibraltar (GR945491). This is a delectable spot at the junction of the Nookton Burn and the Beldon Burn which join here to form the River Derwent. Vagabond, in his book “50 Weekend Walks Round Newcastle” published just after World War II says this place is a perfect Elysium and those who know his books, know full well how extensive his knowledge was of the North East countryside!
Woodland path at Gibraltar Banks
It is a steep short climb up to the unique and interesting village of Hunstanworth, indeed there is no other place like it in County Durham. It is of some antiquity, being mentioned in the Bolden Book when Prince Bishop Pudsey compiled the Durham equivalent of the Doomsday Book. Hunstanworth is less well known than it should be and suffers from its proximity to Blanchland. The buildings were designed by Samuel Teulon, the well known Victorian architect in 1862. His style of High Victorian does not please everyone with its angularity and the use of multi-coloured bricks and, in the case of Hunstanworth, coloured stone and different shades of slate. This style is much favoured in Burgundy in France as any of you who have visited Beaune will be able to testify. The reason that Teulon designed and built here is down to the fact that he was sponsored by the Vicar, the Rev David Capper, who resided at Newbiggin Hall passed earlier in the walk. The church of St James is interesting and the churchyard has the remains of a pele tower found more frequently in Northumberland. Many of the other buildings were designed by Teulon and others in the vicinity, and indeed further afield, show evidence of his style of architecture. Pevsner in his County Durham Guide called Teulon insensitive, hamfisted and self-assertive but has to admit that in this case he has been wholly successful!
Hunstanworth Church
It is also worth noting that Hunstanworth is County Durham’s only Thankful Village, in that it lost no men or women during World War I. There is a plaque in the church commerating this fact.
Hunstanworth’s Thankful Plaque
We walk up the quiet road to Townfield where on reaching the hamlet we have fine views of Boltslaw and down into Ramshaw. ln the 1800s this was obviously a very active mining area which is covered in other walks. We descend to the Bolts Burn. If time permits you can continue north-east to Allenshields and Rope Barn to drop down into Blanchland and follow the track back to Baybridge or alternatively you can follow Boltsburn down to the Stanhope road and back to Baybridge.
Footnote: If you have read “A Pennine Journey 1938” by Alfred Wainwright (not published until 1986 when he was famous) you will have noted that Wainwright walked from the Kirk Inn in Romaldkirk to Blanchland in one day, crossing from Middleton over Newbiggin Common into Westgate, then Scarsike Head and down into Rookhope, then down into Hunstanworth and finally Blanchland. An epic day! I recommend this book to everyone as it encapsulates the period just prior to WW2. Indeed the day Wainwright left Blanchland was the day of the historic meeting at Munich between Chamberlain, Hitler, Mussolini and the French Premier. Regrettably it had rained in Weardale and he thought it a bit dreary but after that distance who can blame him! Blanchland revived him and he thought, quite rightly ,that it was a wonderful place and nearly eighty years later, I am sure you will agree with his sentiments
Teesdale Way – Piercebridge to Blackwell Bridge
Filed under: Teesdale WayDistance: 13 miles
Map: OS Explorer 304 – Darlington & Richmond
Start: Piercebridge (GR NZ 211159)
Click to View Start Position on Google Maps
The village of Piercebridge goes back a long way and is worth a look around before starting the walk. In fact the bulk of the village is contained within the walls of the Roman Fort known as Vinovium. There are some attractive cottages about but the church of St Mary is relatively new being built in 1873 in Victorian times. The name of Piercebridge changed slightly over the years and is derived from an old word for osiers (willow plants) which were no doubt used on the bridge over the River Tees, which flows through the south of the village. Vinovium was constructed between AD 260 and 270 and served to guard the crossing of the Tees on Dere Street also known as Watling Street (sections of which are used in several of my walks). A cursory glance of the map shows this road heading in a straight line on both sides of the river downstream of the current bridge and indeed the Romans had been on site for two centuries prior to the building of the fort that we see today. In around 1771 the remains of the old Roman bridge were swept away by the floods that devastated the Tees, Wear and Tyne with very few bridges surviving in the area.
Much of the fort lies under the village green and the houses, but fortunately the north east corner has been excavated and can be visited free of charge, just behind St Marys Church (which is a much favoured name for churches hereabouts as all those on the Four Churches walk from Barningham illustrate).
Piercebridge Roman Fort
We leave the fort and head towards the Tees down a lane behind the houses to reach the river. This is followed downstream to emerge onto the A67 at Carlbury Mill which was a corn mill. We now proceed east to High Coniscliffe passing the Duke of Wellington pub. Just before the church of St Edwin we leave the road to return to the river. The church of St Edwin is from the Early English period but the site goes back to Norman times as the north doorway and and the window at the west end of the nave on the south side show.
Our route now follows a delightful three mile section of the Teesdale Way alongside the Tees. There are several places here where the erosion has left sandy areas where there are sand martins nests and twice over the last few years these have been the first spring sightings of these attractive birds. The route passes under the A1M to arrive at Low Coniscliffe passing behind some gardens onto a minor road and then crossing two fields to arrive at the Baydale Beck Inn which has a beer garden and makes a good lunch stop.
The Tees near Low Coniscliffe
There is now a short section of road walking on the A67 which is nevertheless interesting as you are passing Broken Scar Waterworks owned by Northumbria Water which was formerly Darlington Corporation Waterworks dating back to the mid 1800s. Some of this is now listed as a historical monument and there are open days where a steam powered beam engine dating back to 1903 can be seen working. Another one to see is the Ryhope Pumping Station near Sunderland – check their websites for open days, one of which is normally Sept/ Oct.
Immediately after passing the waterworks and at a picnic site return to the riverside for another section of fine walking, with good birdlife, of about one and a half miles where at a bend in the river you cross into a wood and after a short climb reach Blackwell village, which is a suburb of Darlington. There are two places of interest here. Firstly after passing Baydale Farm you will note a ruin in the field to the east of the farm. This is the remains of a leper hospital from the 14th Century.
At the start of the climb up to the road at Blackwell you will notice a wooded hill covered in trees marked on the OS map as a castle. There was a wooden castle here but the site was originally an Iron Age fortification. Here you turn right to reach the A66. The Teesdale Way divides into two sections to Croft and we take the one to the west which is to me the better route to Croft. We follow the A66 to the roundabout and then take the road on the left to Stapleton. Prior to the construction of the A1M this was the A1 through Barton to Scotch Corner. At Stapleton we leave the Teesdale Way near to the Bridge Inn named after the old bridge.
Stapleton is an old village going back to the 9th Century. The Lord of the Manor Miles de Stapleton was killed at Bannockburn in 1314 and in the same century the bridge here was swept away to be replaced by a ferry. There is now a section of one mile of quiet road walking back under the A66M to Cleasby village. Most of the land around here is on a bed of limestone overlaid by some clay and much good quality gravel which has been exploited over the years. The remnants of one of the sites at Cleasby has been well restored and is a haven for birds as well as a centre for fishing.
River Tees near Cleasby
At Cleasby village take the lane at the west end of the Green back to the riverside and follow the path upriver under the A1M upstream to a big bend at Manfield Scar (GR 233135) where the path leaves the Tees and continues on higher ground passing to the south of Glebe Farm and crossing Manfield Beck close to the Tees. The path now leads to Holme House and then reaches Dere Street which is followed back to Piercebridge.
On the way it passes the George Hotel which was a Coaching hotel in former days and has a very interesting story associated with it. For those born before 1960 many will recall a song called “My Grandfather Clock” written way back in 1876 which tells the story of a clock which stopped, never to go again when the old man died. The story goes that this event took place here at the George Hotel when the landlord Christopher Charge died. Takes some believing but that is the story and the writer Henry Clay Work an American did visit the George Hotel. It has been recorded by Johnny Cash, Sam Cooke and Burl Ives. The one we used to hear was by The Radio Revellers on Children’s Favourites.
George Hotel
After 13 miles you are entitled to have refreshments as the Carlbury Inn in Piercebridge is nearby, as is the Crown at Manfield village which are both recommended but check the opening times.
Thank You Alfred Wainwright – Bannisdale Horseshoe, Easegill Kirk and Casterton Fell
Filed under: OtherWhen you and your group have been walking for many years it sometimes a problem to go to somewhere that you have not visited before, whilst at the same time it can be resolved by revisiting a walk done many years previously, some of which has no doubt been forgotten over the intervening years! In order to celebrate the long awaited decision of the government to extend both the Lake District National Park and the Yorkshire Dales National Park boundaries we decided to seek out two walks which we thought appropriate.
The Bannisdale track
To be fair the Lake District walk was already within the boundaries of the Lake District, albeit at its eastern edge, but the Bannisdale Horseshoe walk taken from his book “The Outlying Fells of Lakeland” had not been walked by us. I do not put route descriptions on walks that are well published, as much of the Lake District is, and indeed do not intend to do this now. However at a distance of 11.5 miles and a comment from Alfred Wainwright that this was the longest and hardest walk in the book proved irresistible!
The walk was down as a 7 hours walk and being well into retirement we nevertheless thought it to be exaggerated. Whilst we did not hurry over the route his timing was correct but for lovers of wide open spaces this was a walk to be savoured with extensive views over 360 degrees ranging from the Howgills to the far west of the Lake District. In parts the walk was reminiscent of the Northern Pennines but greatly enhanced by the views, so make sure you pick a day of good visibility to do this walk. Better still also pick a busy weekend as this place will still be lonely. There is no source of drinking water or shelter on the walk, just lots and lots of space. This is well shown on several blogs on the web such as on My Pennines, Striding Edge, Walking Forum and Leaney.
Leck Beck below Ease Gill
Our walk in the Dales National Park also was in Cumbria, indeed very close to the Lancashire border and was adapted from Wainwright’s “Walks in Limestone Country” and was a combination of Walk 1 (Casterton Fell and Easedale Kirk) and Walk 2 (The Caves and Potholes of Leck Fell). AW makes reference in his second page on Walk 1 that these two can be combined by following the Leck Beck down to Cowan Bridge and in our view this is the preferred option. This makes a 13 mile walk which has great variety.
Starting at Casterton with a pull up to Brownthwaite Pike and good views backwards to the Lune Valley and the Lakes, there is then a section over moors to Bullpot Farm followed by a plethora of potholes in the Leck Beck and then a very pleasant walk alongside the beck from Easegill Kirk to Cowan Bridge. There is a minor problem in getting back to Casterton. The footpath from Leck village over Leck Beck and through the grounds of Fairthwaite Park is now closed. Stay on the south bank of Leck Beck to the A65 and very shortly after crossing Leck Beck, and a few yards after passing the entrance to Fairthwaite Park House, look for the permissive path which goes through two fields separated from the road by a hedge to reach the A65 where the original path reached the road. This leaves a short walk alongside the main road before you take the Roman Road here called Long Level back to Casterton and a welcoming pub. This area, along with the northern Howgills deserves National Park status and makes for a cohesive and logical boundary. Do not attempt this walk after flood or a period of heavy rain. The guidebook warns of this and is correct to do so.
A few weeks prior to doing this walk two friends were staying in Skipton on a walking holiday and I recommended this book. The contents were much appreciated and after a fair number of years little has changed. To quote AW “this is a part of England that should be better known by walkers who love quiet hills”.
Alan Earnshaw’s Wear Valley Way
Filed under: Weardale WayStart: Killhope Lead Mining Centre
Click to View Start Position on Google Maps
I have made numerous comments on this walk when discussing the Weardale Way and how the first waymarked route was established in the 1970s and recently whilst digging through some old files I came across the original route description by Alan Earnshaw, the Secretary of the Association of Fell Ramblers and Wayfarers. What now follows is a synopsis of the the original guide from the late 1970s…
The River Wear and its surrounding hinterlands must rate as one of Britain’s most important workshops and the area itself played an important part of our heritage and indeed development. Contrary to popular belief the industries did not confine themselves to just the lowlands, in fact the high fells and dales were just as industrialised around the turn of the century. When our association planned the Wear Valley Way we were not aware of the unique nature of the area, but as we transferred the route from paper to the actual walk we found that we had created a bleak way of moorland beauty.
The extent to which industry had penetrated the area chosen for our walk added, we felt, an interesting feature that could not be ignored, throughout the walk we would be reminded of the labours men had put in to fuel the industries of an industrial revolution. Today many of these places are little more than crumbling ruins, but still they bear in impressive testimony to the extent of industries in the upper Dale.
The walk starts from Killhope Wheel which is situated at the old Park Level Mill on the banks of Killhope Burn some distance above Cowshill, on the A689 Stanhope to Alston road. The crushing plant that once handled the lead ore from a number of seams in Cowshill has been a popular tourist spot for a number of years and accordingly has several amenities which encouraged us to use it as the walks starting point.
Killhope Lead Mining Centre
Leaving the Wheel behind we enter Weardale Forest, access is gained by a footpath several hundred yards up the A689 road (access is also gained by the forestry road which leaves the picnic site near the ford – however the Forestry Commission reserve the rights to refuse access along this track). The forest was planted from 1954 onwards and hides a good deal of the old lead workings and spoil heaps, but some of the old ‘hushes’ and turf built dams can still be seen. At the first of these dams (Kidd’s Dam) the track heads along a fire break and comes out at Cowhurst Hush. This, the largest ‘hush’ in Weardale was created like most other ‘hushes’, water was gathered in turf dams which were released when full, the escaping water tearing earth and vegetation away and exposing the lead-bearing rock below.
After crossing Cowhorse a series of good paths leads the walker into the village of Cowshill. From the village the Allendale road is followed for a short distance before a bridleway leads past Cogley and on to Burtree Fell. At a point where the county boundary is reached, the walk leaves the bridleway and heads over an undefined track to Sedling Fell and Black Hill before reaching Race Head which at 1918ft is the highest point of the walk. Below Race Head a bridleway leads into the metalled road going down Middlehope Bank. Near the bottom of the bank are some very interesting privately owned lead mines, one having a very quaint method of drawing ore to the surface. By using an old van lifted off its wheels the pit head gear is operated direct from the prop shaft. Crossing Middlehope Burn the road now starts to climb to Scarsike Head. At the junction with the Rookhope to Westgate road turn right and after a short while the Way leaves the road by way of a footpath over Red Road and Smailsburn Common which in turn leads us to Rookhope.
Rookhope still remains the centre of the local mining industry and is the home of Swiss Aluminium Mining (UK) Ltd who operate the large Redburn Mine. The walk leaves Rookhope up the old railway line, access to which is gained by a footpath near the public toilets. The railway climbs over 600ft in 17,000 yards and reaches Bolts Law Winding House (ruins). This point was the highest standard gauge railway line ever built in Britain. For the next six miles the line now snakes over Stanhope Common and comes out near to Wetherhill Engine on the B6278 road. From Wetherhill the Way crosses Collier Law and East Colliers Law Moss before reaching Rogerley Hill TV mast. From here a metalled road leads down to the outskirts of Frosterley.
Rookhope Village
Leaving Frosterley the Way passes the Tilcon Quarry at Harehope before climbing a road used as a public path (RUPP) which leads to a farm. Beyond here a path leads up to Harvey Hill and then to the old lead and copper mine shafts on Pikeston. Going by way of Doctors Gate we reach the ruins of Metcalfs House which was an old coaching inn on the Teesdale-Weardale pack route. A path now leads through Hamsterley Forest and along the banks of Ayhope Beck. From Low Redford a choice of routes is offered and the walker will eventually arrive at Bedburn from where a series of paths lead through New Hall and Park House before eventually coming out on the Hamsterley road near to the A68.
Walking down to the A68 and climbing a bank on the opposite side of the road will lead to Witton Castle. Inside the Castle grounds a further path heads down towards the River Wear and Holme House which affords excellent views of Witton-le-Wear Nature Reserve. Another path leads from here along the river bank to Witton Park. Beyond Witton Park a clearly marked path leads all the way to Escomb and then on to Newton Cap on the outskirts of Bishop Auckland.
The last lap of the walk takes to the old Durham to Bishop Auckland railway line and this should be followed all the way to Hunwick. Just beyond the old Hunwick Station a path leads down to the River Wear and then along the river banks all the way to the district boundary at Jubilee bridge near Willington. This is the site of a picnic park and you can take a well earned drink at the refreshment caravan situated here in the summer months.
With the Wear Valley Way the association of Fell Ramblers and Watfarers have attempted a mammoth feat. Hours of consultation were spent with landowners, public authorities, private companies and government departments. During the winter months of 1978 over 200 letters were sent out to every possible person, group or authority who were concerned with the walk. This has been followed by hours of voluntary work, waymarking, building cairns and repairing stiles and gates and whilst most of this work is already completed we still have a good deal of work to do before the walk is officially opened in August.
Following the Inaugural Walk on August 4th 1979 the walk will become a recreational path. That means it will be a path that will accommodate walkers who want to undertake the challenge of the full 46 miles in a 24hr period, or for those who want to do the walk a section at a time over a period of weeks or even months. badges and Certificates will be awarded to all those who complete the walk.
Alan Earnshaw
Addendum
There has been replies from Alan Stewart an ex DCC Ranger and Mike Knipe a current Ranger who has a link to this site. Both have copies of the original book which was published in 1983 by Discovery Guides Ltd of Middleton in Teesdale and printed in Cockfield. The ISBN number is ISBN 086309 016 8 and has chapters on the history of the Wear Valley Way, places of interest on the route, lead mining in the dale and the route plans as well as a appendix on Wear Valley dialects.
There is another book on the Weardale Way by Ken Piggin (JKE Piggin) from a slightly later period which takes the Wear Valley from its source to its mouth and which was published on Dalesman Books. Ken wrote several books including the Nidderdale Way which is an excellent walk. Ken Piggin’s is the best book on the Weardale Way and is in my opinion a better route than a later book published around 2000 on a lowland route. I have searched for a copy at a reasonable price but have been unsuccessful with all prices asking over £20 I`ll just have to keep rummaging around the charity shops etc.
The Weardale Way is an under promoted walk within the county and it would be good to see an updated book on the walk as well as a series of leaflets on a suitable website to complement the route similar to those produced by Hampshire C C on the Test Way.
Eppleby and Stanwick Brigante Iron Age Camp
Filed under: OtherDistance: 13 miles allowing for minor diversions
Map: OS Explorer 304 – Darlington & Richmond
Start: Eppleby village, North Yorkshire
Click to View Start Position on Google Maps
The original plan for this walk was to be a linear walk from Piercebridge to Richmond but plans had to be modified when we decided to use one car. The consequence of this was that we found ourselves in Eppleby Village with a plan to look at Stanwick Camp on a circular walk. There is easy parking at Eppleby on the roadside as the road is quiet.
The walk started badly with a navigation problem. We generally have a poor opinion of the waymarking in North Yorkshire and indeed there is a problem here. At the south end of the village shortly before the last houses on the right heading south is a footpath sign. Look carefully as a few yards away there is another one on the opposite side of the track leading into a field. The OS map indicates that the path heads south but following this brings you to Forcett Beck where there is no bridge. Looking round you can see if instead you had gone across the field and headed south east towards the farm houses, some of which look like holiday accommodation, you will note a bridge which can be crossed. After crossing now head south to climb the embankment of the old railway, opened as long ago as 1866, which carried limestone from Forcett Quarry which is passed later in the walk, then head on the embankment to the right in a south west direction for about 100 yards to a stile on the left. Cross the stile and follow the path south alongside a hedge through horse land to pass the buildings to the left to arrive at a tarmac road at the east end of the village of Forcett.
Immediately on your left is a big embankment and this is part of the fortifications of the famous Stanwick Camp. In this area are nearly six miles of ramps and fortifications which can be seen on examining the landscape. In some places these fortifications can be sixteen feet high. Nearby information boards give additional information on this fine site which is one of the largest Iron Age fortifications in the UK. The name Stanwick is thought to derive from stone wall settlement and this whole site was the headquarters of the Brigantes in the early days of Roman occupation. They appear to have been on relatively easy terms with the Romans and much work was done on this topic by Sir Mortimer Wheeler in the 1950s.
Earthworks at Stanwick Iron Age Camp
Head eastwards along the road for about 200 yards and take a path in the field on your right. On the ground this path is easier to follow round the field edges, where there is also horse traffic, to a stile in the south east corner and then follow the path with appropriate instructions to miss a wet section to reach the church of St John the Baptist of Stanwick St John, which is entered by a stile. This is a 13th century church built on the site of a Saxon church and then modified and rebuilt by Anthony Salvin in 1868. This architect is met on other walks near to his home base near Durham city. The church is a Grade 1 Listed Building by English Heritage and is situated within the earthworks of Stanwick Camp. It is currently closed for regular worship and is maintained by the Redundant Churches Trust who do a superb job here on both the buildings and the grounds.
Aldbrough St John
Leave the church by the main gate and cross over Kirk Bridge and then take the path east along the river bank accessed by a difficult ladder. You soon cross over to the other bank and follow the clear track all the way to Aldbrough St John which deserves some of your time. This is a spacious village with large greens and seats as well as a good pub open at lunchtime. Particularly noteworthy is the fine three-arched pack horse bridge with a span of forty eight feet. The bridge has parapets but there are indications that the original bridge has kerbs of six inches. The bridge was on a pack horse route linking Tyneside to Lancaster, going westwards from here to Marske, Hawes and Ingleton. Leave Aldbrough to the south west on a minor road to Park House and follow the Scots Dyke through Langdale to a tarmac road which is the access road to High Langdale. Here turn left along the road until you reach a stile on your right and a clear path heading up the field. This is not as shown on my map but is obviously a legal diversion which makes less use of the field. There are clear waymarks and good stiles to West Lane and there is the option of looking into Melsonby.
Aldbrough Bridge
Now comes two miles or road walking on West Lane and and then passing Carkin Grange to Limekiln Plantation where you turn left on Brick Kiln Lane and pass through Tile Sheds Farm. The products of the Tile Sheds are evident everywhere here with the red pantile roofs reminiscent of Southern France. In over an hour here we were only passed by three vehicles. Now head west to East Layton passing St Cuthbert’s Church and also the Palladian Country House of Forcett Hall on your right. At Hall Farm head north on the road to Forcett Quarry which has been supplying limestone to industry in the area for over 150 years. The way to the west of the quarry arrives at New House where the footpath heads diagonally across a field to a gate. Virtually opposite is the access road to Layton Fields Farm where there is a diversion to keep walkers away from cattle. A sensible diversion in an attractive area.
The way is clear following waymarks and stiles under Foxberry to the village of Caldwell where there is a very good gastro pub also serving good ale. Note the dovecot and the fountain at Caldwell. The path to Eppleby is well marked at Caldwell and crosses open access which is Caldwell Common. Towards Eppleby the situation deteriorates at GR 170135 where some hedges have been taken out to enlarge a field but if you head due east you will pick out the route with little problem where the path joins one from the north to cross a small stream and from then on it is good going back to the village of Eppleby, coming out near the shop and coffee rooms. A new waymark in an enlarged field near to the pylon would be very useful!
This is quite a good walk if you are wanting to stride out and is generally good underfoot, in quiet countryside, free from commercialism.