Bill's Walks

East of Beamish on the Heritage Way and then to Brightlea Wood

Distance: 10.5 miles

Start: Eden Place Picnic Area, Beamish (GR NZ220 537)

Click to view start position on Google Maps

This is a further walk along the Co Durham and Gateshead border – this time to the east from Beamish. The village of Beamish is a relatively new creation being formed in 1873. Formerly Beamish referred to the lands surrounding Beamish Hall and was a parish of Tanfield. The new Beamish consisted of Stanley, Shield Row, Kip Hill, Ox Hill, East Kyo, East Stanley and Beamish Stables. At this time the population was expanding rapidly due to the opening of three coal mines. The coal seams in the area can be up to 40 feet thick and mines were opened in West Stanley in 1833, Air Pit in 1849 and the Beamish Mary in 1883. The latter lasted until 1960. There was a fourth pit known as Chop Hill (also known as Beamish No 2) and a row of houses were built to house the miners. This was called Eden Row and was situated close to the Stanhope and Tyne Railway.

Eden Place where you are now standing and Eden Square were then built a little further to the north and the village consisted of 70 houses, a school and a chapel. The winding house of the colliery still exists as it is the one rebuilt at Beamish Museum and goes back to the early days of steam engines. The houses were built by the coal owner James Joicey and were started in 1878. Joicey was buried at Tanfield Church where his grave is the most prominent grave in the churchyard. The school had a capacity of 400 but the average attendance was 274. The village lasted until recent times when it was demolished to create space for the new road following the closure of Consett Steelworks.

Beamish Hall was the home of two prominent Durham families who were the Shafto family (Bobby Shaftoe) and the Eden family from whom Sir Anthony Eden the PM was descended. The name Beamish is derived from the Old English Bew Mys meaning beautiful Mansions.

River Team at Urpeth

Our route takes us east utilising the Tyne and Wear Heritage Way path towards South Shields and initially follows the old railway down to the road at Urpeth. Instead of descending down the road to Urpeth Bridge we turn right for a short distance and cross the waymarked stile to go down to the River Team by a series of steps. The building at the stile is Urpeth South Farm which has now been split to provide attractive housing. We now follow the River Team which serves as the border in this area and the whole valley is particularly attractive and is a superb area for wildlife and in particular for butterflies. Following the Heritage Way waymarks with their coal chaldron we climb out of the valley and reach Riding Farm. The dimensions of the farmhouse indicate a building of considerable age with its narrow width and steep roof.

Riding Farm, Kibblesworth

Leaving Riding Farm follow the waymarks to reach Clarty Lane which is generally okay and walk along it towards Kibblesworth. When you reach the old railway keep to the Heritage Way by turning right and downhill, unless you want food at Kibblesworth. This railway was the Pontop to Jarrow railway built by the Grand Coal Alliance, having earlier passed by the Tanfield Sheds which are the oldest working railway sheds in the world.

We walk downhill passing by the nature Reserve created by SITA on the site of old clay pits. This was a new site about 2000 and has developed well and in 2015 was found to be a breeding site for the Grayling butterfly hitherto unknown in this area. On reaching the Ouston to Lamesley road, cross over to look at the reed beds. This was planted with reeds and their purpose was to clean up the water released from treated sewage from Kibblesworth and now sees swallows and martins, although sadly fewer swifts that only ten years ago. Nearby at Lamesley are the Lamesley Meadows which attract a host of wildlife and there is a hide next to the Ravensworth Arms.

Recross the road back towards Kibblesworth and after about 30 yards take the path on the left which runs parallel to the road and keep on it to the small building which harvests the methane from the landfill site which was tipped into the old clay pits. Here take the road over another Urpeth Bridge (take care here) and shortly after take the footpath on the left (currently no waymark) and head south-east on a clear path into land now owned by the Woodland Trust. This wood is now thriving having been planted about 20 years ago. Now proceed towards the main London to Edinburgh railway line.

On reaching the Ouston to Birtley road turn right for 20 yards and follow the road into an industrial estate but only for a short distance. Now take the marked footpath into Brightlea Wood where there is an information board. This path goes south with the houses of Ouston uphill on the right. The view to the east was in the past all industrial, albeit at a distance, with Durham Chemicals, Komatsu and the Royal Ordnance factory all now gone. Keep heading south to reach Ouston Springs farm after you have left the wood and turn right here to the first houses where you now turn left to Ouston Villa Farm which is not entered. Instead keep straight on over the stile and a further stile to reach a very busy main road which is the A693. Only cross when the road is clear as the traffic is very fast moving!

King Coal Sculpture on the C2C Route

You are in a cutting here and the path over it is a shade further east. Climb up to enter a field and walk to High Flatts farm which you pass on your right to the field corner where there is a stile, then walk out to the road. Turn right at at the Plough Inn turn left down the signposted path and walk down for about 150 yards to reach the Stanhope and Tyne Railway track bed opened in 1834. This is now part of the C2C cycle route and was previously the line where the iron ore was brought to Consett from South Shields. It was a sight not to be forgotten when the massive 2-10-0 steam engines, often double headed were pounding up the bank! The trackbed was converted to a cycle track around 1990. This walk is a superb example of macro regeneration of industrial land which was generally polluted and anyone who knew it in 1950 would never recognise it now!

From here it is a further two miles back to the start of the walk and take note of all the bushes at the side of the line and the birds which inhabit the area.