Bill's Walks

Milkwellburn Wood Nature Reserve, Chopwell Woods and The Derwent Valley

Filed under: County Durham Border

Distance: 10-11 miles
Map: OS Explorer 307 Consett and Derwent Reservoir
Start: Ebchester Station Picnic Site (GR NZ 107548)
Click to View Start Position on Google Maps

This walk starts at Ebchester Station which has good parking facilities and is on the Derwent Walk. Plenty has been written about the Derwent Walk on other walk descriptions but suffice to say that the line opened in 1867 and was closed in 1962. Ebchester Station itself closed on 21/9/1953. The line had reached its peak around 1914 when it carried half a million passengers annually but the combination of improved roads and the fact that the line had to achieve considerable height to reach Consett meant that the line left the valley bottom (and hence much of the local population) led to a big reduction in passenger numbers.

We start by walking north down a gradual descent and passing a small dene and wood on your right which comes down from the housing estate called The Dene. This is a good spot to see roe deer and also I have seen jay here in the past. At the bottom of the slope there is a crossing of paths with one linking Ebchester to Medomsley and we take this downhill to reach Ebchester down a hedged lane. There is an option halfway down to leave this and follow the clear path down the field although this is not shown as a right of way. Whichever way you choose you soon arrive at the church of St Ebba. Much of this was built utilising the stone from the nearby fort of Vindomara hidden behind the houses opposite. The church is possibly pre 1066 but is probably early Norman and was substantially restored in1878. It retains the leper window which allowed those inflicted to watch the service (and hopefully to hear the service) without coming into contact with the congregation. Ebba was the daughter of Aethelfrith who was the first king of Northumbria. The church organ was made by the famous manufacturers Harrisons of Durham who made organs in Durham City for many cathedrals and now operate from Langley Park near Durham.

After the demise of the Romans the area became dense forest rising upward from the River Derwent and later, in the time of Bishop Pudsey, it was known as the place of the Anchorites who were hermits. Ebchester is different from the other forts on Dere Street in that the modern settlement is built over the fort compared to Lanchester and Corbridge where the fort is outside the village.

You now descend to the main road which is crossed and currently turn slightly to the right to an open space where there is an information board on Roman Heritage. This is subject to a footpath diversion slightly to the south of the current route which has not yet been completed. Walk down the steps to join a lane where you turn right to reach the River Derwent at a good footbridge. This replaced stepping stones some time ago which were dangerous after heavy rainfall. The remains of them can be seen a shade downstream. At the far side there are two paths one of which heads roughly north across the field to Broad Oak Farm. The other alongside the river was created in 2010 as a public right of way following a claim by Mr Marston (a resident of Blackhall Mill) and others under Section 31 of the Highways Act of 1980. This states that “where a way other than a way of such a character that use of it could not give rise at common law to any presumption of dedication, has been actually enjoyed by the public, as of right and without interruption for a period of 20 years, the way is deemed to have been dedicated as a highway unless there is sufficient evidence that the landowner demonstrated a lack of any intention during this period to dedicate the route. The 20 year period applies retrospectively from the date at which the right of to use the way was brought into question.” Mr Marston had much support from locals who confirmed this and the path was made into a right of way in 2010 by the Inspector from DEFRA. It is indeed an important path as it goes alongside the river which is particularly attractive hereabouts.

The River Derwent is the best otter river in northern England and also has the highest number of dippers measured by the numbers over a specific distance. You rarely fail to see dippers on this stretch and there are regular kingfisher sightings and occasional goldeneye. The path follows the river down to Blackhall Mill utilising the good quality gates en route, having been joined by a footpath from Broad Oak just prior to reaching the houses and having crossed Milkwellburn over a bridge.At Blackhall Mill take the unsurfaced road leading south for a short distance and then heading north-west to reach the entrance to the reserve at GR NZ 114570. This reserve is owned and managed by the Durham Wildlife Trust as it is in Gateshead, the Milkwell Burn being the boundary between Gateshead and Northumberland to where it joins the River Derwent.

The Durham Wildlife Trust operates within the boundaries of the old County Durham pre 1974. Milkwellburn Wood is the DWT’s largest woodland and is a long-term project which is undertaking a process known as PAWS restoration. This is known fully as Plantation on an Ancient Woodland Site and the aim is to gradually remove the conifers so that the native woodland can establish across the site dramatically improving the area for wildlife. The wood is dominated by oak and ash with locally rare small leafed lime and an understory of hazel, holly which is very prevalent throughout the Derwent valley and honeysuckle. The most dramatic change the restoration process triggers is the regeneration of ground flora as the conifers are removed and light can once again reach the woodland floor. The ground flora abounds including greater woodrush, primrose, bluebell, dogs mercury, and many ferns such as hares tongue and lady fern. In other parts of the reserve there are sandier soils and indeed this is evident in the nearby Broad Oak Quarry nearby to the south and here a heathland community develops which is now comparatively rare with bilberry and common cow wheat. There are also areas of alder woodland where you might be lucky and spot a siskin. Other birds which may be seen are tawny owis, sparrow hawks, garden and willow warblers, blackcaps, and woodcc;ck. On the recent visit both buzzard and red kite were seen gliding overhead.

There are numerous tracks within the wood which will hopefully be marked up more in future and also a public path to Newhouse Farm. Other entries to the reserve are at Chopwell (Whinny Leas at NZ 112578) from South View and Whittonstall Road at GR NZ113583. It is difficult currently to give easy directions in this wood but basically as long as you tend towards Newhouse Farm you will find a route that will exit you at one of the other entrances or it is better if you can keep going to reach the course of the old waggon way which runs along to the north-west of the wood at the top and can be reached at GR 104585 where there is an exit from the wood. Access is allowed throughout the wood.

Here you proceed to your right along the waggon way with Ashtree Farm high up on your left and arrive at a place with a newly planted wood on your right and a good path leading down to the houses at Chopwell. Turn left at the first road which curves round to join the main road through Chopwell at a tight bend. Here join this road and go left past a church. Turn right at the next bend and go downhill passing a school on your right. The tarmac path continues downhill towards Chopwell Woods passing a large open park on your left. There is a clear entrance to the woods next to the houses. The path is then followed into the wood for a distance of about 500 metres and reaches an internal road at a junction where the road heads east downhill to Carr House. Take this route where there is a burn on your right and eventually exit the wood to arrive at Armondside just outside the wood.

Here turn right towards Backhall Mill to arrive at the road bridge which is crossed. Take the footpath immediately on your left which leads to Derwentcote Farm. At the farm gate leave the path leading up to the A694 and double-back along a good route alongside a paddock to reach Derwentcote Foundry. This path was subject to a diversion a while back due to a landslip but the path has now been well restored and is no problem. The foundry was built in the 18th Century and is the earliest and most complete steel making furnace to have survived. It has been restored by English Heritage and is open to the public. In fact Channel 4’s Time Team featured the site on an episode which can be viewed here on YouTube. On reaching the A694 you go through the Derwentcote car park and follow the track through Side Wood back to the Derwent Walk. It is now an easy two mile walk back to the start at Ebchester Station to complete a ten mile walk.

For those wanting a longer walk there is a way through Chopwell Woods by following the path from the crossroads to Carr House to Chopwell Wood House and taking the clear path from there to the south-east corner at GR NZ143574 which leads out to Lintzford. Here the Derwent Walk can be picked up by going uphill through the mill on the track to Lintz Station adding about two miles on the walk assuming you pick your way through the woods correctly. Alternatively, there is a pleasant different start to the walk which goes along the new paths reopened about 2010 and shown on my Border Walks, Medomsley Circular on New Tracks This adds about a mile onto the walk , about 40 minutes as it is slow, but gives superb views over the Derwent Valley and to both the Durham moors and Northumberland.