Bill's Walks

East of Egglestone

Filed under: Other

Start: Eggleston Village

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This varied walk includes a wide variety of terrain ranging from grouse moorland to river valley. The bulk of it is on lesser known footpaths and throughout there are wide ranging views. The majority of people go through this area to reach the more popular paths in Teesdale but I feel this route compares favourably to many of them. In early springtime there is a wealth of bird life and throughout the walk there is a continued sound of returning curlews and the clashing flights of lapwings.

We leave the village turning east off the road to Stanhope and make our way over pasture land (sometimes wet) to Middle Nemour and take the lane past a derelict farmhouse and up to Nemour Hill. This is a good area for waders with snipe often found round here. The way is straightforward on a waymarked bridleway passing to the south of Grey Carrs. After the disappointing recent years on the grouse moors there appears to be a healthy number now on the moor and their call contrasts with the curlew and lapwings. After reaching 460 metres there is a gradual drop as the route goes eastwards towards Woolly Hill Farm.

Before reaching the farm we take a path to the right which is now a nature trail. This has been created by Pat and Shane Kingsworth who moved from nearby Woodland to Woolly Farm to create an animal rescue centre called ‘Ark on the Edge’. This is a registered charity who deservedly won a substantial prize in the ‘People’s Millions’. Their centre is not only involved in animal rescue but is also heavily involved in educating school groups and scout groups in an awareness of the countryside as well as in the caring for animals and birds. The nature trail which we use incorporates a pond as well as wetland and with 500 native trees already planted this mini-area will see significant visual changes in the years ahead.

We emerge onto the B6282 and head uphill to Dead Horse Gully and the end of Steele Road which goes eastwards to Gaunless Smelt Mill. This was the route that packhorses brought the lead ore to Copley from Teesdale where the local Raby coal was used to process it. There was also another route a half a mile to the south past Jagger Hill. The pack master of the ponies was known as the Jagger and there are two possible origins of the name. The name may derive from a northern dialect word ‘jag’ meaning a load or it may be a corruption of ‘jaegar’ which was a German hunter and a favourite breed of packhorse. Jagger Lanes appear in several villages notably at Gilling West near to Richmond, North Yorkshire.

We proceed east for a short distance before turning south on the entrance track to Hinedon Edge which is passed on the right where the route descends steeply to Arn Gill. Note the remains of a tip here from an early coal mine (there was also one just to the east of Woolly Farm). These were the western edge of the great Durham coalfield.

A short climb up brings us up towards East House Cottage with fine views towards Barningham Moor and The Stang and a lovely view which is rarely seen of Langley Viaduct on the old Bishop Auckland to Barnard Castle railway line which opened in 1862 closing 100 years later. This line linked up at Barnard Castle with the branch from Darlington to go over Stainmore summit taking coal to the steelworks of West Cumberland.

We continue downhill to Beckside to cross Langley Beck at Beckside and walk up Sadler Lane to Chapel House on the B6279 between Middleton and Staindrop. This road is now taken westwards through Kinninvie to a footpath opposite Huller Bush. The road has a wide verge which can be utilised when traffic is passing.

Over recent years this has become red kite country as the area has been settled by several kites from the Gateshead Derwent Valley release. The footpath is waymarked on its zig-zag course past Hawkesley Hill and Bail Hill to Parrick House Farm. The path goes through the farm to the left (not waymarked) to pick up the old track to Baxtongill Quarry. There are now superb views westwards over Cotherstone to the Pennines.

There is a clear grass track down past Baxtongill Wood and across the fields to come out on a lane near ponds at Low Shipley where there is a caravan site. Take care in picking out the track up the valley to join the Teesdale Way at GR015206. This is followed for a short distance to the stile in the new drystone wall that has been erected.

You leave the Teesdale Way to follow the beck up the hill to High Shipley. This is a superb building dating back several hundred years. Proceed towards the main road but after a short distance take the stile on the left which crosses fields and descends to East Barnley. Alternatively the Teesdale Way can be followed from Low Shipley to East Barnley. The route back to Eggleston from EastBarnley, although not clear on the ground, maintains your height and does not follow the Teesdale Way downwards. On reaching West Barnley go along the farm entrance road back to Eggleston where a short final climb brings you back to the top of the village.