Bill's Walks

East of Staindrop

Distance: 13 miles

Map : OS Explorer 304 (Darlington and Richmond) and OS Explorer 305 (Bishop Auckland)

Start: Staindrop Village Green (GR NZ219383)

Click to View Start Position on Google Maps

This walk was constructed following the successful West of Staindrop walk. Both walks return back into Staindrop from the south on totally different routes so there will not be a south of Staindrop walk. Neither will there be a north of Staindrop as the land all belongs to the grounds of the Raby Estate and have no public footpaths. This walk, along with the west walk, goes through pleasant rural countryside but is generally in softer terrain with the west section reaching towards the early Pennines. The land is mainly arable farmland with cereals and oil seed rape predominating. Nevertheless there are wide vistas particularly towards the hills behind Barningham and also on a decent day it is possible to see the length of the old drove road on the Cleveland Way. The fields have a regular pattern and date back to the enclosures.

Staindrop has a long history and is first mentioned in 1031. It is thought that the King Cnut of England, Denmark and Norway may have ruled his kingdom from a mansion near here and it is recorded that Staindrop was given to the monks of Durham from King Cnut’s estate in 1031. The name means ‘farmstead in the stoney place’ and today Staindrop is an interesting place. The ‘Keys to the Past’ historical site of Durham and Northumberland mentions no less than 171 historical sites in Staindrop. It is a long village with a well maintained equally long village green which in all the years l have passed through has changed little. This was favoured cycling country with quiet hedge-lined minor roads and a few of these lanes will be used on this walk.

Staindrop Village

The main influence on this village are those who inhabited Raby Castle just outside the village. There was a simple castle here in 1015 and the castle underwent massive development in the 14th Century to give the perfect castle shape that you see now. Much of the stone was recycled from Barnard Castle which was then being partly dismantled. The Nevilles, who owned the castle, lost it for their support of a losing cause in the Rising of the North in 1569 with the land passing into the hands of the Vane family. The church of St Mary was in effect the family church for Raby Castle and their owners tombs can be found in the churchyard with the Nevilles being in the south-west and the Vanes in the north-west. Also buried here is Jeremiah Dixon(1733-1779) of nearby Cockfield. He was a Quaker and buried in their graveyard but sadly the site is now a garden and the grave is unmarked. His name is famous in history as one of the two men who marked out the Mason Dixon Line as the boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania. The USA was still a British colony in 1763 when Dixon (an astrologist) and Charles Mason (a surveyor) went to America to separate the land belonging to the Penns and the Calverts, given out by different monarchs. The line, on 39 degrees 43 minutes north, stretched for 306 miles and took 50 months to complete. In fact the last bit was added later due to hostile local tribes but the Mason-Dixon line is probably the second most famous line in the world after the equator! Dixon’s brother George (1731-1785) was also a man of substance and owned coal mines. He is thought to be the first person to use coal gas for illumination. Quite recently the Mason-Dixon Line was restored and the surveyors were amazed at how accurate it was, to within a few yards. Dixie as the name for the land south of the line has survived as a form of jazz.

St Mary’s has Saxon origins with a few stones still in use and over the years there were many modifications starting with the Normans who added the tower. The porch came in 1343 and the tower top in the 15th Century. Opposite the church is Staindrop House with its Jacobean windows but there is litttle informatiom available on this house.

It is worthwhile to spend time in the village but this walk is 13miles long and you may decide to leave the exploration for the end or a general saunter. Leave the main street about halfway along its length and head north down a side street. Within a minute you will arrive at a small stream called Langley Beck which is followed downstream, arriving at the road to Bishop Auckland next to the bridge. Cross carefully! Ahead is the Darlington road but it is better to take the lane heading off at a slight angle towards the river through the wood and then turn left through the cemetery back on to the Darlington road (B6279) and look out for the fingerpost at GR136208 on your left. The footpath, thanks to excellent work by the farmer and the Raby Estate, is easy to see as all the route through crops have been really well cleared. Near Low Keverstone at GR146220 there is a kink to the east at the edge of a field and you soon emerge on a lane next to Wackerfield Grange. Turn left and pass the first lane on the right and take the second past Wackerfield Hall which was built in 1840 and is a listed building. There is some thought that when Dickens wrote “Nicholas Nickleby” that the terrible school in the book was at Staindrop and the name of the schoolmaster was Wackford Squeers. I always thought that the school was in Bowes but perhaps someone can shed more light on this story?

Hummerbeck Lane

Now head east to the Hilton road at spot height 158. Here cross by the gate and proceed in a north-east direction to Hilton Moor Farm where there is a riding school. The stile out is to the left of the security gate in a hedge. Turn left to the north and where the road turns sharp left take the byway marked Hummerbeck Lane. If you look on the map at the country you have just crossed you will see the faint dots to the north marked up as a Roman road and this is the road from Bowes (Lavatrae) to Binchester (Vinovia). The lane you are on overlies some of this road and the books state that this road met the other Roman road in the area from Piercebridge to Binchester near to Bildershaw GR202241. On the map this is hard to connect up with a straight line linking both to Hummerbeck Farm area. When you arrive at a wood called Bolton Plantation at GR173239 after less than a mile turn to the right and at the end of the plantation turn right again to pass in front of Bolton Garths Farm which has been well restored and appears to be holiday accommodation. Very nice. I believe there are plans to have a small holiday site here with log cabins. Just past the farm the enclosure mounds can be seen on your left.

Now head just east of south to Trunnelmire Plantation on a clear waymarked track down the side of the plantation. At the end of the trees continue south across the field or leave the right of way and go to the left to arrive on a track used by cycles. Do not go through the gate but turn back to the west and when you are level with the end of the wood look for the stile in the hedge on your left. Follow this footpath to West Leaside where you turn left in front of the farm and take the access road down a very quiet tarmac lane as it only serves this property. This soon arrives at a minor road which is crossed and the path continues in the same southerly direction over Hilton Whin and Killerby Beck to arrive at Ingleton.

Ingleton Village

This is another old village going back to at least 1050. Its name is undetermined and could be Ingleds farm or the farm of the English. This village is also visited on the Headlam Pack Horse Bridge walk from Gainford. Houses to the west of the village are dated 1627 and 1629. There is a pub here but this is not normally open during the day apart from weekends. We take the westerly waymarked path out of the village with charming corners and views of well kept gardens. When you get to a small stream there is no sign of the path ahead but in any case the local dog walkers turn downstrean along the edge of the field and pick up the access road to Pinder House . This is followed passing to the left of the house. If you see a strange looking pig in the field you are looking at a kunekune pig which hails from New Zealand. In the 1970s this breed had virtually disappeared and there were only 6 sows and 3 boars left in the world. In a story reminiscent of Sir Peter Scott and the Hawaian Goose or Nene they were carefully looked after and bred and now there are several thousand in the world!

There is a footpath at Langton which goes behind the farm heading west along a ridge with good views to both north and south to Langton Bank Wood and then crossing north-west to another wood at the far end of which are some ruins and a wall. This was a walled garden retreat on the Raby Estate many years ago. The right of way ends in the wood but it is hoped to be able to get special permission to be able to leave this wood and walk the short distance to the gamekeeper’s house where an estate road goes south to Selaby Lane. In no circumstance follow this route without the explicit approval of the estate management. The shooting season extends for both pheasant and roe deer whilst spring can also be difficult with breeding birds. See the note at the end for contact information.

If permission is not granted the minor road of Selaby Lane is followed for a mile and a half to the ford at Alwent Beck. This is an attractive spot with woodpecker (Great Spotted) regularly seen. A footpath leaves the road on the right here to rejoin the road a few hundred yards further on near a bend. Do not go to Alwent Mill. The road you have just walked is part of the W2W cycle route from Walney near Barrow to the Wear at Sunderland. At the B6274 turn left and watch out for the traffic on a bend. At the next bend where the road turns south and a minor one goes to Little Newsham head north over the stile near to the seat. The well waymarked path heads north to Alwent Farm where some beneficial planting of indigenous trees will enhance the landscape in a few years time. The only dificult spot is in the second field at the start where the stile is in the top left hand corner. At Alwent there is a choice of route at the stile after the farm. You can go straight ahead to walk along the main street or head north-west over a lovely meadow and pick up a lane which is followed into Staindrop past a childrens play area which at the time of the walk was sadly closed due to vandalism. Not an inspiring end to what is a fine walk through well maintained countryside.

Notes: The Raby Estate Office is at Office Square, Staindrop, Darlington, Co.Durham. Tel 01833 660207.