Bill's Walks

Shincliffe and Low Burnhall Wood

Distance: 13 miles (or 13.5 miles with Gilesgate diversion)
Start: High Shincliffe, lay-by on old A177 (GR NZ295402)
Map: OS Explorer 308 – Durham and Sunderland and OS Explorer 305 – Bishop Auckland

Click to view start position on Google Maps

This excellent walk is good to do at any time of the year but is probably best in Autumn as there are several large deciduous woods on the route and many other areas with lots of trees. Furthermore it passes through the new acquisition of land by the Woodland Trust of Low Burnhall Wood and over the years walkers will be able to see the new wood develop in much the same way as has happened in Lotties Wood near Sunniside, Hedley Wood near Beamish and what is just starting at Elemore Wood near to Littletown and Easington Lane.

We start at the lay-by at High Shincliffe which was part of the old road and walk down it to the A177. Immediately opposite is a footpath sign and a nameplate which is Strawberry Lane and this is followed south on a tarmac surface. At the point where the road turns right to West Grange you continue south into a field where the route takes a slight kink to the left before resuming its direction south. West Grange is an old farm dating back to the 17th Century. Very soon this becomes a hedged lane where Durham County Council have done recent work improving the hedges. The route continues south for about 3/4 of a mile to a crossroad of paths where we keep straight ahead. The one on the left goes to South Grange whilst in the other direction to the west the bridleway goes to High Butterby Farm on the Weardale Way. Many of the farms here are called Granges named after their first use as a barn, where the French word for barn is a grange.

Strawberry Lane

It is straight ahead for a further mile to another crossroads of paths which are ignored. The path now enters a wood and on leaving the wood proceed south and then east to reach Tursdale House. This old farmhouse was formerly an old coaching inn and the small building on your right was a blacksmith’s shop which was converted to a house some time ago. I believe that the roofer committed suicide by stabbing himself on Durham Cathedral Altar about 50 years ago. Strawberry Lane was in fact a major road going to Durham in the 17th Century. The bridleway continues on the access road to Tursdale House downhill to reach Tursdale Beck and Hett Mill. On the other side is the Newcastle to London main line and the alarm for the crossing is heard frequently. We turn upstream on the north bank and follow the clear engineered path upstream in fine woodland and after about half a mile the footpath climbs uphill to exit the wood. On the day we did this walk in October all of the distance covered was alive with birdlife with numerous fieldfare and redwings as well as many yellowhammers and other birds feeding on the numerous berries.

On leaving the wood and turning left you cross through a hedge via two stiles with a waymark for the West Bowburn Way and continuing west with the wood on your left you walk the length of the field. Both magpies and jays can be seen in the wood and note the steep drop down to the beck. At the end of the field continue round the edge now heading north, ignore the first path on your left (where there is a new stile) and go through the next gate onto a broad track which is within the grounds of Croxdale Hall. The track descends to cross an outlet from the lake on your right by stepping stones. You now continue north over a stile and passing through newly created parkland for about 200 yards you soon reach a hard road which is the access road to High Croxdale Farm. We now head west and in less than half a mile come to Croxdale Hall. This was built about 1760 for General Salvin who was the father of the architect and is a Grade 1 listed building. Also listed as a Grade 1 listed building is the 12th Century chapel. The house still belongs to the Salvins and during World War 2 it served as a military hospital and then as a maternity hospital until 1952. Continuing west the carriageway crosses Tursdale Beck and passes between an avenue of trees before going under the A167, which was the old A1 north prior to the opening of the A1M, and arrives at the old Sunderland Bridge over the River Wear.

Sunderland Bridge

A bridge has been here since the 13th Century and although the date of the current bridge is not known it is thought to be from the 16th Century. It required major works in the 1700s on at least four occasions and the two central arches are the only full survivors as both the end arches collapsed. Turn right immediately over the bridge in front of the house to emerge on the A167 at its junction with the B6300. Cross both with extreme care and pass by the Honest Lawyer which certainly seems, like the pub in Derbyshire called “The Quiet Woman” a contradiction in terms! Shortly after crossing Browney Bridge there is a new gateway on your right which leads into Low Burnhall Wood.

This wood is now going to be planted in some of the meadows and pasture land which was bought at auction by the Trust and is 67 hectares (166 acres) in size. At first you follow the Browney down towards its outlet into the Wear and follow the new paths through meadows north towards Low Burnhall Farm. The site is currently being developed and planting will take place over the next 3 years (from 2010). There is already some Ancient Semi Natural Woodland alongside the river and the plan includes some wild flower meadows adjacent to the A167. Species being planted are all natural to this area and include ash, oak, hazel and rowan plus the black poplar which is quite uncommon.

The area on the other side of the Wear at Low Butterby has an oxbow lake to the south of the farmhouse and is an SSSI where you can find wildfowl in the winter. It is rare in having swamp, fen and fen carr all on the same site. Head north through the field (soon to be planted) to arrive at the access road to Low Burnhall Farm about 400 yards to the west of the buildings and here you pick up the public footpath. This passes to the left of most of the buildings (which are currently being converted to houses) and climbs up following the bend in the river and the contours, before dropping down steeply to cross a small beck by a footbridge. It is straight up then for a short distance to a field where the boundary is followed uphill to Pinnock Hill and emerges onto Hollingside Lane. In medieval days this was the main route north to Durham Cathedral. This unsurfaced road is taken north passing by the Botanic Garden on the left and then Grey College on the right to emerge on a busy road which is the road off the A167 at the Cock of the North roundabout to Durham Centre. Head uphill for a very short distance to cross it by the pedestrian crossing and then continue a few yards further uphill to a road junction where you turn right onto Elvet Hill Road and a sign pointing to the Oriental Museum.

You are now on university land and will pass the Government and International Affairs building followed by Teikyo University buildings on your left and Trevelyan College on the right to come to a t-junction with a cemetery on your left. Immediately opposite is a footpath sign where a broad track waymarked Quarry Heads Lane leads down to the Wear and Prebends Bridge. However on reaching the road take the footpath back up the hill to the Observatory where Salvin was the architect. Alternatively at Potters Lane junction where the footpath goes downhill, the area in front of you is open space with a footpath heading uphill in a north-west direction and at the top is a super view of Durham Cathedral which is best seen in late afternoon with the sun illuminating the western walls and windows. A right of way shown on the map from near the Observatory takes you past sport fields and through a new housing development in the grounds of Nevilles Cross College. This is followed round the back of some older houses to come to the A690 at Nevilles Cross near to a church.

Go down the road for a short distance and opposite some stairs on the other side of the road take an earth path on your right which leads to an infant school. This is followed downhill in a cutting to reach a road where you head north for about 200 yards. Just after a school on your right take a path down on your right through some allotments, up the other side to the right to eventually come out on South Street looking across to the cathedral. Head north here and just before the road starts to go downhill search out an opening on your left which leads into the churchyard of the church of St Margaret of Antioch. This is a restful place with a seat. The church looks modern but is in fact from Norman times although much altered by later work. Descend the steep steps at the front and turn downhill to reach the bridge over the Wear. It has been pedestrianised for many years and it is difficult to imagine the many buses which used to go over it! As soon as you cross the bridge and pass the path down to the river take the very narrow ginnel on your right which is marked as a route to the cathedral and castle and follow this narrow alley to emerge at the Shakespeare pub. This is reputedly one of the most haunted pubs in the country. Here turn left towards the market place and then immediately right down to Elvet Bridge. At the bridge take the steep steps on your left down to the river level at the boating station. You are again back on the Weardale Way.

The Weardale Way is followed upstream with the river on your right passing a footbridge leading to Old Elvet and continues to Old Durham and its walled garden. Here you also see the embankment of the old railway to Elvet Station. There are two alternatives depending on the amount of daylight available. The easy way back to the start is to follow the path behind the embankment, then cross the bridge over Old Durham Beck on the Weardale Way to reach the Wear. Then cross over to Maiden Castle sport fields and follow the riverside path to Shincliffe Bridge which is crossed. Turn right and go through Shincliffe village heading south to return to the A177 at the Seven Stars pub. This was the main road before the bypass. At the pub cross the A177 and follow the road on a footpath uphill back to the start.

However, a better way which avoids all roads is to turn left up the broad track at Old Durham, pass by Old Durham Farm and reach a t-junction near Bent House Farm. Here turn downhill towards the B1198 (called Mill Lane). About 200 yards before the beck, and where the track levels out, turn left through a farm gate (not waymarked) which crosses two fields to the side of the beck opposite the cattery and cutting across the bend you reach a footbridge and arrive on Mill Lane. Cross this with care and head east for a short distance to pick up a footpath which is on the route of the first railway into Durham, where Shincliffe served as the first Durham station. Go west along this path towards Shincliffe for a short distance and then take the footpath heading uphill to Manor Farm which is passed on your right. This is a new farmhouse built about 50 years ago on the site of Bank Top pit at High Shincliffe. The main farm building on your left was the winding house which pulled the waggons up and down on the slope that you have just climbed. It is now a short distance to the village houses and after the school turn right to the A177 and the start.

If you are doing this walk on a longer day l would recommend turning left at the first bridge you reach after dropping down to the river opposite the old public swimming pool (sadly currently in disrepair) and going uphill to Gilesgate. When you reach St Giles church where the slope eases turn right towards the church and then immediately left. There is a footpath past some cottages which after about 200 yards reaches a lane near to some new apartments built on the site of Woods lemonade factory and a waymark heading back to the river. The surprise here is the stream which is crossed by a footbridge very high above the water. This is a relatively unknown part of Durham known only to a few . At the end of the footbridge turn left. The other path on the right takes you quickly down to the river. The one on the left, which we take, goes gradually downhill across the contours to reach a lane which is stepped down back to the river and the Weardale Way only a short distance upstream from Old Durham. A worthwhile diversion and a quiet one which enhances the walk.