Bill's Walks

Wolsingham to Frosterley on Lesser-Known Paths

Filed under: Other

Distance: 13 miles

Start: Demense Mill, Wolsingham (NZ GR 076375)

Click to view start position on Google Maps

Map: OS Explorer 31 – Teesdale and Weardale

This walk was conceived as an example to show walkers who normally go on guided walks that it can be enjoyable to sit with a map and construct your own walk. The idea was that at each junction we would discuss the next place on the route and where to go. I had anticipated that l would have done a reccy to prevent any serious problems arising and be aware of any unexpected changes that be be required. However  when the day dawned l had been out of the area for three weeks, and for the first time in ten years of guided walks, there were several areas which l had not walked in the past. This gave the walk and the plan some authenticity. The idea was to follow the route using a Pathfinder map which all walkers should have with them when they set out. For this reason l never include a map with my information sheet but do give grid references at tricky places. Of course we all know that what is on the map is not always on the ground but at the same time l always suggest caution when things are not what it seems. It is too easy to say the map is wrong. Are you sure that you know exactly where you are?

We started at Demesne Mill in Wolsingham by the side of the Waskerley Beck and since the route leaves Wolsingham immediately there is no preamble about the fine dales township of Wolsingham. The start is clear up the west bank of the burn. At the end of the first field are the remains of the old mill race which brought water over 500 metres from a weir across the beck to power the grinding stones at Demesne Mill. After a few hundred yards where the Waskerley Beck turns sharply north a small tributary burn (Thornhope Beck) is crossed by a footbridge called Jack Walker bridge. A short while after there is a split of paths and we leave the Waskerley Beck and head north-west alongside a line of trees growing in an equally old hedge to reach the road leading to Tunstall Reservoir. Note some quite old trees on this path, in particular a fine old oak tree.

At the road is the first of the lesser paths to be walked. It goes to Park Wall and continues in the same direction to that you have already been walking. It is known locally as the Long Dyke. The obvious path is the one directly in front of you which is the access road/track to Fawnlees Hall and the other Fawnlee but our path is a few yards to the north with the waymark partly hidden by the hedge. This is a waymarked track but is not clear on the ground which does not matter as the route is through a large field. The two paths run parallel for just over one mile and are only about 150 yards apart. To be fair the one direct to Park Walls, which we are on, can be a bit wet after a prolonged wet spell and the Fawnlees track is good underfoot taking wheeled traffic. However, the smaller path arguably has better views looking north towards Tunstall Reservoir.

Just before the ruins of Park Wall house, which was a thatched building similar to the one at Levy Pool on the Pennine Way to the north of Bowes, is an enormous stile to get you over the walls of the old hunting park of the Bishop of Durham which date back to 1274. After crossing the stile we now go in a south-west direction through a gate. There is an indistinct path possibly created by livestock which skirts Park Wall Plantation and crosses the open pasture to the south-west corner of the large field you are walking through. A slight change to south-by-south-west in the next field continues the route slightly downhill to a stile leading on to a clear track at the corner of the plantation called Ladley Woods. Here is a genuine case where the map does not match the footpath, which has disappeared. On the OS map the plantation is shown as standing, whereas in fact it has been harvested and replanted. There is no stile into the plantation although it does appear that there could be a way through to the south alongside the eastern edge of the new plantation. The only problem is that this is in the wrong direction to the bridge over Thornhope Beck at GR049386 where we are heading. We therefore opted to follow the wheeled track along the north of the wood before turning directly south to the bridge. This was not clear on the ground and obviously rarely walked. However halfway down towards the bridge we found a waymark in the long vegetation which indicates there has been a diversion here. Take care as the bridge can be very slippy when wet. This is a delightful spot and once over the bridge we then cross a stile into a field.

The ruins of Ladley are if front of you to the south-west and a large field is crossed to go through a gate to the derelict farmhouse. Continue in the same direction over the next field, through the acute corner of the next field and descend slowly down to a wall, which is crossed. In front of you are the farm buildings of Newlands Hall. The map indicates that you enter the farmyard from the west and exit from the east but on the ground the way is clearly past the east side. This is a better way and keeps walkers away from the farmyard. Head south towards the A689 and at the end of the first field on your left follow the waymark to the left and head east for a short distance to the field boundary where there is a divergence of paths. Take the one south-east diagonally across a field then down to the road at Halfway House. All of this route is waymarked. Now head east along the road, utilising the good verge, and then cross over to the road to a lane (which crosses the River Wear) into a caravan site. Almost immediately you then cross over the Weardale Railway and head south to Holebeck House. Do not cross the Hole Beck as this leads you to Coves House Farm. Our route heads uphill  on the east side of Hole Beck which is the access to Sunniside Farm. I suggest you ignore the first footpath at the mining remains which leads to the farm, and continue on the main access which crosses the beck by a substantial bridge. Look out for the stone circle on the right that the owner has built as a landscape feature and also the sheep skulls in the wall with the reflector eyes. Sunniside Farm is a Grade 2 Listed Building and has been beautifully restored by the owner with several quirky features in the garden including a dinosaurs nest.

After passing through the farmyard you exit by the gate to the west and cross a small rivulet on your right to head west where you arrive at a good track. The footpath should continue in the same direction but here there is no stile or waymark whatsoever. A search around the vicinity revealed nothing else. There has been a small wood planted here with indigenous trees which is possibly a shelter belt for pheasants and there is a stile at the end of this new development. After crossing and proceeding for a short distance you can drop down the bridleway from Coves House Farm to East Biggins. In fact if the track which was ignored earlier is taken downhill this bridleway can be picked up to make a better way for both the landowner and the walker but my map does not indicate this. East Biggins is another Grade 2 Listed Building and you go through the farmyard emerging on a good track which the owners use for their access. This track is followed downhill to West Biggins with its resident peacocks. Last year we passed a farm in Yorkshire which specialised in the breeding of these birds and was a business none of us had thought about.

We now head uphill in a south-west direction initially on a good track to cross over the steep sided Harehope Burn to arrive at Harehope Farm. After passing the first buildings turn right on the waymarked route through a gate and follow the track through two large fields alongside the burn. Towards the bottom turn right over the burn which hereabouts soon joins the Bollihope Burn. The scenery on the way down from Harehope, especially towards west towards Bollihope, is superb Dales scenery. Just over the bridge is an Interpretation Board on Harehope Gill Mine which extracted lead from the Broadwood Cross and Slitt veins. It closed about 1890 as it became unproductive. There was a waterwheel on Harehope Gill which powered the underground engine shaft and the foundations of this still survive. You are now on a version of the Weardale Way which runs alongside and above Harehope Quarry (now worked out) but before doing so it is worthwhile to drop down from the Information Board on the path to see the outcrop of Frosterley marble in the bed of the Bollihope Burn. This is observed directly under the good bridge leading back up to the Weardale Way and the quarry edge. This marble, which is a metamorphosed limestone and not a true marble, has been much used in many famous buildings including our own Durham Cathedral. There is a font in Frosterley Church made of the marble which was rescued from a church in Gainsborough in Lincolnshire about 1990.

Harehope Quarry is now run as a workers cooperative offering environmental education, field studies, rural skills etc. Their objective is to show a more sustainable form of living and they recently won a Gold Award from a Green Tourism Business Scheme. The Weardale Way runs along the top edge of the quarry and at the end descends down a track to the entrance to the quarry where there is an Interpretation Board on the project. Here the Weardale Way leaves the old road to the quarry and continues east of a good track eastwards passing Landieu Farm and then continues along the main track to arrive back at the bridge over the Wear used earlier in the walk. It is now necessary to retrace your way back along the A689 to Halfway House where you cross the stile and make your way back uphill towards Newlands Farm. At the junction  where you previously headed south now head east on a waymarked path that is again a lesser used path. This path returns to Wolsingham and crosses nearly twenty small narrow fields so there is a surplus of stiles and this is possibly the reason for the limited use. The path is known locally as “Miles of Stiles”. The narrow fields are an example of medieval strip fields and before being split up were part of the West Field, hence the name of the farm just to the south of our path. The way is well waymarked and is easy to follow to arrive at Leazes Lane (the Tunstall road) next to Wolsingham Comprehensive School. After crossing the road continue east on a pleasant tarmac path to the south of the school and arrive at the church, from where it is a short distance over a field back to the start.
 
As an example of how to find new paths you could possibly say that this route was a failure as some problems arose but on the other hand this was a pleasant walk which will now become a  more regular Durham County Council Guided Walk and l can recommend it. There are no shops, pubs or refeshments en-route but there is much fine scenery, pleasant corners and a wealth of wildlife and plant life.