Bill's Walks

Sanctuary Way Stage 1 – Whickham to Beamish

Distance: 12 miles

Start: Eden Place Picnic Site, Beamish

Click to view start position on Google Maps

As stated in the preamble, the Sanctuary Way is a linear walk from Whickham to Durham, with most of it in County Durham. Indeed prior to the Local Government Reorganisation it was all in County Durham and Whickham Church at the start is in the Diocese of Durham. Todays walk is being done back to front i.e. from south to north starting at Eden Place Picnic Site.

The village of Beamish is a relatively new creation being formed in 1873. Formerly Beamish referred to the lands surrounding Beamish Hall and was a parish of Tanfield. The new Beamish parish consisted of Stanley, Shield Row, Kip Hill, Ox Hill, East Kyo, East Stanley and Beamish Stables. At this time the population was expanding rapidly due to the opening of three coal mines. The coal seams in this area can be up to 40 feet thick and mines were opened in Stanley in 1833, Air Pit in 1849 and the Beamish Mary (whose name is now preserved in the nearby pub name) in 1883. The Beamish Mary mine lasted until 1960. There was a fourth colliery known as Chophill or Beamish No 2 and a row of houses were built to house some of the miners. This was called Eden Row and was situated close to the Stanhope and Tyne Railway. Eden Place, where you are now standing, and Eden Square were then built a little further to the north and the village consisted of 70 houses, a school and a chapel. These houses were built by the coal-owner James Joicey and were started in 1878 and the village lasted until recent times when it was demolished to make room for the new road from Consett to Chester-le-Street.

We leave the car park to the west on the Great North Forest Trail through Hellhole Wood which is owned by the Woodland Trust, with glimpses of Beamish Park Golf Club to the right. At Carricks Hill Wood we look carefully for a split in the path and take the one downhill crossing the River Team to arrive in the Beamish Burn Picnic Park. This is a pleasant spot and the wall to the east is the wall separating you from the grounds of Beamish Hall. Note here the hearths in the wall which were lit to protect delicate plants on the other side in the garden when the weather was cold. Beamish Hall was owned in the past by a coal-owning family called the Shaftos, who also owned Whitworth Hall near Spennymoor (visited on the Weardale Way walk from Page Bank to Bishop Auckland). The family are remembered by the song Bonny Bobby Shaftoe.The other inhabitants were the Eden family from whom was descended Sir Anthony Eden, the Prime Minister in the 1950s.

Those wanting an extra mile on the walk can stay on the Great North Forest Trail which is well marked and go through Causey Gill to Causey Arch Picnic Site and see the famous Causey Arch, which is the oldest railway bridge in the world.

Bill (centre) leads the walk!

We instead walk east along the road towards Beamish Hall. This is now an excellent hotel with good food and a brewery on site which is well recommended. No time today however as we turn north up the bridleway called Coppy Lane to walk up to Beamishburn Road near the old school. This was the original road to Stanley. We turn left for a short distance and then right crossing the A693 called Causey Road (but referred to by older residents as the Stanley New Road) and go under the railway line to arrive at Causey Arch Picnic Site.

We leave the picnic park to the north and go down the steep minor road. Just after the bend go through the gate on our right and cross the Bodgins Burn. The route to the left is the way to Burnopfield on the Border Walks series of walks but here we ignore this and go straight ahead up the large field in front to the north to the ruins of Andrews House. Look out for red kites in this vicinity as they are often seen here. At the ruins we take the old access track to the farm and reach the Tanfield Railway workshops. Sunniside and District Local History Club have recently produced an excellent book and DVD on this railway which is met on several of our walks. Go to their excellent website for further details and l can recommend it, both as a good book and a good website.

The railway sheds built in 1854 are the oldest working railway sheds in the world and were built for John Bowes, a relative of the old Queen Mother for the Pontop and Jarrow Railway. This route, now a cycle track and bridleway can be followed all the way to Jarrow.

Here the Pontop Line crosssed the Tanfield Railway, met earlier at Causey Arch. In 1725 the Sunniside to Causey railway was built using wooden rails and horses or rope-hauled inclines to take coal to Dunston staithes. The railways were known as Newcastle Roads. The later development of steam engines by the Stephensons, Hackworth and Hedley (all of local origin) obviously progressed the transport of coal immensely although the line utilised the winding engines throughout its life until closure in the late 1960s. In 1977 part of the line was rebuilt from East Tanfield to Sunniside and is open to the public. The section down to Lobley Hill is thought to be the oldest wagonway in the world going back to the 1600s, over 200 years before the development of steam locos. There is certainly a lot of history around here!

From the Tanfield Railway car park we follow a path alongside the line down to Sunniside which is now public access although not marked up as a Right of Way on older maps. We cross the A692 near to the Potters Wheel pub and continue on the main road downhill on what was known as Bakers Bank, which was a winding engine section of the line. At the end of the houses and before Street Gate we turn off to the main road which is crossed and enter Lotties Wood which is Woodland Trust owned. This was named after a local character and was planted about 10 years ago. It is amazing how fast this has developed and l often see stoats and other wildlife here including roe deer and fox. Just after entering the wood you will pass a plaque which gives details of the bell pits which were located here. These were discovered when part of the site was being deep ploughed to create a flower meadow. We now descend down to the stream called Black Burn which is to the north-east of the site. There are several alternative paths which can be followed. Note that the trees planted are all indigenous to the area.

Bell Pit Plaque at Sunniside

The Black Burn is followed down to the bridleway from Streetgate to Whickham where we turn north past Marshall Lands Farm to Broom Lane and suburbia. Broom Lane is crossed and we follow the quiet Cornmoor Road north for about half a mile to arrive at the south entrance to Whickham Park. This was the home of Charles Attwood, the Weardale ironmaster who played a major part in the agigtation for parliamentary reform in the early 1800s and was the leader of the local Chartists.

The park is entered and after a short distance you will see the remains of the old windmill in the south-east corner of the park. There is no record of when this was built or when it was last in use as far as l know but it is likely to have been the medieval village mill owned by the lord of the manor, the Bishop of Durham, which the villagers were compelled to use to grind their corn. The name Whickham is derived from Quickham, the village of quickthorns or hawthorn bushes. We turn left past the childrens play area to come out at Front Street which is crossed. Note here the statue of Lang Jack which was moved here from its original site near Clockburn Wood on Hole Lane where he lived. The original site where he lived is on the site of a very old road probably being pre Roman. We turn into Church Chare and walk towards the church of St Mary. Just before the church is the rectory which occupies part of Whickham Hall, thought to be the oldest residence in the village. The church itself goes back to Saxon times is the oldest building in Whickham. The church has undergone many additions and modifications from Norman times onwards and the major work seen today is from 1862 when it was fully restored following a major fire in 1841. Grab hold of the knocker to start the Sanctuary Way!

The churchyard behind contains the grave of Henry Clasper the oarsman from Derwenthaugh. During the 1850s he was the champion oarsman on the Tyne and the races were watched by thousands. Indeed he was the most well known sportsman of the era in this region. At his funeral the mourners stretched all the way back to Swalwell. In the entrance to the church is a plaque to William Shield the musician and composer, born in Swalwell who is buried in Westminster Cathedral and is famous as the composer of a melody which Rabbie Burns later put words to to give us” Auld Lang Syne”.

Henry Clasper's Grave in Whickham Churchyard.

Continue the walk via the village green at the front of the church, which was purchased for the village in 1852 by the Reverend Carr and given to the village in perpetuity with a clause that it could never be built on and thereby the church could always be seen from the road. Prior to his purchase a local landowner named Atkins had fenced the land off and started a quarry but the locals tore down the fences and burnt his effigy. The vicar’s purchase proved more effective!

From the top of the green, take School Lane and you will soon pass the school opened in 1742. This was a charity school aided by the church well before state education. Follow the lane around to the main road, where you continue east, passing the old toll house on the Gateshead to Hexham road. Behind the garage is Dockendale Hall built in the late 16th Century for the Earl of Darlington and later owned by Sir Thomas Liddell of Ravensworth who was a noted Royalist and became a Baron for his help in the defence of Newcastle in 1644. Cromwell on his march north to Edinburgh reputedly slept here for two nights pouring further humiliation on the defeated Royalists. Hence the name of Cromwell Road nearby.

After passing the Police Station we turn right into Washingwell Lane which is on the Tyne Wear Trail and which will be our route over the next few miles back to Beamish. After passing some large new houses on the right, take note of the openings in the wall on the right. These were put in during the early part of WW2 to provide shooting stations should the Germans invade us. Incredible! A bit like the Maginot Line as they could have walked round the side. After passing Washingwells farm we approach a wood. Just before this is the site of a Roman fort discovered by aerial photography in the 1960s during a time of drought. We descend through the wood and leave the Tyne Wear Trail for a short while to walk around the lake in Washingwell Country Park. This was created on the site of Washingwell Colliery. The pit heap here burned for many years before being extinguished and this enabled the work to go ahead making this fine park which is an asset to the area. We climb out up the clear track to Fugar Bar on the A693 just downhill from the Marquis of Granby where refreshment can be obtained all day. We take the route opposite the pub, on the Tyne Wear Trail which continues past two houses, enters an attractive wood and continues to Pennyfine Lane. You then cross Burdon Fell passing through a horse area with stables to arrive at spot height 207 metres. To the north prior to this were fine views of Newcastle and down the Tyne but now the views are over to Beamish and County Durham with views of the Cleveland Hills and Teeside in the distance on a clear day.

We follow the route south and pass by the side of Burdon Moor restoration site where a lowland heath has been created. These are now quite rare and the site is already proving to be very interesting with much bird and plantlife doing well. We cross the Pontop to Jarrow cycle track here in a cutting and enter Hedley Hall Woods owned by the Woodland Trust. These again were mostly planted in recent times and have developed well but there is also an area of ancient woods in Mill Wood in the south-west corner, just to the west of the lake. We pass by the side of the lake about one mile after entering the property. The route is not totally clear here but if you continue on one of the many paths through the wood heading south you will emerge above the lake looking down on it. Alternatively you can walk through Hedley Hall and pick up the paths to the south after turning part right.

After the lake you arrive at the old coach road to Beamish Hall which is followed east, still on the Tyne Wear Trail. Where the coach road climbs up look out for a path on the right which climbs up parallel to the old coach road to the edge of the mature conifer wood. We walk south on dry ground along the edge of the wood past Pockerley Hills over Beamish East Moor then descend steeply towards the end of the wood, onto a track which takes us to High Forge. Turning right for a short distance we then enter Ousborough Wood on the left on a broad track and cross the River Team. Shortly after this is a footbridge over the river which gives access back to Eden Place but it is preferable to stay on the main track. After the bend in the river there is another footbridge which the Tyne Wear Trail takes but this is a steep climb at the end of the day and in is often wet and slippery. The best way is to continue alongside the River Team to the next footbridge. Here there are two footpaths which ascend the valley slope. The one heading to the left in a south-east direction is well graded and stepped while that to the right in a south-west direction is slightly steeper but shorter. Either way we pick up the path alongside Urpeth Common which reaches the Sustrans Railway path. It is now just a short distance back to the site of Beamish Station where you turn right along the route of the siding to reach the road. This is crossed and through the wood on the other side is Eden Place. If you reach the cow sculpture on the railway path you have came too far so retrace your steps to the Station.