Bill's Walks

Teesdale Way – Cotherstone to Egglestone Abbey

Distance: 9 miles

Start: Post Office on Galgate, Barnard Castle

Click to view start position on Google Maps

This walk has a figure of eight configuration so should you encounter bad weather conditions it can be cut short on the return to Barnard Castle where the walk has started.

We commence at the Post Office at the bottom of Galgate. This street was originally called Gallowgate, of which there are many examples across the country such as in Newcastle Upon Tyne and it stands on the line of the Roman road from Binchester to Bowes which forded the River Tees.

A castle was established here by the Normans and was constructed by Bernard de Bailleul who was also responsible for the layout of much of the town. The name of Bernard was corrupted to Barnard, hence the name of the town and the Norman surname name Anglised to Balliol. The Balliols were a distinguished family who held the castle for 200 years and one of them, John, through marriage to a Scottish heir to the throne became King of Scotland. He was later deposed by Edward 1st who had been instrumental in his appointment. Previously his mother had founded Balliol College in Oxford and on her death had given land to the Cistercians near Dumfries where they founded Sweetheart Abbey. She was buried there along with a casket containing the heart of her husband (also a John) and this accounts for the Abbey’s name. The castle last saw action in 1569 in the rising against Queen Elizabeth 1st when it was under seige for eleven days and in 1630 it was partly demolished and the stone taken by Sir Henry Vane to build his new dwelling at Raby Castle.

Our route is very simple following the eastern bank of the River Tees and continuing upstream (ignoring the aqueduct bridge of 1893) through Flatts Wood. We now reach the site of the Tees viaduct built in 1861 and demolished in 1972. Its four piers carried the railway line from Barnard Castle over Stainmore to Kirkby Stephen and eventually to Tebay or its offshoot to Penrith. The route follows the river past East Holme House and through West Holme House. An alternative route can be taken higher up alongside the eastern edge of Flatts Wood and the two routes merge about 300 metres short of East Holme.

The path crosses two fields before descending to a small bridge near to a waterfall. We eventually cross a stile to enter the wood on the left and gradually descend to a large field opposite the old site of Cotherstone Mill. After passing under Cotherstone Crag we cross the Tees on a footbridge and turn downstream. We soon cross another bridge over the River Balder. It is uphill now up to Hallgarth Hill. The top of this was the site of Cotherstone Castle which was a wooden structure when built in 1090 and was replaced by a stone castle circa 1200. Only the mound remains now.

We proceed ahead to enter Cotherstone village near the Red Lion. The other pub in the village, the Fox and Hounds, is an old coaching inn and goes back to the mid 1700s. Cotherstone is renowned for its cheese which was re-established some years back and has a similarity to Wensleydale cheese.

Heading south we reach East Green and pass between houses to an old lane. After a short distance we come to the Quaker Meeting House. This was built in 1797 and was built outside the boundary of the village because none of the powers in the village would allow it to be built in the village. In the graveyard was buried a black boy who again was not deemed fit for the village. The landowner kept the gates to the meeting House and graveyard locked to deter the Quakers. However Lord Joseph Fry, whilst staying at nearby Baldersdale Grange, ordered his footman to remove the gates and drove his carriage to the Meeting House. It is not known whether the gates were replaced and kept locked again.

We continue towards Cooper House passing it on the river side of the house. The next mile and a half enjoy lovely views down to the Tees and l believe these meadows were used for scenes in the filming of “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” because of some special lighting effects. At Towler Hill Farm we turn to the right to miss out the buildings and we go along the side of a wood to come to the old railway line near to the viaduct. After a careful look over to the river we go through Pecknell Wood to pick up the quiet tarmac road back to Barnard Castle.

We do not cross the road bridge to the town but continue on the path above the river and follow this riverside path past a caravan site to reach Thorsgill Beck. Here we cross the superb pack horse bridge under the ruins of Egglestone Abbey and down to Abbey Bridge which we cross. We now follow the other riverside path on the opposite bank back towards Barnard castle, passing Demenses Farm, to return to the bottom of the town near to the old Thorngate Mill and some renovated weavers houses. It is straightforward now up the hill passing Blagraves House on our right where Oliver Cromwell once stopped and then the octagonal Market Cross which has seen use as a Butter market. It was built in 1747 and also served as the Town Hall and as a lock up. Many of the buildings back to the start are of interest and show Barnard Castle as probably the most attractive smaller town in the County.