Bill's Walks

Bishop Auckland to Witton-le-Wear (Weardale Way)

Start: Bishop Auckland car park

Click to view start position on Google Maps

On previous sections of the Weardale Way I have commented on the various routes of the Weardale Way over the years and the need for clarity with a compromise of a riverside route and a high route. This section has never had that problem as all routes have used the same paths and a cursory look a the map shows the reason why as there is a paucity of paths hereabouts.

We leave the car park and drop down to the river level, crossing the beautiful 14th Century bridge which now only carries a relatively small amount of traffic due to the Newton Cap Viaduct being converted to road traffic in 1995 following the closure of the railway line from Durham to Bishop Auckland.

After crossing the bridge we ascend for a short distance on the road and almost immediately turn right (west) upriver on the waymarked path past sports fields down to the just above the river, and the through the wood of Broken Bank. In wet weather the path can be slippery here. You then continue alongside the river to the village of Escomb. Look out on this section for kingfishers which breed on this section of the River Wear.

We arrive at the village of Escomb where you will find the Saxon Church of St John the Evangelist. Nikolaus Pevsner in his classic architecture books “The Buildings of England” states that “Escomb Church in the desperately sordid surroundings of its village is one of the most important and most moving survivals of the architecture of the times of Bede”. The masonry, which is large blocks, probably came from nearby Vinovia. A key can be obtained from a nearby house and inside can be found a fragment of the original Saxon flooring as well as part of the Saxon crosses.

Escomb Church is now over 1300 years old but 130 years ago it was in ruins with a collapsed roof and damaged walls and windows. In the latter of the 1800s due to the graveyard being full, a new church was constructed in the area and the Saxon church fell into decay. Fortunately in 1879 the church was saved and restored to what you see now. It is a pity that the new houses built around the church in the 1950s to replace the old cottages had not been designed with more sympathy to the surroundings. What were the planners thinking?

We continue past the church, heading west past the allotments and old gravel pits and after one mile arrive at Witton Park, after passing under the Weardale Railway. We skirt Witton Park and go along the road to Beechburn Bridge. At GR 171305 we leave the road at a stile and gradually descend back to the Wear opposite Low Barnes Natures Reserve, managed by Durham Wildlife Trust. The route alongside the river through the wood can be difficult and even impassable if the river is in spate but normally this is soon cleared and a clear track takes you to the road, which up to comparatively recent times was the main A68, as was Witton Bridge (spelt Whitton on my OS map). After crossing the bridge you cross open ground (look out for Yellowhammers) and climb some steep stairs to recross the Weardale Railway and arrive at Witton-le-Wear village.

This is an attractive village just off the main A68 with grassy well-kept village greens. It is a quiet place with a population of about 500 but 100 years ago the population was 2500. In the past, like much of this area, this village was basically an industrial village with coal mining and brickworks very prominent. The Church of St Philips and St James was rebuilt around 1905 but the site has had a church since the 12th Century. Note the date 1799 above the door of The Dun Cow Inn and in its heyday the village boasted 6 pubs as well as shops etc. Sadly the changes of the last 50 years have altered village life everywhere.

The Belfry house was formerly the Grammar School and there are many pleasant houses and buildings to see here. We head east down the hill, crossing the Weardale Railway for a third time and after half a mile of road walking enter Low Barnes Nature Reserve.

This reserve has an area of 125 acres and is well worth a visit in its own right. The site was a gravel works up to 1964 when the gravel works closed. Indeed the gravel and sand had been depositied after 1771 when the river changed its course. There is an information room and a shop in the reserve and it makes a pleasant lunch stop. A contribution to the Trust for the upkeep of the site would be most certainly appreciated.

From the hide at West Lake recent years have given great views of kingfishers about 10 feet away. Full details of the birds to be seen can be obtained at the centre and this is obviously dependent on season. The area to the north of Marston Lake is alder woodland, on the old course of the river and on other walks recently we have seen evidence of new alder planting on restored sites. In addition there has recently new reed beds created at Low Barnes which it is hoped will attract bitterns.

We walk the length of the reserve on the paths following the direction of the river to exit on the road near to the bridge over the Wear and head north to Beechburn Farm. We now take a path opposite which follows Beechburn Beck passing behind Beechburn Grange. Two fields after Mill Farm (which is passed on the left – please note that the waymark is missing but the post survives) you cross a stile and head north-east through a wood to the A689 which is crossed and the direction continued to North Bitchburn (a corruption of Beechburn). The same direction is continued after going left for a very short distance past the cricket ground to Quarry Burn Lane. Again there is a kink in the path which is just up the road to the left, to Oaks Row where we turn right, crossing two fields by stiles, back to a minor road. Here we turn right to Bracken Hill and cut off the corner to Cringle Dykes on the entrance to New Hunwick.

Passing through farm on your left at the end of the first field, a path to the left, through the gate, is followed south-east to Hunwick which is another pleasant village complete with a pub. The main road is crossed and a path followed, past a gingang converted to a house on your left, to Hunwick Hall Farm. The views ahead here down to the Wear Valley are extensive and the way ahead is clear. Just before Toronto Village, take a clear track on your left which is followed down to the Bishop Auckland to Brandon Railway path. This prevents any road walking and by turning towards Bishop Auckland you arrive back at the start in a few minutes.