LONG DISTANCE WALKERS ASSOCIATION
NORTHUMBRIA GROUP
DURHAM DALES CHALLENGE
ROUTE DESCRIPTION 28 MILE ROUTE
From school turn L and walk down to main road. Turn L. CROSS ROAD WITH EXTREME CARE. Continue to road junction on R (SP: Hamsterley 5 miles). Turn R and continue down to cross road bridge. Bear R uphill from bridge to PB on R (Rushy Lea Lane) just before Cul-de-sac sign at top of hill.
Turn R along lane (passing Snipe Cottage) to gate. Pass through gate and continue ahead with wall on L (ignoring good track) to second gate. Pass through gate and go diagonally R uphill to new metal gate in field corner. Go through this gate and turn R to join good track to further gate. Through gate again to continue on track to another gate and
CHECKPOINT 1 - BLACK ALLOTMENT GR: NZ 059349. SELF CLIP.
Go through gate and follow the track for a further 150-200 yards. Turn immediately L on broad vehicle track over moorland (THIS SECTION WILL BE FLAGGED) to eventually reach old mine workings at GR: NZ 053336.
Cross yellow stony track and continue on same bearing (THIS AREA WILL BE FLAGGED) to reach stone cairn. Turn L along path through heather with valley and stream on R. On reaching broad gap in heather turn R down to stream. Cross stream and continue along valley with stream on L (keeping to higher ground rather than lower). Pass through broken stone wall and then over stile in wire fence. Do not descend to stream but continue ahead to lone tree. Continue with broken wall and then trees on L. At end of trees continue ahead on grassy track to descend to metal gate and stream.
Go through gate and turn L. Cross stream and turn immediately R uphill (DO NOT CONTINUE ON GOOD PATH) to join broad green track. Turn R and follow track to gate at forest edge. Pass through the gate and continue on track in forest. (No smoking in forest area) Cross over stony cross-track and continue on waymarked path (path eventually becomes stony). Cross forest road and continue downhill on path (Notice Board: Stream Crossing) to stream. Cross stream and continue to junction with broad path. Turn L to reach
CHECKPOINT 2 - CLOUDLAM AND EUDEN BECKS GR: NZ 030295.
From Checkpoint turn L to path junction where turn sharp R uphill. Continue on main forest track as it swings around (ignoring junction on R). Where path dips turn R at Waymarked Post and continue on narrow path through trees and heather. At top of rise cross forest road and continue ahead with mature trees on L.
On reaching forest edge continue ahead to waymarked wicket gate. Go through gate and continue on track, cross bridge and continue across moor. On reaching path junction turn R and continue across moor. On reaching junction with stoned track turn R and continue on track passing through 3 gates to reach
CHECKPOINT 3 - BLACKTON BECK GR: NY 994250.
From Checkpoint continue down the track, through a gate and CROSS THE ROAD WITH EXTREME CARE. Continue ahead WITH CARE on minor road (Middleton- in- Teesdale 4 miles) to junction with main road (B6282). CROSS THE ROAD WITH EXTREME CARE and continue ahead down track (waymarked ‘Teesdale Way’). Pass through waymarked gate and continue ahead. After approx. 200 yards where the concrete track bears left leave the track and continue ahead on a waymarked (Teesdale Way) grassy path. Pass through gate and continue ahead descending towards the river. Continue on this waymarked path. After passing through two wicket gates the path rises uphill to pass through a wicket gate and ascend steps. At the top of the steps the path bears left to reach a further wicket gate. Pass through this gate and continue with the river to the left and wall on right. Pass through a further wicket gate and continue on path with river on L through caravan site. Pass through another wicket gate and continue to reach
CHECKPOINT 4 – RIVER TEES GR: NY 962251. SELF CLIP (which is to the right of a further wicket gate.)
From the Self Clip pass through the gate and continue on path with houses on right. Continue straight ahead. When the path meets the road turn R and after approx. 40 yards turn right into Middleton-in-Teesdale Field Study Centre and
CHECKPOINT 5 –MIDDLETON-in-TEESDALE GR: NY 947253.
Leave the checkpoint and turn R up the road. THESE ROADS ARE VERY BUSY-CROSS WITH EXTREME CARE. On reaching main road (B6282) turn left and after approx. 370 yards turn right up minor road (Stanhope 11 miles). Continue uphill. Where road forks, just prior to last houses, take the left hand fork (No Footway For ¾ Mile).
Continue on this metalled road through trees with river on L (ignoring all paths to L and R) to track junction below old kilns, (Sign: No Dumping etc.), turn Right and follow track up towards and behind the kilns. Continue uphill on stony track to enter wood. Continue on path through wood to ascend steps, following path to exit wood over ladder stile. Continue ahead with wall on left crossing stone stile, broken wall and second stone stile. From this stile bear slightly R to wall corner and follow path (wall on L) to waymarked gate. Go through gate and continue on track through old mine workings, pass through sheep pens and then through metalled gate. Continue on track with river on L to pass in front of old barn and then through gate opening in wall. Continue ahead through second gate opening, cross over stream bed and ascend bank to stone stile in wall. Cross stile and turn R uphill to join road. WITH EXTREME CARE Turn R at road, pass through gate and continue on road to
CHECKPOINT 6 - HUDESHOPE BECK GR: NY 955292.
Leave Checkpoint by mine track passing through road barrier and continue on track as it winds uphill. At track junction turn R and continue ahead to pass through wooden gate. Continue on track which eventually becomes grassy and starts to descend. Where track swings L continue STRAIGHT AHEAD on feint track passing small cairn and descend into the valley bottom to join broad stony track.
Follow this track to pass two old shooting butts and continue on narrow track through heather to third butt, where the path swings L and becomes grassy.
Continue on narrow path through the heather (marked by cairn) to reach wooden stile in wall. Cross stile and continue ahead as the path becomes a track. Follow the track as it descends into the valley. At valley bottom turn R and cross stile by gate. Continue ahead on track with stream on L to ford. Cross stream and continue ahead with stream now on R. On reaching old mine workings turn L and follow path up the valley, with small stream on R. Pass through gate and continue uphill on path as it becomes grassy, swings round head of valley and becomes small path through heather. Follow this path through the heather as it veers R across the valley head to become broad track. Continue on this broad track as it climbs slightly to pass reservoir and eventually swings L to descend into valley bottom. Turn R in valley bottom to cross stile and stream and join stony track. With stream on R follow this track to the road. On reaching road turn L and WITH EXTREME CARE-BUSY ROAD walk up to
CHECKPOINT 7 – B6278 GR: NY 997308.
From Checkpoint walk back up road (EXTREME CARE – BUSY ROAD) to Fingerpost. Turn R on to moor and join stony track. Where track swings R continue straight ahead on grassy track through heather to reach grouse butts. Walk up line of butts to butt immediately in front of two large boulders (‘4’ painted on inside wall). Take narrow path between the two boulders and follow it as it winds through the heather. On reaching yellow moor road turn R and continue down road to pile of stones on L. Turn L up stony track which soon becomes narrow path. Follow this path across the moor to reach drystone wall. At wall turn R and follow track to
CHECKPOINT 8– ABOVE ALLOTMENT HOUSE GR: NZ 036341.
From Checkpoint continue on track in same direction to eventually join road. Continue down road (EXTREME CARE - BUSY ROAD) to cross bridge over river into Wolsingham.
OR (Alternative route) (NB This is slightly longer)
From Checkpoint continue on track for approx. ½ mile (passing stand of trees) to two gates in wall on L (GR042344). Pass through first gate and follow grassy track (wall on R) downhill to reach red metal gate in cross wall. Pass through gate and continue Half Left on track to further metal gate in wall. Pass through and continue on track (wall on L) to bottom of field where swing R and continue to second gate in wall on L (yellow marker arrow). Pass through gate and continue on track to further gate into West Biggins farmyard. Continue down between buildings and leave farmyard by gate in far left hand corner. Continue downhill on farm access road to enter wood at bottom of hill (ignoring road on L).
Continue on path through wood (ignoring rising track on L) to emerge into field. Continue ahead with wood and fence on L to pass through three gates. From third gate follow track diagonally across field to red metal gate into farmyard. Pass into yard and continue between buildings to further gate to exit yard. Continue L downhill to ladder stile in wall. Cross stile and railway line to enter Caravan Park. Continue on tarmac road through Caravan Park.
Where road swings L to cross road bridge CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD on footpath with river on L to reach and cross footbridge. Continue ahead with river on L and railway on R through fields to reach second footbridge. Cross bridge and continue straight ahead to eventually climb steps up from track on to road. Turn L and cross road bridge into Wolsingham.
Both routes:
At junction with main road turn L and continue to road junction on R (SP : Tunstall Reservoir). CROSS ROAD WITH EXTREME CARE and walk up to school and
WALK HQ - (GR NZ 071374)
CONGRATULATIONS!!