Gary Richardson, Darlington-based freelance photographer and writer, details the North East’s best walks. This month, he’s visiting Crawley Edge…
Route Info:
6¼ miles/10.0 Km with 800 feet/240m of ascent
Maps: 1:25K OS Explorer 307 or 1:50K OS Landranger 88
Start: Durham Dales Centre. Grid ref: NY995392 …. Post Code: DL13 2FJ
Parking: Durham Dales Centre car park.
Where to Eat and Drink: Durham Dales Tearooms, 9.00 to 16.00 Tel: 01388 527650
A lovely autumnal walk combining riverside strolls along the wooded Stanhope Beck and Shittlehope Burn valley’s, with an airy walk along Crawley Edge, which gives outstanding views over Upper Weardale. The walk starts in the market town of Stanhope in Upper Weardale.
Leave the car park and go left along the main road, and walk into the market place. Cross the road and go left down ‘The Butts’ heading towards the river. At the bottom of the road, turn right onto the riverside path, which is followed upstream to the Stanhope Swimming Pool. Turn right past the pool to the main road, go left for a short distance, then go right along a track leading to Stanhope Hall (A).
Go right along this and follow it as far as the footbridge across the river. Don’t cross this, but keep on the west side of the stream and follow the path, initially fenced along field edges and then into the woods. Continue through the woods until another footbridge is reached. Cross this and climb the steep steps to join a wide track. Go left along this, through old quarries to reach some derelict mine buildings (B).
Just after passing a large single storey building on the right, take the track going uphill on the right following a wall through gorse bushes to reach a gate. Go right along the track which is followed through Heathery Burn to reach a road. Go directly across the road to reach an old mine track, turn right and follow this downhill. At the buildings go left and then leave the track. Follow the grassy track on the right alongside the wall/fence to reach a gate. Go left along a path through the heather onto Crawley Edge, and continue to reach a fork in the path (C).
Keep straight on along Crawley Edge to reach a road, then turn left uphill to a farm. Go left through the gate and then keep right to pass behind the farm. Find the stream and follow it downstream. As the woods are reached, cross the stream again and follow the path to reach a footbridge. Cross the bridge and go right downstream, following the path through the woods until the next bridge across the stream (D).
Cross this then cross the stile into a field. Keep right alongside the wall to a lane between houses. Go along this, then turn left along Woodcroft Gardens to the main road (A689). Turn right and follow this back through Stanhope to the dales centre.
For more of Gary’s work, visit www.garyrichardson.me.
