Walks in the UK. Two
These are all circular walks unless stated, the photos are all in order left to right (although they may not have been taken on the day of the walk). If you click on a photo you will be taken to a larger image on my flickr page, where you can also click on, map, down the left of the page to find the location.
If you would like more info, or have any comments you can email me at
ralph-dot@tiscali.co.ukCotherstone, March 2008, (Updated May 2009 with some new photos).
Approximately 2.5 mile or 4.0 kilometres
A beautiful morning at the Doe Park campsite just outside Cotherstone, so we decided to make a picnic and go for a walk along one of the many public footpaths, we could do with some OS (ordinance survey) maps, as we had no idea where any of them went. We set out down the dirt path from the site in the direction of the village, walking alongside the river Balder, passed the remains of what looked like an old watermill and then, crossed over the river at the road bridge.
We then turned left along the public right of way just over the bridge and headed towards the river Tees, this path is fairly slippery but not too bad, until it veers away from the river, around a house. This part of the path was nearly impassable with beep mud but we managed to get through (this has now been resurfaced but beware), the rest of the way down to the confluence with the river Tees, is along a narrow road set back from the river Balder.
There were footbridges over both rivers and the Teesdale Way passed in all directions along both sides of the river Tees, this was slightly confusing as all of the direction signs said the same thing (Teesdale Way), in every direction. We crossed over the Balder via a footbridge, then another footbridge over the Tees, we then headed east along the river banks, this path soon took us up high above the river and eventually we turned back to the confluence, for our picnic lunch, on a nice seat overlooking the two rivers.
It was very good weather for our picnic, it was warm and the sun was shining, it was very good location for our picnic, with both rivers flowing past and not another human being in sight.
We had, had our lunch slightly early as Dot had read her watch wrong and it was now still only about midday, so we headed up into the village for a look round. We walked back along the path we came down and up a steep road into the village. We walked through the village and had a wander round what was presumably the village green, before heading back the way we came.
In the Village the Red Lion was still closed (you would have to see the write-up from the day previous) and this is lunch time remember, but the Fox and Hounds was open, so I made the tactical decision to have beer while I could. I got a Black Sheep and dot had a half lager, very nice it was and although we didn't have food there, what others were eating looked very good.
Only had the one and then continued with the walk, headed back towards the campsite but turned left before the bridge and walked along a country lane on the opposite side of the river Balder to the site. We had no idea where we were going but we had plenty of time, after about a mile we came across a bridleway following the path of an old disused railway. The Tees Valley Railway Path as it is known, follows the path of the old Barnard Castle to Alston line. The path starts near the village of Lonton, passing through or near Cotherstone, Romaldkirk, Mickleton and ends near Lartington.
We had an Idea that this path would lead us back towards the campsite, we knew we had to cross over the river and hoped that the railway bridge was still there. What we didn't expect was a marvellous viaduct but there it was, crossing high above the river Balder, well worth the walk, if only to see and walk over this. Just over the bridge another public footpath crossed Tees Valley Railway Path and a turn to the right took us back to the campsite.
Sandsend (from Whitby), March 2008.
Approximately 5 mile or 8 kilometres
Turned left out of Sandfield House Farm Caravan Park, and followed the road passed the golf course to Sandsend. It is now you realise you are following the line of an old railway, the old Whitby Redcar and Middlesbrough Union Railway. Although the private land of the golf course, makes it so that are unable to walk the line of railway along this section.
The road goes down into the village where we cross over East Row Beck, then back to the front where you walk along the road or the beach (depending on the tide). There is a pub next to East Row Beck and it looked like a good place for a beer after the walk. After a short walk, at Sandsend Beck its back on the road over the beck.
Then through the car park, to a set of steps at the far side, to join the path of the disused railway just north of the old station building.
We hadn't intended to walk along the old railway (we didn't even know it was there) but it seemed like a good idea and I wanted to see where it went. So off we went, the path climbed from here up the incline and there are very good views back towards Sandsend and Whitby.
The path follows the coast and is very bleak but strangely beautiful in places, we sat for a while at the top of the incline for a rest and admired the view back to Sandsend and Whitby.
The path continues to snake along the coast, through a very interesting landscape, passed Deep Grove quarries, until it comes to a steep hill at Over Dale. Here a tunnel took the railway under the hill to Kettleness, unfortunately the entrance is sealed and to continue the walk you must go over the hill. As we had not intended this walk and didn't know where it went or how far it was, after exploring the imitate area, we turned back the same way we came, towards Sandsend.
The views are best on the way back and we where looking forward to a beer in the pub in Sandsend. Back down in Sandsend, we passed one pub on the seafront but it didn't look very good, so kept going to the one we picked out on the way but as has happened to us many times in Yorkshire, it was closed. We were not the only ones let down, two other groups of people tried to get in while we were deciding what to do next. What we did decided was to walk back to the site. Luckily there are public toilets on the front, just before the road starts its steep climb, back up towards the campsite.
It is all a Work in Progress bellow this point