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Silver Challenge Walk 3
Eggleston to Romaldkirk Distance - 9.4 miles |
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LANDRANGER 92 O/S Crown copyright 2016 CS-30288-W3Z2M1
A small section alongside the river on the Teesdale Way between Middleton and Mickletion has been badly eroded. Walkers need to take great care on this section and it may be better to avoid it after heavy rainfall. Parents may feel that it would not, at present be a sensible walk for younger children. Durham CC have been made aware of the problem.
From the memorial fountain in the centre of the village follow the B8282 eastwards towards Barnard Castle, passing the Co-op store on your left. Where the road swings to the left continued straight ahead along Leekworth Gardens. The road passes through an area of housing and if you continue straight on turns into a track which itself quickly curves left. At this point cross the stile directly in front of you and enter the field. The footpath over the next three fields is very well marked, crossing ancient cultivation terraces. After about 3/4 mile you reach a small wooded gill and here the path turns right to run down to a stile. Once through the stile bear off to the left down to the Teesdale Way which runs along the top of the river bank. Follow this well marked path as it clings to the river bank over the next mile. At a galvanised gate, as the river turns south, a green track leads off slanting uphill to run alongside the top side of the wall ahead. Continue along this track as it becomes a farm drive and on past Toby Hill Farm on your right, before reaching the B8282.
Cross road and take lane opposite (signed Blackton and Stanhope) up past Egglesburn Baptist Chapel. Soon you will see a small stone building on your right between two footpath signs. This is the old Saddle House, used by the lead miners who transported lead down from Blackton mines with the help of horses. Take the footpath to the right immediately after the Saddle House (signed Teesdale Way). The track leads down, crossing two becks, each by a wooden bridge, and alongside a caravan site before coming up to the entrance to Bendholm Caravan Site on your right. Ignore this and take the path directly opposite you (once again signed Teesdale Way). The track rises slowly uphill. It runs through a group of buildings and on through farmland before passing below the hamlet of Hill Top and coming out onto a road (South Terrace). Turn right here and follow the lane on to the B6278. After a short distance turn right again on a road signed to Romaldkirk and Middleton and follow it down past the Three Tuns Inn on your right to reach the main road at the bottom. Now turn left and after a few yards you will see a turn to your right (B6281 to Cotherstone and Romaldkirk). Follow this road down past Eggleston Hall on the right with its garden of national repute. At the bottom of the hill cross the River Tees by the road bridge and walk up the far side approximately 30 yards, where immediately after an unusual stone garage, you will find a path over a stone stile to your left.
From the stile a clear path slants uphill, eventually reaching a wooden stile in a fence alongside a breeze block wall and overlooking the tree-lined descent to the River Tees. Once over the stile turn left, staying alongside the wall until it reaches a wooden fence. Now follow the fence as it climbs to the top of the next rise. Here cross the stone stile and turn right to follow the wall on your right downhill until it comes to an end, at which point swing left to cross the pasture to a metal gate. Beside the gate is a stone stile into a narrow lane (Primrose Lane) which leads over a wooden bridge and up to the village of Romaldkirk. When the lane comes to an end turn right on a tarmac road and walk up through the attractive small village of Romaldkirk passing the Kirk Inn on your left and the parish church of St Romald and the Rose and Crown on your right. On reaching the B6277 cross directly over and walk up the road opposite passing an old chapel on your right.
About 25 yards past an old railway signal take the path to your right signed ‘Tees Railway Walk’. This directs you down onto the old Barnard Castle to Middleton railway line which was closed in 1965. The disused line provides easy walking with excellent views of Eggleston Moor and Monks’ Moor to your right, Bail Hill to your left and Kirkcarrion and Crossthwaite Common on ahead. Follow the route for about two and a half miles passing the picnic spot on the site of the former station at Mickleton (here a short detour down the road that comes up to the site takes you into the village and if you are feeling in need of refreshments the Crown is then just a few yards to your left) and the five arch viaduct (built in 1848) crossing the River Lune. About 600 yards after crossing the viaduct you will see a path leading off to the right over a ladder stile and to the left of a house. Once over the stile ,head down to the left hand corner of the field and out onto the B6277 alongside a farm drive. Turn left and in a few yards you will find a footpath signed off to the right. Cross the fields ahead diagonally until you reach a part wooded slope. The path slants down this slope and continues to a stile leading on to a track to the left. Follow this track past the side of to Steps End Farm where it becomes more of a drive, but as the drive moves away from the Tees stick to the path close to the top of the river bank and follow it to a set of steps up the side of the County Bridge in Middleton. Climb the steps and turn right over the bridge and walk up Bridge Street back into the village and welcome refreshments at one of the many cafes or pubs or at the fish and chip shop.
From the memorial fountain in the centre of the village follow the B8282 eastwards towards Barnard Castle, passing the Co-op store on your left. Where the road swings to the left continued straight ahead along Leekworth Gardens. The road passes through an area of housing and if you continue straight on turns into a track which itself quickly curves left. At this point cross the stile directly in front of you and enter the field. The footpath over the next three fields is very well marked, crossing ancient cultivation terraces. After about 3/4 mile you reach a small wooded gill and here the path turns right to run down to a stile. Once through the stile bear off to the left down to the Teesdale Way which runs along the top of the river bank. Follow this well marked path as it clings to the river bank over the next mile. At a galvanised gate, as the river turns south, a green track leads off slanting uphill to run alongside the top side of the wall ahead. Continue along this track as it becomes a farm drive and on past Toby Hill Farm on your right, before reaching the B8282.
Cross road and take lane opposite (signed Blackton and Stanhope) up past Egglesburn Baptist Chapel. Soon you will see a small stone building on your right between two footpath signs. This is the old Saddle House, used by the lead miners who transported lead down from Blackton mines with the help of horses. Take the footpath to the right immediately after the Saddle House (signed Teesdale Way). The track leads down, crossing two becks, each by a wooden bridge, and alongside a caravan site before coming up to the entrance to Bendholm Caravan Site on your right. Ignore this and take the path directly opposite you (once again signed Teesdale Way). The track rises slowly uphill. It runs through a group of buildings and on through farmland before passing below the hamlet of Hill Top and coming out onto a road (South Terrace). Turn right here and follow the lane on to the B6278. After a short distance turn right again on a road signed to Romaldkirk and Middleton and follow it down past the Three Tuns Inn on your right to reach the main road at the bottom. Now turn left and after a few yards you will see a turn to your right (B6281 to Cotherstone and Romaldkirk). Follow this road down past Eggleston Hall on the right with its garden of national repute. At the bottom of the hill cross the River Tees by the road bridge and walk up the far side approximately 30 yards, where immediately after an unusual stone garage, you will find a path over a stone stile to your left.
From the stile a clear path slants uphill, eventually reaching a wooden stile in a fence alongside a breeze block wall and overlooking the tree-lined descent to the River Tees. Once over the stile turn left, staying alongside the wall until it reaches a wooden fence. Now follow the fence as it climbs to the top of the next rise. Here cross the stone stile and turn right to follow the wall on your right downhill until it comes to an end, at which point swing left to cross the pasture to a metal gate. Beside the gate is a stone stile into a narrow lane (Primrose Lane) which leads over a wooden bridge and up to the village of Romaldkirk. When the lane comes to an end turn right on a tarmac road and walk up through the attractive small village of Romaldkirk passing the Kirk Inn on your left and the parish church of St Romald and the Rose and Crown on your right. On reaching the B6277 cross directly over and walk up the road opposite passing an old chapel on your right.
About 25 yards past an old railway signal take the path to your right signed ‘Tees Railway Walk’. This directs you down onto the old Barnard Castle to Middleton railway line which was closed in 1965. The disused line provides easy walking with excellent views of Eggleston Moor and Monks’ Moor to your right, Bail Hill to your left and Kirkcarrion and Crossthwaite Common on ahead. Follow the route for about two and a half miles passing the picnic spot on the site of the former station at Mickleton (here a short detour down the road that comes up to the site takes you into the village and if you are feeling in need of refreshments the Crown is then just a few yards to your left) and the five arch viaduct (built in 1848) crossing the River Lune. About 600 yards after crossing the viaduct you will see a path leading off to the right over a ladder stile and to the left of a house. Once over the stile ,head down to the left hand corner of the field and out onto the B6277 alongside a farm drive. Turn left and in a few yards you will find a footpath signed off to the right. Cross the fields ahead diagonally until you reach a part wooded slope. The path slants down this slope and continues to a stile leading on to a track to the left. Follow this track past the side of to Steps End Farm where it becomes more of a drive, but as the drive moves away from the Tees stick to the path close to the top of the river bank and follow it to a set of steps up the side of the County Bridge in Middleton. Climb the steps and turn right over the bridge and walk up Bridge Street back into the village and welcome refreshments at one of the many cafes or pubs or at the fish and chip shop.
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