Edmundbyers - Co Durham 2 July 2015.

Edmundbyers to Rookhope via Bolt's Law and return 
County Durham
Distance 28km Climb 500m
Thursday 2 July 2015

I saw this walk earlier this week and tried to get a map.  Unfortunately I could not get one so I thought I would try and walk the route from the notes I found in an old magazine. The weather was sunny and warm.  So warm I thought I would risk wearing shorts. I put sunscreen on, a hat, carried my sunglasses and set off.

I had left my car outside the Punch Bowl the pub in Edmundbyers.  There was no one around to ask if this was OK.  I left the car park and turned right down the road B6278.  My notes show to turn off the road on a footpath sign posted Lead Mining Trail.  This was a small sign on the gate, and was just before the bridge over the Burnhope Burn.  This started as an old packhorse route and was a wide farm track that turned into a narrow single path moving south west through an area of gorse bushes and foxgloves. 

It was a gentle climb. Having a map I could not name some of the features I saw.  The route follows the south side of Burnhope Burn, after crossing a small stream the path opens up onto a mineral track near an old farm, College. 

This was where my notes became a little disorganised and the footpath signs stopped.  I moved left over the Burnhope Burn and looked back trying to orientate the notes with the route and the diagram.  When I realised my error I was returning back across the Burn when I was stopped by someone who advised they were moving sheep in the area and offered me a lift up the track.  As I was out for a walk and would not be in the way I continued with my walk.  It was a short climb up the mineral track around behind College.  The track then continues gently south west to Pedam’s Oak.  

As I approached Belmont I saw a number of cows, bulls, calves and horses with foals.  I took a detour around the field so as not to disturb them.  

See the lapwing

The area was full of lapwings and oyster catchers.

Who is that looking out the door

Once passed Belmont the track turns into a single grass path which I followed as it climbed to the Blanchland to Stanhope road, I was heading towards two chimneys in the distance. 

At the road I turned left and crossed at a footpath sign showed I was now back on the Lead Mining Trail.  

Looking north east from the Blanchland - Stanhope Road

I continued up hill towards Bolt’s Law, keeping the chimney’s to my right. At the start of some shooting buts there is a junction in the track. I took the right turning towards a gate in the fence. I continue up towards Bolt’s Law and pass the turning I will take on my way back.  I am doing this part of the route in reverse to my notes. 

From Bolt’s Law trig point I took the path west moving down hill this joins the road. My notes show this road was once a historic drove road from Scotland. 

The road heads south and travels down hill. A path cuts the corner and re-joins the road a little further on and drops to a T junction at Lintzgarth, where I had a short stop at the footbridge.  

Looking south east towards Rookhope

I could see the nearby Rookhope Arch which is the remains of six arches that supported flues taking fumes from the smelt mill.

I crossed the footbridge and took the footpath right, east by another burn. This returns to the road near some cottages near the edge of Rookhope.  I saw a couple standing at the inn which has a sign showing it is open for food, it was closed.  My notes show a number of years ago this was closed and up for sale.  I saw someone walking to the back of the pub, possibly to open it up.

I started uphill, on the C2C route which took a very steep path and was a hard pull up.  At the top there is a sign showing this was Bolt’s Law Incline where there had been a static steam engine, which used to pull up full wagons from Rookhope 185m below over a distance of 1800m. This was the steepest railway incline in England.  

As I headed up the track I was looking for the path to my left which would take me around Bolt’s Law. I could not see it so I took a track northwards and returned to the top of Bolt’s Law from the south.

I returned back down the track I previously took up.  At the junction I had previously identified I turned left and headed north towards Sikehead Dam and the two chimneys.  Apparently one is called Jeffrey’s Chimney but which one I do not know.  

I took the path on the east of the reservoir and walked north east back to the Blanchland - Stanhope Road.  

My notes show at the road turn right but as I said they are old notes, now you turn left cross the road and follow a bridleway sign. I followed the bridleway a little further north of my outward journey.  This took me back to Belmont, where I took the path north that climbed up the hill, again it followed north of my previous route. Along here I saw an small adder which disappeared under the heather before I got the chance to get my camera out.  I liked this path, which took me north into Edmundbyers.

I met a nice man who I talked with about the weather.  I did not need to worry about where I had left my car, apparently it is public land and it is alright to park there.

I had covered about 28km with at least 500m climb in approx. 6hrs 15mins.

On my way home Haircut 100 was playing on the radio, "Fantastic Day" - It had been a fantastic day, walking.

More to follow

Boz North

Details correct at time of walking.

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