Haswicks to Westernhope Moor and return
Co Durham
Distance 16km Climb 450m
Friday 1 April 2016
I left the car at a picnic/carpark site at Haswicks (270m). I turned left east at the road and walked to the road junction.
At the junction I met a local and he talked about the rain that was to come, I had seen the forecast and knew it was coming, but for now it was nice and dry and clear. I had seen the path which was on my map and took this south off the junction.
The path follows a narrow lane that turns south west by a stream beside some caravans, the lane turns east over a narrow bridge next to a waterfall. Unfortunately the photo of the waterfall has not come out very well.
Over the bridge the path starts to climb east then south east. After approx 500m it turns south west and continues to climb. A Lapwing greeted me in the field on my right.
At the top of the bank there is a gate. I crossed through the gate and continued south along a grass path beside a fence.
After crossing open steep ground I followed a wall along Blackhill End.
At the top corner I had to cross the wall to reach the trig point at 559m.
After a short break to pull on some warm clothes. I headed south along the wall, the ground dropped a little before climbing up again, I followed in the direction south by a fence line. The ground changed, it turned very mossy over peat ground, soggy in places. Not easy to walk on.
I could see a line I wanted to follow up to the top ridge, it had snow in places.
After crossing boggy soft ground which gave me the impression not many people had walked here I reached the snow patches, which I followed up hill south across Westernhope Moor to the boundary line. It was hard going in places.
The temperature was dropping and the wind picking up as I moved east along the fence line. I saw a number of curricks. That I had to take a closer look at.
I returned to the fence line across the rough ground walking up hill I crossed the fence and reached the 675m trig point. It was very cold on the tops, after a short stop I turned west along the boundary.
I walked the south side where there was a rough wooden track, very wet and in parts some of the wood was rotten.
After a couple of km I crossed back over the fence, the wind was very strong at times so strong I could not open my eyes. I found a little dip on the leeward side where I had a quick snack, part of my salad blew out the box. During my break, I could see the rain clouds blowing over from the south, fortunately I was now heading north. A total change in how the day started.
Walking north east back across Black Hill the rain clouds were following.
A few meters down the hill from the trig point the weather changed, it turned warm and it appeared that the rain clouds has also lifted a little.
I followed the wall down Blackhill End, climbed a gate on my left, crossed the field west, climbed another gate and joined the lane I had walked earlier in the day up the hill. I followed the lane back down hill.
Crossed the bridge and walked the path back to the road junction and on back to the carpark at Haswicks. I had covered approx 16 km with approx 450 m climb. I will have to come back, although hard going in places a very beautiful area.
More to follow
Boz North
Details correct at time of walking.
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