Bowes Railway Path - Monkton to Sunniside - Tyne and Wear 22 Dec 2016.

Bowes Railway Path
Monkton to Sunniside and return
Tyne and Wear
Distance 33km Climb 400m
Thursday 22 December 2016

I had walked, ran and cycled the first part of this walk many times going to and coming from one of the many places I have worked. A few weeks ago I came up part of this way with our Little Evie and I saw that you could follow this walk to Pontop.  Today it was all about just having a look and see.

I walked west through Monkton Village and followed the road round to the left. 

At the end of the road the footpath starts, a disused railway line, the Bowes Railway Path. There was no navigation needed, it was just a case of follow the path. Pass a new housing estate on the left. 

Then a number of factory units where the old Monkton Coke Works had been, under a road bridge. Then it is open fields to the right and left. The sun was starting to come up, it was stunning. Cross over the metro line.

Open countryside to the right and left.

Cross over another old railway line and pass a football field and some houses then I was on a road at Wardley. The path leads under the A184, then passes between a couple of housing estates. Unlike most railway lines this is starting to climb gently. At the top the path crosses the A195. This was near where I used to turn off for work. The path drops slightly before starting to climb a little steeper. At the top, the path crosses the B1288 shown on the map as a Roman Road.

Crossing the road I continued up the path. A few weeks ago this was where I became a little unstuck and found this part of the path was unsuitable for a pram. Evie and I had to return to the road but today I could continue up the path. At the track to The Leam I could see across south east to Penshaw Monument

Further east I could see Cleadon Hills, The Stadium of Light and the bridge over the River Wear.

The path continues to climb with fields either side up to the Bowes Railway Museum (140m). I can remember as a child seeing coal trucks like these, from our bedroom window, as they were moved up and down the line at Westoe. 

When I was at the Bowes Railway Museum, with Our Evie a few weeks ago I saw you could follow the line to Pontop, a bit further than I would get today but I would have a look.

I followed the road a little way before turning right onto the path again. The path twists and turns a little here before it follows an old railway line to Eighton Banks.

Following the path along the line I reached, The Engine Room. Walking a little up the road I took a picture of the Angel of the North. This was as far as I had come with Our Evie.

Today after a cup of tea I crossed the road onto the footpath across from the Engine Room. This took me down by a couple of fields to a footpath track by the A1.

Following the footpath left, south east I dropped down some steps back onto the Bowes Railway Path. This is a path that is heading down hill and crosses under the A1.

A little further down hill the path passes under the A167, the path now has high hedges and in places embankments either side.

Continuing down hill the views open up to fields either side and a small housing estate on the left. Before the path passes under the main Newcastle to London railway line, I could see the Angel of the North behind me now high to my right. After the railway bridge I crossed a stream and was in area called the Lamesley Reedbeds (10m).

The path was continuing west and started climbing again. I passed houses on my right crossed a narrow road as I approached Kibblesworth. Passing the houses there was a couple of sports fields on my right and open fields to my left as the path continued to climb. I was thinking it must have been some feat of engineering running a train up and down some of there gradients.

After crossing a farm road the line turns a little further north west, it was along here I started to see sculptures on the path.

Crossing the road that leads into Kibblesworth I continued to climb slightly.

After just over a km there is another road to cross and the ground starts to level off a little. All along there were magpies and blackbirds. Further up there were chaffinches, lots of birds singing.

Crossing another road beside a couple of houses the path is level, in a few hundred meters it turns into a concrete road by Burdon Moor. This leads directly to the Tanfield Railway (170m).

Crossing the A6076 I could turn right or left, so I turned right. I soon realised the way towards Pontop would have been to turn left, but for today as I was just having a look about turning right was OK. I passed the railway carpark and followed the Tanfield Railway path north as it twisted and turned. I saw a couple of engines steaming away as I passed near the engine sheds.

I continued a little further on, before following a footpath sign to Whickham when I decided I had gone far enough for today and stopped to have my sandwiches at a farm entrance in Sunniside.

After my sandwiches and a cold cup of tea, I retraced my steps back to the Tanfield railway path, passed the spot of an old turntable. The engines were still steaming away at the engine sheds and thought I would have a quick look at the station.  

I returned to the Bowes Railway Path and started back the way I had come. Startling a pheasant in a field, to get a picture over the valley.

Passing a few trees with fairy doors, ribbons and decorations I had hardly noticed these on my way up.

From up here I could see the height and gradient of the old railway.

It is hard to make out the Angel of the North in this picture.

Passed the railway art.

Here you can see some of the down and up of the line.

Over Lambsley Reedbeds, under the Newcastle to London railway line, then start the climb up, passed the Angel of the North.

Below Eighton Banks, rather than follow the footpath I came down on I followed the Bowes path up onto an old railway line. In places I could see the wheels that I presume would have been used on the pulleys to pull the trucks up and down the line.

I followed over the road onto the path, back passed the Bowes Museum, down towards Monkton and Jarrow.  The sun was setting behind me as reached the field where I saw the sun rise this morning to the east.

Then it was the last km back to The Lord Nelson. I had walked approx 33km with approx 400m climb. It had been a good day walking and the weather although cold was dry. There had been a few patches of ice and frost but not enough to subdue the muddy areas. All in all a great day walking.

More to follow



Boz North

Details correct at time of walking.

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