Weardale Way - Day 4
Shincliffe to Willington and return
Co Durham
Distance 29.2km Climb 195m
Monday 31 July 2017
I was trying to walk the route by just following the signs, it was an adventure and I was not too bothered where I wandered. I had looked at the route on the LDWA website so roughly knew where I would be heading. To reach the end of my previous walk, and the start of today's walk I had to walk down the country lane, Hall Lane, passed a garden centre towards Shincliffe Hall.
Passing Shincliffe Hall on my right I continued south down a forest track through Shincliffe Wood. Occasionally I heard rain hitting the leaves above my head, they must have been from an earlier shower. The weather was a lot better since my last walk along here. I caught sight of a squirrel as it darted up a tree.
At the top of the track I got my first glimpse of the River Wear as I turned left along the footpath. It was only a couple of hundred meters to the point I reached on my last Weardale Way walk. There are a few twists and turns as the path climbs and drops through the wood. Passing by small gorges and crossing streams. The birds were singing and the smell of the wild flowers was making this such a lovely walk. In parts the path was muddy and slippery, warm air and the sun had not penetrated the trees to dry the path, so I had to take care.
The path climbs up to leave the wood by High Butterby Farm, a place advertising cool drinks and eggs. No Weardale Way signs, so I made a choice from what I remembered and walked through the farm onto a track heading south west by Butterby Wood. Oak trees and scot pine marked the edge of the wood.
As the track approached The Cottage, near Croxdale Wood House, I saw a path dropping down through Croxdale Wood to my right. On returning home I checked the LDWA map and saw that the Way continued passed through The Cottage and Croxdale Wood House.
No signs but as I was on an adventure I thought I would go and have a look. It was a lovely walk through Croxdale Wood as it dropped and levelled and dropped some more as it twisted gently down hill.
At the bottom there is a stile and a wide road running north to south. I had a look around for Weardale Way signs, none. I decided to walk right, north, along the road to the farm, which I later found out is Low Butterby. There was no onward footpath so I returned south along the road to the stile. Where I continued south along the road.
The road climbs gently south passed a couple of ponds, coots were paddling in the shade of the bulrushes and lily pads. The road moves back into Croxdale Wood. At the top as the road turns west there is a footpath which comes down the side of the wood on my left. I wondered if this was the Way, no signs. I may have a look up this footpath on my return. As the road turns south west there is open fields to my left and the wood continues on my right. After a few hundred meters I cross a cattle grid as the road returns into the wood. There is a road to my left as I continued down hill.
On returning home I discovered that the road to my left is the Weardale Way but I could not see any signs.
As I continued down hill I crossed an old bridge that crosses a stream and reached another cattle grid, here I saw a sign confirming I was once again on the Weardale Way.
This looks like it would have once been a grand entrance drive for Croxdale Hall. The road took me under an arch just south of Croxdale Bridge on the busy A167.
At the gate, near the gate house, I was a little confused as to how to get through. The centre gate was locked and electronic which I presumed was for the people who lived here, the gate on the right was solid. Had I missed a sign? So I retraced my steps looking for a sign over the fence for a possible footpath by the river. I returned to the last sign I saw to check I had walked the right path. I was returning to the gate when I saw a cyclist coming my way, so thought there must be a way through. I am embarrassed to say on my return to the gate had I looked at the gate on the left, I would have saved 2km walking up and down the fence line. What is more on Sunderland Bridge there is a footpath sign pointing directly to the gate, the way through was so obvious.
Never mind all part of the adventure. Once through the gate I had a short rest and a drink of hot chocolate on Sunderland Bridge.
I knew from the LDWA website the Weardale Way crossed the bridge and travelled down the northerly bank of the river. After my break I crossed the bridge and saw a sign pointing, Weardale Way the way I had expected.
Leaving the track I followed the path by the bank of the river. Croxdale Viaduct was coming up.
Continuing by the river in part, I was walking on the floodbank. I did think if this was part of the floodbank built by the 14th century monks, mentioned on an information board I had seen on my previous walk to Shincliffe.
Walking under the Croxdale Viaduct I felt the first spots of rain, the start of a shower. This did not last for long but over the next couple of hours I would be hit by showers on and off, some strong making me think about putting my waterproof on. Fortunately they did not amount to anything.
I returned to the path briefly only to be turned back onto the floodbank a little further along.
In parts the path followed the floodbank, some had large bushes and trees which hid the view of the river. Some places I was walking the edge of fields.
The smells on the path of flowers and growth were great, it was wonderful walking.
In one place the vegetation was so high it was difficult to see the path, eventually it came out at a footbridge over a stream. Once again by the river on hearing splashes I would turn to look, but could not identify anything.
The path came out at Page Bank Bridge.
Crossing the road, passed a parking area I was now on a farm track
On reaching Lowfield Farm, I could see that people had dropped down and walked by the river. There is a sign showing this as a footpath from the other side of the farm but nothing to show this on this side.
Skirting around the farm I kept to the edge of the river as the field was full of cows with young bulls. For sometime now I had been following a heron along the river. He would land along the bank and take off just as I would arrive.
After a bend in the river I saw New Jubilee Bridge, Willington.
Passing under the bridge I was in a picnic area. What better place to stop and have my sandwiches.
As I was having a drink a rain cloud decided to shower me, so I packed up and decided to return to Shincliffe.
My route back was the same, by the river. Within minutes the rain had stopped.
Butterflies showed me the route along the floodbank, I believe this is a Wall butterfly.
As I approached Croxdale Viaduct I again heard splashing in the river and although I waited some time I did not see anything.
However a little further along I saw this chap. He was standing so still and so white, at one point I thought it was a carrier bag caught on a bush. It was only when I got home and saw the photo on the computer I realised what it was. I believe he is a Little Egret?
Passing under the viaduct I again walked the river bank towards Sunderland Bridge.
Crossing Sunderland Bridge, I now knew which gate to use.
Passed the Weardale Way sign, the bridge and cattle grid, the road climbed gently. When I returned home I checked the route on the LDWA website. The Weardale Way turned right along here towards Croxdale Hall, and the Gamekeepers Cottage. I did not see any signs, so continued up the road directly to my front, the road I had walked down on. Until I reached the style I had previously seen on my walk out. I had to have a look along here.
It was difficult staying to the path in places due to overgrown hawthorn bushes cascading across the path so I walked by the path in the field. At the top there was another style that took me back into the woods.
The path I was on changed into animal tracks through an area of what may possibly be badger sets? This was not easy going so I turned right and climbed the bank which came out onto the road. The road led me to Croxdale Wood House and The Cottage. It was the Weardale Way.
Following through I continued along the track to High Butterby Farm. It was difficult to see the path down to the righton this photo. I knew it was there and followed it up and down through Shincliffe Wood back to Shincliffe Hall. It was still very slippery in places, although warm the path had not dried out much.
Coming passed Shincliffe Hall it was a short climb before the road drops onto the country lane Hall Lane.
It was then a short walk, passed the garden centre to my car. I had covered 29.2km with a climb of 195m. It had been a good days walk.
More to follow
Boz North
Detail correct at time of walking.
If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done on The Weardale Way or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.
Follow link to my previous walk on the Weardale Way Finchale Priory to Shincliffe
Follow link to my next walk on the Weardale Way Willington to Escomb.
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