12.0 miles.

Explorer Map 305, - Bishop Auckland

A ramble across farmland that is right on the doorstep of industrial Cleveland.
This walk can be split into two, - an 8.5 mile shorter circular walk, or the longer 12 mile walk. Both routes are very straightforward, and involve no particular gradients or difficulties.
The footpaths are generally well signposted and waymarked, though it helps to have a 1 : 25,000 scale map to identify field patterns.
In winter time the footpaths can be very muddy.
Some of the footpaths go directly across agriculural land. In winter time there is no difficulty in seeing where the route lies, but when the crops are growing there may be some reluctance to cross these fields.

For a Memory Map overlay of the walk described, please select the above link.
(Overlay made with Version 4 of Memory Map)

Start from the centre of Sedgefield village, near St. Edmund's Church. Take Spring Lane (a minor road) out of the village, heading South in the direction of Foxton (signposted).
Soon after crossing the A177 dual carriageway there is a footpath on your left to Diamond Hall Farm. It is easier to use the farm access road, though, rather than the footpath which crosses agricultural land.
In front of Diamond Hall Farm there is waymarked footpath to Shotton, - initially left, and then heading South South East. This footpath is waymarked. Although it crosses agricultural land, the way across the fields was clear to see.
At Shotton, turn right and then after a few yards turn left to follow the waymarked footpath to Stillington.
This footpath is clear to follow until just outside Stillington, where it helps to have a 1:25,000 scale map to help identify the field patterns.
In Stillington, turn right by the Church and head for the railway bridge. Go under the railway, and almost immediately take the footpath on the left (behind King Kang;s takeaway food shop). The footpath to Whitton is waymarked and runs initially between the railway embankment and a row of houses.
In Whitton, turn left and make for the road junction. Immediately ahead is Townend Farm, and the signposted footpath to Thorpe Thewles. The footpath appears to be going through the garden of Townend Farm, but is, in fact, a right of way and soon opens out onto the public footpath.
In Thorpe Thewles, the footpath to Hall Bank and Hell Hole initially runs past a row of houses (but is signposted) and then a gated smallholding (where we found the owner to be not terribly welcoming).
At Hell Hole (a muddy sort of farmyard) head West along the waymarked footpath. Again, it helps to have a 1:25,000 scale map to help identify the field patterns on this section.
Where the footpath meets the minor road, turn right and head North.
At a field gate, the footpath back to Sedgefield (Yarm Lane) is easy to find and to follow.