The Grey Panthers

A walk with plenty of interest and some delightful scenery, in which the Hudeshope beck is followed Northwards out of Middleton-in-Teesdale.
The walk takes in a variety of country, - initially pleasant woodland beside the Hudeshope beck, followed by meadowland, and finally countryside where lead mining in the past has dramatically altered the landscape.
Crossing meadowland involved negotiating several wall stiles. On the return leg, there was a very steep gill to cross followed by some steep steps in the Skears plantation.
The Hudeshope beck itself affords much of the scenic interest in this walk.

For a Memory Map overlay of the walk described, please select the above link.
(Overlay made with Version 5 of Memory Map)

Some new mapping software is now available which you may want to try, - QUO mapping. You can download the software for free from the link below, complete with demonstration maps. Having installed QUO, you can import and export Memory Map overlays. Thus YOU DON'T NEED Memory Map to use any of the overlays provided on the Grey Panthers web site, - just use QUO!!

Park in Middleton-in-Teesdale. The car park in the centre of the town is only a short stay car park, and the long stay car park is shown as being on the road out of Middleton that leads to Newbiggin. You may find it possible to park in the part of town that is close to the Tourist information Centre.
Leave Middleton by the road that heads (uphill) almost due North, past the church.
Where here is a turning on the left off this road, heading into woodland, walk down this road.
Continue on this road, with the Hudeshope beck on your left, until you come to the road bridge over the beck.
Just past this bridge (but don't cross it) are some disused lime kilns.
Take the track that ascends behind the lime kilns and continue uphill through woodland until you emerge into pastureland.
Continue on the field footpath that now takes you to "mining country". Follow the footpath past old mine workings until you come to the road by Pikestone Brow Farm.
Turn left and after a short while take the track that heads Northwards up the Hudeshope beck valley.
This track allows you to see some of the old mine workings.
Return down this track to the road.
Turn right and cross the Hudeshope beck on the road crossing and continue along the road. You can, at this point, make a detour to visit the Coldberry mine workings.
Continue along the road until you meet a footpath on your left that heads South South Easterly over pasture land at Club Gill.
There is a steep drop into Club Gill sike, and then a climb out of the sike.
Continue on the footpath to the Skears Plantation. Continue Southwards. Part of the track through the plantation involves a steep drop down a flight of steps.
When you reach the road bridge at the South end of the plantation, take the footpath South West to Aukside. This footpath involves a steep climb above the How Gill.
In Aukside, take the footpath South West to Edge End, then follow the road back to Middleton-in-Teesdale.