11.1 miles.

Expolorer Maps 307 and 308, - Consett & Derwent Reservoir / Durham & Sunderland

Although the first and last parts of the walk use VERY well defined paths and tracks, with a bit of road walking, the section in the middle afforded considerable navigational difficulty. This is because several of the footpaths appear to have fallen into disrepair due to lack of use. There are sections where there are no waymarks, and crossing of fences has to be worked out by the individual as to how best to tackle the problem.
Where the paths cross farmland, it is ESSENTIAL to use a 1:25000 scale map. The 1:50000 map is no use at all for navigation in this respect.
The walker should also be aware that some of the fields and paths can be extremely muddy.

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 Rowlands Gill Picnic Area (NZ44614 22733).
Walk up to the B6314 and turn right. A short distancle along, you will find a gateway leading to the (well marked) Derwent Valley Walkway, - an old railway track bed.
Follow for the Walkway for about 1.5 miles, until you come to a large viaduct over the River Derwent. Cross the viaduct, and a short distance along on your right is a footpath signed to Hollinside Hall. Climb up to Hollinside Hall, and then descend back to the Derwent Valley Walkway.
Continue ina North East direction for a short distance, until on your right is a sign indicating Clockburn Wood. Walk up the broad and well defined track of Clockburn Lonnen to reach a minor road. Cross this road and continue along the broad track for a few hundred yards.
On your right, at NZ199 595, is a gateway leading to a VERY muddy farm track. Cross the stile beside this gate and head in a South Westerly direction beside the field boundary. At the end of the boundary, turn left and follow the fence to a stile which you cross into a lane at NZ201 590. Follow the lane past some housing on your left, until you come to a road. Here turn right and follow the footpath up to the hedge line at NZ202 587. (The footpath is visible, but NOT marked).
Turn right down a farm track. At the first hedge that you come to, turn left (with the hedge on your right) and walk along the edge of the field. At the next field, continue in the same South Westerly direction along the edge of the field, but this time with the hedge on your LEFT.
Continue in the same direction across the next two fields, with the hedge lines remaining on your right. However, you will find that crossing over into the first of the two fields will require some initiative on your part, as there is no "official" crossing.
You will eventually reach the A692 road.
Cross this road and take the broad track down to Longfield House Farm. Before you actually enter the Farm, tack the path on your right and then pass down the Western side of the Farm.
Although a footpath is shown on the map, the path is not marked and there no crossings of the farm fences are provided.
Continue South Westwards to reach an old railway track bed at NZ199 572. Here turn West, and after a few hundred yards there is an opening into a field at NZ196 572.
Here, head due South across the field and at NZ196 569, head due West for a short distance. The path then heads down into the woodland of Bobgins Burn.
Now head East South East along the Burn to eventually reach the picnic area for Causey Arch. There are a myriad of footpaths in the woods by Bobgins Burn, and you may need to think a little bit as you make your way along towards Causey Arch.
From the Causey Arch picnic area, follow the well marked footpath to East Tanfield Station. Here. turn left along the main road to Tanfield village.
In the village walk past the Church. Just past the Church, there is a footpath heading North to Burnopfield.
From here, navigation back to the Rowlands Gill picnic area is fairly straightforward.