9.67 miles.
Explorer Maps 306 & 308, - Middlesbrough & Hartlepool
/ Durham & Sunderland
A year-round walk which makes good use of the Castle Eden
Dene, the Durham Coast Path and the Castle Eden Walkway, - a disused
railway track bed.
The paths through Castle Eden Dene are well used and easy to follow,
as is the Durham Coast Path and the Castle Eden Walkway.
There are farm footpaths between Blackhall Rocks and the Castle Eden
Walkway, which proved to be very muddy after a spell of wet weather.
Providing there hasn't been a prolonged spell of wet weather, these
paths would be quite straightforward.
This is a rewarding walk, with no navigational problems.
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 car park opposite the Castle Eden pub in
Castle Eden village, NZ42329 37578.
Cross the road and head past the pub and houses, to find the start of
the Castle Eden Walkway (a disused railway track bed). Head Eastwards
along the Walkway.
At NZ429 378 there is a field footpath heading Northwards to the B1281.
Cross the road and continue Northwards to the parish church along the
metalled road.
Just past the church there is a gated footpath leading into Castle Eden
Dene (an information board tells you about the Dene).
The footpath takes you past the Castle.
At the first junction in the footpath, you may either take the left
track which takes you through Castle Eden Dene to Dungy Bridge and then
on to Dene Mouth. Alternatively, you may take the right track which
overlooks the Dene until it eventually descends to continue along the
Dene where the footbridge crosses the Eden Burn in an area known as
The Garden of Eden.
The track through the Dene crosses the A1086 before heading out to Dene
Mouth and the coast.
It is possible to avoid crossing the A1086 by using a footpath through
the river tunnel instead. The Eden Burn passes under the A1086 in a
concrete tunnel, which has a raised footway on the left of it. This
tunnel looks very forbidding from the outside, and once inside is totally
unlit. You may considerthat avoiding the tunnel is a sensible option.
At Dene Mouth, head South East on the Durham Coast Path. Follow this
broad and easily recognised path until it turns inland towards the houses
at Blackhall. Continue alongside the railway line (on your right) until
you come to the roadway.
Here, turn right to Blackhall Rocks, and cross the A1086 by a small
parade of shops. Continue along the street (Ocean View), turning left
along the street at the end to come to Atlee Avenue.
Here join the footpath to Tweddle Farm.
From Tweddle Farm take the fram track to Benridge Farm.
Just before Benridge Farm, taje the signposted footpath to the Castle
Eden Walkway.
Return to your starting point along the Walkway.