10.7 miles
Explorer Map 304 - Darlington and Richmond
A pleasant walk through villages close to Teesside, which is
suitable for any time of year.
In wet weather some of the paths can be slippery and very muddy.
The walk uses farm tracks, farm footpaths, and some minor roads
and has no gradients.
The only note of caution is that there are two navigational points
which need attention;-
1 On the footpath entering Dalton
and
2 The Teesdale Way as you leave Croft.
Both these navigational difficulties will be mentioned below.
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 availabe 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 website, - just use QUO!!
Start from opposite All Saints' Church, Hurworth, where
there was plenty of parking space when we did this walk (NZ44622 22744).
Head East along the main street until you come to Low Hall Bridge.
Cross the River Tees by this bridge, and continue along the track
past Low Hall Farm. Although the OS Map shows the track to be a Bridleway,
there is a notice on the bridge saying "No Right of Way..."
(See Photo No 1). Just before the track meets Eryholme Lane, take
the footpath across fields to Eryholme Church. There are wyamarks
for this footpath.
From Eryholme Church head Westwards along Eryholme Lane (CARE : Traffic)
until you cometo the footpath beside Holmes Plantation. Continue Westwards
towards Dalton.
When you reach Dalton there is a wide gate into a field on the left,
and a gated footpath (waymarked on the right). The tempatation is
to take a short cut into Dalton through the gate on the left. DON'T.
We were met by the occupant of the nearby house who very strongly
directed us back to the footpath. This adds a bit of extra yardage
onto the walk, but unfortunately this footpath has to be used.
From Dalton, cross the A167 main road (CARE : traffic) and head down
West Lane until you see the entrance to the Croft motor racing track
on your right (indicated by a brown signpost).
Follow this track past the motor racing track and on to what is shown
on the map as Vincemoor East, - a pait of farm buildings. Head Northwards
along the farm track past these buildings.
When you come to Stand Alone Farm, take the track West. Cross the
Canny Well Beck, then take the footpath North. Follow this footpath
into Croft.
Cross the River Tees on the road bridge then take the minor road to
Hurworth.
DO NOT take the footpath you find before you cross the railway, even
though this is shown as being part of the Teesdale Way. This path
gets you nowhere, as the railway crossing has been closed (and the
sign that tells you so has been painted over).
Instead, cross the railway by the road bridge and THEN take the indicated
footpath.
Follow footpath signs across the grounds of Rockcliffe Hall until
you come to Blind Lane.
Here turn right and walk past Rockcliffe Farm. Past the farm, keep
on the road and turn left where the road bends left.
Where the road meets the River Tees, turn left along the indicated
footpath, and follow this North back to Hurworth.
In Hurworth, head Eastwards back to All Saints' Church.