The Grey Panthers

This walk was one where we participated in a walk organised by the Dales Walking Festival.
The walk was one where the history of Weardale, and especially the mining and quarrying industries, were featured. A local historian, Kevin Shevels of Trail Guides publications described the history and features of the landscape as the walk progressed.
However, the walk is a delight in its own right with regard to the scenery and the interest, even if you only have a passing knowledge of the past history.
The route taken is straightforward and presents no difficulties with respect to either navigation or terrain.

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 the Dales Centre in Stanhope (car parking is meant to be for up to 4 hours; if you intend to stay longer it is advisable to park at the top - grassed - section of the car park).
Head West along the A689, until you cross the Stanhope Burn near Stanhope Hall. Here turn right up the farm track and continue up the track into the woodland. Keep the Stanhope Burn on your right, and continue uphill until you come to the steep gorge just South of Shield Hurst Farm.
There is a waterfall in this gorge, but as often as not the waterfall runs dry, - the rocks being limestone.
Turn right up the track past Shield Hurst Farm. Where the track forks, take the right hand track down to cross the Stanhope Burn by the old mine workings.
FRom here, ead Esatwards up the hill along a stony track.
Continue North Eastwards over open moorland to the buildings at Weather Hill.
Cross the road (CARE : popular with speeding motor cycles) and then Southwards along the Weatherhill Incline to the Crawley Engine buildings .
Here follow the track that skirts round the buildings (on the Eastern side). From this track you can look down and see the cutting and tunnel that took the rail bed under the road at this point.
Now bear left and follow the track that runs along Crawley Edge above the disused quarry workings .
Continue along the track until it emerges at a minor road. Turn right and head downhill a short distance.
At Jollybody Farm, take the footpath Eastwards over fields to the valley in which the Shittlehope Burn flows.
Descend to, and cross, the Shittlehope Burn then follow the footpath Southwards through this wooded valley.
The footpath emerges at the corner of a field. Enter this field and head Westwards back to Stanhope.