9.5 miles.(*)

Explorer Map 306 - Middlesbrough & Hartlepool

The remarkable thing about this walk is that you only have to go a short distance from a built-up area to find yourself in quiet countryside.
Although the described walk starts form the Billingham Beck Valley Country Park, the walk as made by the Grey Panthers started with a short walk from the nearby Crooksbarn Estate to the Billingham Beck Valley Country Park.
The walk is fairly straightforward, though a 1 : 25000 OS map is highly recommended in order to follow field patterns.
There are few gradients, with possibly the steepest gradients to take into consideration being the steps leading up to, and down from, the railway line near the Billingham Beck Valley Country Park.
There are quite a number of stiles to cross on the walk.
A stretch of road by the entrance to Wynyard Park needs close attention, and you need to walk on the side of the road facing the traffic as this can be a moderately busy road.

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!!

Start from the parking area in the Billingham Beck Valley Country Park. Make your way to the steps that cross the railway line (there are several paths which can be followed to do this).
Once over the railway line, Continue Northwards and follow the footpath under the main A19 road. The footpath passes under the road in a tunnel, and then continues past Gravel Hole Farm between fencing that clearly defines the rote.
Continue of the footpath past Newclose Farm.
Before you reach Calf Fallow Farm, take the fingerposted footpath on your right that takes you to Wolviston Mill.
Past Wolviston Mill, continue on the footpath past Bottle Hill Farm until you reach the Wynyard Road.
Here turn left and follow the road (CARE : TRAFFIC) until you come to Fulthorpe Garage.
Just past the garage is a track on your right.
Turn down this track, then take the footpath on your left through Thorpe Wood. Continue until you come to the Castle Eden Walkway.
Now head Southwards to Thorpe Thewles Station.
From the station, take the access road down to Wynyard Road.
Cross Wynyard Road and follow Blakeston Lane (CARE : TRAFFIC) to Middlefield Farm.
Turn left and continue along Blakeston Lane until you come to the Norton Golf Course access road on your left.
Follow this road to White House Farm.
Take the footpath at White House Farm to Brookdale Farm.
FRom here, retrace your steps to the Billingham Beck Valley Country Park.

(*) This is the mileage if you start from the Billingham Beck Valley Country Park. Starting from the Crooksbarn Estate in Norton will add an extra mile or so.