9.5 miles

Explorer Maps 305 (Bishop Auckland) & 308 (Durham & Sunderland)

You don't really need any maps for this walk.
The walk is a linear walk which can be started from either Crook or theBroompark Picnic SiteNZ. There are bus services between Brandon and Crook, which may help in planning how you walk the route.
The walk uses the old railway track bed that is now the Deerness Valley Walkway.
Although the surface of the route is firm, between Crook and Waterhouses there is a surprising gradient. This poses no difficulty to walkers, but required rope haulage for the colliery trains that followed the route.

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 either the Broompark Picnic Site (NZ250 415) or from the centre of Crook (NZ164 355).
If starting from Crook, head due North from the town centre along Hope Street. Where Hope Street meets the B6298 continue Northwards until you come to the entry to the Deerness Valley Walkway.
Simply follow the well marked track bed until you come to the Broompark Picnic Site.
You may want to stop half way at Esh Winning where there are shops and cafes.