Stanhope is the `capital' of Weardale and its Anglo-Saxon name, meaning `stony valley', is a good description of the Wear and the burns in the area. Like many towns in the North Pennine dales, Stanhope grew most significantly in the nineteenth century as a lead mining centre.
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We parked the cars at the Durham Dales Visitors Centre, seen above on our return, which offers facilities for refreshments, toilets and craft shops. And the parking is 'free'. |
Leaving the visitors centre we turned right and followed the road out of the village and turned left onto the B6278 to cross the River Wear at Stanhope Bridge. We turned right along a lane and after walking across the railway bridge followed the lane past Snow Field cottage to Aller Gill cottage. Here we joined a track ascending to Newlandside Farm.
On reaching the farm we found that the right of way had been blocked off and we were left with no alternative but to retrace our steps until we reached an alternative path taking us past disused mineshafts and through several fields to reach the farm at Snape Gate. Along the way we were concerned to find 4 dead sheep!
From Snape Gate we descended a gully through a copse of trees then ascended to Easter House. The track was very muddy and after crossing a ford over Horsley Burn the track curved round to another gully where we stopped for lunch. We dropped down to Snowhope Close Farm which looked derelict, and followed an extremely muddy track down to Dry Gill, which wasn't!, before ascending to a crossroad of paths. The sheep we passed were extremely dirty and we spotted another dead one. Some wag had altered the sign on the gate into the farm!
We descended to a lane at Hag Gate turned right along the lane and across the river at Hag Bridge, to join the Weardale Way.
We turned right along the Weardale Way which we followed through the caravan site and along the river bank till we eventually crossed the railway line by a couple of stiles to rejoin the B6278 at Stanhope Bridge and returned to the visitors centre.
It had now started to rain steadily but fortunately the weather had remained fine throughout our walk. After changing out of our muddy boots we drove to Wolsingham where we enjoyed a fine ale to end a pleasant day. |