BOAC -Egglestone Abbey & Barnard Castle - Teesdale

Date	15/02/07
Leader:	Russell S
Distance:	6.5 miles
Weather:	Changeable but no rain.
Walkers	18
Parking:	Car park at Egglestine Abbey
Map:	Ordnance Survey OL31

Route Summary - Egglestone Abbey, Princess Charlotte Wood, Boldron, Barnard Castle, Abbey Bridge, Egglestone Abbey.

A shorter walk than normal, only 6.5 miles, but no shortage of mud! We walked south passing Waterloo Plantation on our left, turning right before Dowson's Gill, then crossing the B6277 to Princess Charlotte Wood. Here we missed the stile and ended up walking through the wood and having to climb over a barbed wire fence.

A stile too far?

Almost immediately after leaving the wood we had to cross a rickety stile into a flooded field. After crossing the field we made our way into Boldron crossing several muddy fields on the way. Here we had lunch making use of a couple picnic tables on the small village green - all except Dalton who sneaked around the back of a wall to have his break. Was it something we said?

Crossing Thorsgill Beck

From Boldron we continued into Barnard Castle crossing Thorsgill Beck using a small but impressive stone bridge which seemed out of place in these quiet fields. After crossing the Tees we joined the Teesdale way to Abbey Bridge , beyond Egglestone Abbey, from where it was a short walk back to the car park.

Now followed our usual discussion as to which pub to visit, finally deciding on The Old Well in Barnard Castle . This probably distracted Russell because while at the pub he realised that he had left his rucksack back at the car park. This brought to mind the rambler's first rule - "The rambler and his rucksack should never be parted"!