Frosterley - Stanhope - Hill End - Frosterley

Alan Anderson

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An interesting walk up into the hills on both sides of Weardale between the villages of Frosterley and Stanhope that reveals great panoramic views of the dale. On the route the walk passes through Open Access Land and skirts three old limestone quarries.

From Frosterley the walk starts with a small amount of road-walking as the route climbs steeply up through fields on the north side of the dale to enter Open Access Land. Further moorland-, field- and gully-walking follows before the route passes through the disused Ashes Quarry, from where the walk descends into the market town of Stanhope, the unofficial capital of Weardale. The route leaves Stanhope along riverside meadows, crossing and recrossing the Weardale Railway line on the way before rising steeply into the hills on the south side of the valley to pass by a couple of large disused quarries. The route then enters Open Access Land for a surprisingly flat walk to intersect the hamlet of Hill End. From here the route descends through fields and along a quiet road to return to Frosterley.

England - North England - Durham - Weardale

Features

Birds, Butterflies, Cafe, Church, Flowers, Food Shop, Gift Shop, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Moor, Pub, Public Transport, Restaurant, River, Tea Shop, Toilets, Wildlife, Woodland

6/23/2021 - Peter Lawton

Whilst this was good walk as far as I was able to go with good views up and down Weardale. There are a few issues that anybody who is contemplating this walk may wish to consider. At point 7 when you pass through the gate there is a fence not 2 feet in front of you which you have to climb over, as there was no stile that I could see, which was difficult to climb over. At point 21 the gate cannot be opened and you have to climb over it. The gate mentioned in point 22 also could not be opened and has to be climbed. Care should be taken when climbing these gates. After you have climbed over the gate in point 22 you should continue straight ahead on the track as the writer's wording appears not to be acurate as there appears to be two paths that bear left. Do not take the one the goes directly down to the stream as this is dangerous. I was only able to go as far as point 24 as I walked directly back to Frosterly from Ridding House Farm but I am sure the rest of the walk is as good. The walk follows the old Weardale Way walk from Parson Byers between points 20 and 21. It may be safer to take the re-routed Weardale Way from Parson Byers and rejoin the walk between points 26 and 27 as there should be no gates to climb.