Newton Cap Viaduct (Bishop Auckland) – Sunnybrow – Helmington Row – New Hunwick - Hunwick and Back

Alan Anderson

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A great circular walk through the Wear Valley in the area just to the north of Bishop Auckland. The route features a very pleasant little section of a popular railway walk as well as a couple of picturesque riverside strolls alongside the River Wear, County Durham's very own river. Leaving the river, the route heads uphill to the highest point of the walk at Helmington Row. The last part of the walk consists of a gradual descent mainly through a series of fields to return to the car park.

The walk starts from the car park lying alongside the entrance to the nationally famous Kynren Open Air Show. From here the route travels along a short section of the Brandon - Bishop Auckland Way, a very popular railway walk. The route then leaves the railway path and descends to intersect and keep company with the River Wear before gradually rising again along a lane. After passing through a small wooded area the route descends quite dramatically back to the river. A final pleasant riverside walk follows before the route leaves the river for the last time and heads north along roads and a lane to the highest point of the walk at Helmington Row. The route then changes direction and heads south through a series of fields to pass through the village of Hunwick, followed by another section of field-walking to return to the railway path and the start of the walk.

England - North England - Durham - Wear Valley

Features

Birds, Butterflies, Flowers, Food Shop, Public Transport, River, Wildlife, Woodland

9/13/2023 - Keith Purves

We walked this one today, 13th Sept 2023. Overall a nice walk, but lots of stiles were in poor repair and difficult to negotiate. The enclosed path between waypoints 22 and 23 was so overgrown it was impossible to use. Instead we turned around and followed the metalled road to rejoin at point 23.