Staindrop - Selaby Hall - Whorlton Lido - Staindrop

Ancient Staindrop is typical of many County Durham villages with its long village green. The village has close associations with nearby Raby Castle and St Mary's Church, near to where the walk starts, houses effigies of the Neville family, the original occupants of the castle.

From Staindrop to the River Tees, where the route intersects the Teesdale Way, it is flat walking through fields and woods with a little road-work. The section of the walk from the old Alwent Mill, across the picturesque bridge and ford at Alwent Beck, past the grand Selaby Hall and on to the stylish Selaby Park gatehouse, is a delight. The riverside path following the line of the Teesdale Way is extremely pleasant, undulating walking, particularly during the spring months when the riverside woods are carpeted with fragrant spring-flowering plants.

The path crosses the Winston to Caldwell road next to the ancient Winston Bridge. In recent history the bridge was in the spotlight when in 1988 an old WW2 Spitfire flown by Ray Hanna, founder and former leader of the Red Arrows aerobatic team, flew under the single-span stone bridge to create a scene for the TV series 'A Piece of Cake'.

Shortly after the bridge, the Teesdale Way rises high above the river, where it remains for a little under three miles before descending steeply to the charming riverside area around the former Whorlton Lido. The riverbed around this area comprises slabs of limestone, parts of which are visible above the water during normal river flow. Some of the visible slabs stretch almost the full width of the river, creating small waterfalls and deep, still pools. At Whorlton Bridge (formerly a tollbridge built in 1831 and the oldest suspension bridge in the country still supported by its original chains), the walk leaves the Teesdale Way and rises via a long series of stone steps to enter Whorlton Village.

From Whorlton the route rises gradually through fields and along lanes to the highest point of the walk at the intersection with the A67. Lane-, road- and field-walking takes you through the valley of the Newsham Beck to the long, spread-out village of Cleatlam. From here the route is all downhill along roads and through fields to Cleatlam Bridge before a flat walk through more fields returns the walker back to Staindrop.

England - North England - Durham - Teesdale

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Walk id: 5283

Walk grade

Moderate Walk

Length

13.2 Miles

Height gain

267 Metres

Duration

5 Hours 45 Mins

Average rating

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