Waskerley Station - The Horsleyhopes - Smiddy Shaw Reservoir - Waskerley Station

Alan Anderson

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A nice little walk around Smiddy Shaw Reservoir in the North Pennine hills between Consett and Stanhope. The terrain in this undulating area of north County Durham comprises railway paths, fields, farm tracks and moorland.

The first 2.25 miles of the walk are along the beautifully maintained Waskerley Way Railway Path that offers good views of the countryside to the north and west. A section of farm track, surfaced lane and a little road-walking follows before the route enters the gully carrying the Horsleyhope Burn. The walk then climbs steadily through a series of fields and Horsleyhope farmsteads. A long stony track then leads the walker to the area of the Hisehope Burn past another series of farmsteads, after which the route enters Open Access Land to start the long pull up Hisehope Moor on clear tracks to arrive at Smiddy Shaw Reservoir. A flat walk around the western and southern shores of the reservoir then follows before taking a relatively short lane back to the car park at Waskerley Station.

England - North England - Durham - North Pennines

Features

Birds, Butterflies, Flowers, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Lake/Loch, Moor, River, Wildlife, Woodland

3/23/2019 - Debra Brett

A really varied walk that was very easy to follow.

12/10/2018 - John Blemming

A very nice walk, done on a sunny winters day. Word of warning at point 8. There seems to have been some official footpath re-routing going on, and confusingly whilst there are still footpath signs that take you through this gate, the route described here that takes you around the farm buildings and to the right of a stone wall is no longer the public right of way. A farmer intercepted us and politely moved us onto the correct route via some fence scrambling - the correct route is now actually in the adjoining field to the left of the stone wall. As to getting onto the exact correct route first time, from the start of point 8, its a little unclear, or at least we missed it. Rather than turning right through the gate at the start of point 8, I suspect there is another way that we didn't spot going straight on or off to the left a bit. So just have a good look around when you get to this part. You want to pass the farm to the left somehow, rather than go to the right and behind the buildings. Once you get to point 9 its plain sailing again.