Stanhope - Eastgate - Rookhope - Parkhead Station - Skirted Crawleyside

Stanhope is the centre for a whole range of trails in this popular walking area of Weardale. From here the route follows the Weardale Way as it meanders along the valley floor sandwiched between the River Wear and the Weardale Railway line. The walk passes through a large caravan park before emerging at the village of Eastgate to start the gradual ascent up through the interesting and varied wooded valley of the Rookhope Burn with its picturesque waterfalls. At the old lead mining village of Rookhope the terrain changes to moorland where the track climbs more than 500 feet in just over a mile up the disused Boltslaw railway incline to the ruins of the old static engine house. From here the track starts a long barely discernable descent as it takes a huge swing to the east to follow the contours of the northern slopes of Stanhope Common with terrific panoramic views of the surrounding fells. The route eventually intersects the Waskerly Way, another disused high level mineral railway track at the C2C cycle stopover at Parkhead Station. The walk then follows the route of the old line past the site of the derelict Weatherhill Engine House before the long straight descent down Weatherhill Incline to arrive at Crawley Edge overlooking Stanhope. The path passes along the entire length of the escarpment before continuing on to explore the pleasant and at times marshy Shittlehope Burn area that leads you down into the Weardale market town of Stanhope.

England - North England - Durham - Weardale

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Walk id: 6002

Walk grade

Strenuous

Length

15.6 Miles

Height gain

443 Metres

Duration

6 Hours 59 Mins

Average rating

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