Close Encounters of the Third Kind. May 1st
We first attempted this walk many weeks ago but it rained so heavily we cut it very short. The second attempt was halted because the A68 road was closed and diversions were long.
Today the road is open, the sky is blue, the wind is light. Good day for walking.
The walk starts at Allensford caravan park which naturally has a café.
Easily reached A69 west, A68 south and turn left at the signpost into the park after a few miles.
The walk is covered by OS Explorer 307 Consett and Derwent.
Once fuelled and booted we set off across the grassy play area and headed for the bridge over the Derwent. We didn't cross the river, just the road and followed a narrow, fenced footpath before starting a gentle (mostly) climb through woodland until we reached the first of many stiles on the walk.
Having navigated the wobbly construction we walked across fields but close to the edge of Birks Wood until we reached a car park, crossed a road and followed a path over fields. Left at the next road, almost immediately right and we were on the Waskerley Way. The way is an old railway line from near Stanhope to Consett. We walked the length of it several years ago. It is popular with walkers and cyclists being a section of the coast to Coast cycle trail. A vgrassy track we followed it going roughly south west for a couple of miles, took a short cut at Bed House and called a Herbie in the picnic area at Waskerley Station.
A good spot for lunch, several tables to offer some comfort and we shared apple pies, cookies and, of course, sweet and savoury from Mrs A.
Lunch over we headed north east on a grassy track named Nanny Mayers Incline. Built as a gravity powered railway incline for hauling mineral wagons it is now a farm track and public footpath.
At a point slightly less than mile 6 there is a path across fields, not very well marked, but it leads to Middles Farm. More fields from the farm, we crossed a road by the cattle grid and followed footpaths until we found the woods near mile 8.
No leaves yet? Dead?
Leaving the wood we turned right, walked a road for a short distance before following a finger post that led through woodland and field until we reached Horsely Hope Burn. There was no bridge or ford, some, sensible people, followed the footpath along the stream until they found a crossing point. Some, less sensible crossed the stream with the help of slippery rocks and then scrambled up a steep unforgiving slope. It did have the occasional tree for help.
Having found a path we followed it to Fox Holes, crossed one of the fields from almost the beginning of the walk and finally we walked back through the woods to the caravan park.
Contain OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and database right 2026
The walk is about 11 miles, mostly easy going with gentle climbs but be careful at the Horsley Hope Burn.
