Stanhope Walk

7th August 2014

Report

Stanhope Walk, 7^th August 2014, Report.

Alan Burton

The August 2014 walk had been rescheduled from July, and beautiful weather greeted us from start to finish. The walkers were Steve(s) Hutchinson and Hudson, Alan(s) Burton and Robertson, Johns Wood and Barclay, and Ken Wilson. All met outside St Thomas’s Church (dating from Norman times), where the first point of interest was to be seen. This was a fossilised tree stump, which had been excavated on Edmundbyres Moor and relocated in the churchyard in 1962.

The route as described earlier on the SH website was adhered to, apart from a brief detour by Steve Hutchinson at Widley Field, which we thought was a ‘comfort stop’, he thought was a spoil tip, but turned out to be the entrance to an old ‘adit’ mine (we now know what that means!!).

We were ready for refreshment by the time we arrived at the Parkhead Station cafe. This is located at the junction of the old ‘Stanhope & Tyne’ and ‘Rookwood’ branch railway lines, and is much appreciated by all C2C  riders.

The return route was mainly down hill and the scenery over Stanhope Burn and the Weardale valley was stunning.

A lunchbreak was taken at a convenient shooting butt, and the final stretch included an investigation around the impressive ‘Ashes’ limestone quarry on the outskirts of Stanhope. Back in town, further refreshments were to be had in the beer garden of a handy market place pub.

The walk turned out to be approx. 11.2 miles, with 1600 feet ascent

Alan Burton.

The next Thursday walk will be on 4th September led by Bob Howe, if he is well enough.