Description
Tanfield Railway and Hedley Hall Wood
This walk takes in the scenery around Tanfield Railway, Hedley Hall Wood and the surrounding area. The area has beautiful woodland, as well as great views and history.
Details
Hills: | Some small hills | |
Distance: | Medium distance | |
Grade: | Moderate (Distance) | |
Map: | ||
This walk is on OS map Explorer 308 Durham & Sunderland. Click on map image to buy this map. | ||
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The start
We start at East Tanfield Station. This is at the southern end of the Tanfield Heritage Railway. The great bit about this place is the tearoom here. If you arrive early (10am), there will be time for a spot of breakfast before we set off.
From here we walk up the path by the railway, until it crosses a bridge over the Causey Burn. A little way along the path, we turn away from the railway and go over Oxpasture Hill, towards Causey Hall Farm.
Beamish Hall and Beamish Burn
When we cross the road at Causey Hall Farm we take the path behind the farm, down into the valley and over the Causey Burn. The path goes up the other side of the small valley, where we cross the Beamishburn Road. The path continues up to Red Row and then along a very scenic route down towards Beamish Hall.
At Beamish Hall we take the road round to where Beamish Burn exits the Beamish Hall Estate. The Beamish Burn is just the Causey Burn but with a different name but is is a lovely place, with lots of small waterfalls, trees and wildlife. We will follow the Beamish Burn up to Beamish Mill before turning into the lovely Mill Wood.
Hedley Hall Wood
Mill Wood adjoins Hedley Hall Wood. Hedley Hall Wood is a beautiful mixture of ancient woodland and newly planted woodland. It is a great area to walk, sit and enjoy the wide variety of wildlife.
Pontop and Jarrow Railway
After leaving Hedley Hall Wood, we cross the road and take a short path up to the railway path that used to be the Pontop and Jarrow Railway and latterly the Bowes Railway. This takes us back towards the Tanfield Railway.
Andrew’s House to Causey Arch
Andrew’s House is the main station on the Tanfield Railway and is usually the focus of a visit to here. However, we pass Andrew’s House and continue on along the track and over fields, until we meet the Causey Burn again. Here we enter Causey Gill, a steep sided valley that runs back to where we started.
Causey Gill
Causey Gill is a beautiful valley and the path winds through it, crossing the burn several times. The path continues to the base of Causey Arch, which is oldest surviving single-arch railway bridge in the world. It was completed in 1726, when it carried a horse drawn wagonway. Our path winds up the side of Causey Gill, to the end of the Arch. Here, you can take a look from the top of the Arch and look at the history in it.
From Causey Arch, we follow the woodland path that runs alongside the Causey Burn and the Tanfield Railway. This leads back to where we started and the tearoom at East Tanfield Station. We can enjoy a snack and a cuppa before heading home.
Hope you can make it.
Julie and Martin x
Gallery – Tanfield Railway and Hedley Hall Wood
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