Red Kite Trail

DISTANCE: 18.0 KM (11.0 MILES)
GRADE OF WALK: MODERATE/STRENUOUS
TIME: FULL DAY / SPLIT TWO DAYS
EXPLORER MAP: 316

The star of this walk is the Red Kite, a magnificent bird of prey with a two-metre wingspan, forked tail and elegant flight. Reintroduced in 2004, after a 170-year absence, they can be seen at vantage points (helpfully marked) along this trail through the lower Derwent Valley. A varied walk across woodland, farmland and railway viaducts, with a richness of fauna and flora, including kingfishers and otters. Good views of NewcastleGateshead's landmarks which are within easy reach. The nearby 18th-century landscape garden of Gibside is well worth a visit.

START/PARKING

Derwenthaugh Park car park at Winlaton Mill near Blaydon upon Tyne, Gateshead
OS Map Grid Reference NZ186609

RECOMMENDED ROUTE

Starting at the Cat Nab car park, cross the public road and pass the waterworks on the left before reaching a footbridge. Follow a sign directing you into Saltburn Gill Nature Reserve. Cross the stile to follow a path that takes you high above the Gill. Climb steps that lead to two more stiles about 50 metres apart. Cross a footbridge as the pathway runs close to Saltburn Gill.

From the rear of the car park, enter Derwenthaugh Park, head towards the river and turn right until the path curves away from the river, and left around a small lake. Bear left to cross a stone bridge and then right to follow the river again.

Keep on the riverside path before going uphill to join the Derwent Walk and turn right across Nine Arches Viaduct (a good Red Kite watch point). Continue for 2 kms, with the National Trust's Gibside Estate to your left, to the A694, and turn left. At the T-junction, beside the caravan site, turn left down Burnopfield Road (B6314). Before the road crosses the river, turn right off the road, cross over Sterling Lane and up a slope to rejoin Derwent Walk on the river viaduct.

Continue 2 kms, turning right off the railway path before Lintz Green Station and go downhill (steep in places) to Lintzford village. Cross Lintzford Bridge to the A694. (For a shorter trail, catch the Red Kite bus back to Derwenthaugh car park from the bus stop opposite).

Cross the A694 (with care) and take the gated track up to Chopwell Wood, following the waymarked trail. Enter the wood and turn right then curve left around a quarry, continuing uphill to T-junction where the trail turns right and dips before climbing up to the left to the Chopwell Bird of Prey Watch Point. Continue to the top, turn left, then right and out of the woodland through a kissing gate, on to a road to Victoria Garesfield hamlet. At the road junction, turn right for 40 metres before crossing over the road and turning left onto the footpath below the churchyard.

Continue up the footpath, turn left after the stile to the top of the hill (a good Red Kite watch point), before descending to Hookergate Lane. Cross straight over to Spen Lane, past houses and the school to the bottom of the hill and turn right into Spen Banks Wood. Take the forest track and turn left up the hill into woodland, coming out onto a waggonway that follows the woodland boundary.

Turn left up steps to a track across Barlow Fell. Look west to spot NewcastleGateshead's landmarks - Tyne Bridge, Millennium Bridge - 11 kms away. Continue to a road (Ashfield Lane), cross and take the road opposite, turning right at the T-junction into Barlow village. Cross the road and turn right. After the Black Horse pub (a good Red Kite watch point), turn right along the public footpath through South Farm and onto a farm track. Turn right at the gate on to the road and, opposite Thornley Bank Kennels, turn right again onto a track.

After 200 metres, turn left on the old waggonway, cross a road and descend over farmland towards the old railway bridge. Turn left past Low Thornley stables, across another road, taking the public footpath between farm buildings, along the top of a field before turning left down a sunken track and over a stile to the A694.

Cross the A694 (with care) into Derwent Walk Country Park. Follow the boardwalk behind the car park, through woods, past fields on the left, up to a kissing gate and down to a stable yard. After another kissing gate, turn left through the yard along a track to a gate and T-junction. Turn right into Derwenthaugh Park, take the path to the left and follow the river back to the junction to the car park.

This route has been supplied by the Northern Kites Project.
More information and detailed directions are available at: www.northernkites.org.uk