Durham Dales, Romaldkirk in Teesdale

DISTANCE: 9.6 KM (6 MILES)
GRADE OF WALK: EASY
TIME: 3-4 HOURS
EXPLORER MAP:OL 31

The green valley of the River Tees is criss-crossed with drystone walls and punctuated by sturdy field barns. This walk along the valley in Teesdale begins at Romaldkirk, a village with three greens, stocks and a splendid water pump. Its church is dedicated to St. Romald. Look for the Devil's Door inside, behind which Satan was supposed to lurk. It was blocked up in the Middle Ages to keep him out.

START/PARKING

Limited roadside parking in Romaldkirk. No parking on village greens. OS Map Grid Reference NY995219

RECOMMENDED ROUTE

Go left across Low Green and head towards the cottages at the far end of the village. Before reaching
them, take a walled track off to the left, known as Primrose Lane. Cross the slab bridge over Beer Beck,
climb the stile on your left. Head diagonally across the pasture to the stile at the top of the bank. Head
to the stile right of the boundary fence. Follow the wall alongside the woodland. After 100 metres bear
left across the pasture and through a gate. Turn right down the road and cross Eggleston Bridge.

At the end of the bridge, go right over the ladder stile. Carry on to a gate. Take the ladder stile on the
left, before the gate, and go up steps into Great Wood. At the top, follow the path right, and climb
the Jubilee Steps. Go on to a small gate into a field. Continue right across the stone stile towards the
right end of the wall. Head diagonally left up the field to pass through a gate. Continue on, keeping left of East Barnley Farm.

Walk forward to an arrowed telegraph pole, ignoring farm tracks on your left, and head on through a gate.
Bear half left over the ridge to cross the head of Raygill Beck, with its waterfall. Take the wall stile
and over the field to cross another stile. Bear half left up the pasture, pass another way-marked telegraph pole, and follow the gated track to High Shipley.

Beyond the farm turn right along the farm track and first right through the gate. Descend the path
winding left over coarse pasture. Beyond the corner stile, turn left to cross the slab bridge. Go on beside the stream to cross it again. Carry on to the way-marked gate. Go across the tractor bridge and left along the stream. The level way contours round the hillside and then downhill through a corner gate. Follow the path round, over rough pasture and down the field. Cross the stile in the right corner of the wall into Shipley Wood. Turn left and exit the wood by a gap stile. Go through the gate into the caravan park. Keep to the right and pass through the stile. Beyond, bear right and across the River Tees.

Bear right and follow the path to cross the second stile in the fence and cross Wilden Beck (stepping stones). After the next stile, continue diagonally up the bank, and on to the right hand corner of a high wall. Follow the track by the wall to pass in front of a large house, Woden Croft. Immediately beyond, go right through a gate to pass between a cottage and barn to join a farm track. Continue into the next field and bear left through a gateway and up the bank ahead, to go through a gate in the right corner by trees. Drop down through the next two fields. Go right at the bottom of the slope to pass through a gate that leads to deserted Low Garth Farm.

Keeping the buildings to your right, bear left up the bank and aim for a gate in the hedge. Beyond, cross diagonally to a similar gate in the left corner. Cross the next field to an avenue of trees and a gate to an enclosed track, Stennings Lane. About 1km along from this you reach Romaldkirk.