SDR - Bishop Auckland to Heighington ~ Griffmonsters Great Walks

A 15 miles walk following the Weardale Way and the Stockton and Darlington Railway Trail from Bishop Auckland through to Shildon and Heighington

Using the Weardale Way, this brings the walker to the start of the Stockton and Darlington Trail of Discovery. A trail dedicated to the birth of the railways in Britain. With lots to see and explore along the way, including the locomotion museum at Shildon, this makes for a thoroughly enjoyable day out.

Walk Statistics

Start location: Bishop Auckland
End location: Heighington
Distance: miles ( km)
Total Gain: ft ( metre)
Total Descent: ft ( metre)
Min Height: ft ( metre)
Max Height: ft ( metre)
Walk Time:
Walk Grade: Easy
Terrain: Footpath, Track, Road

Maps:

The following maps and services can assist in navigating this route. There are links to printed maps and links to downloadable GPX route data for importing into navigational software and apps.

Ordnance Survey Explorer Map: OS Explorer 305 - Bishop Auckland
GPX Route File

Walk Notes

The walk uses the Weardale Way to link Bishop Auckland to the start of the SDR Trail of Discovery at Witton Park. The Weardale Way makes a contrast to the rest of the days walking following the trail as it navigates around the cliffs alongside the Wear River. When we undertook this hike, a diversion had been implemented although this was not very well marked and we ended up having to cross a collapsed river bank collapse, presumably, was the cause of the diversion. All in all, there are many little paths that follow the river round this section and it is really up to the walker to choose the one they want to walk.

Moving away from the river, we come to the hamlet of Escomb where an ancient Saxon Church reveals itself, a welcome feature of the landscape that is said to be the oldest and most complete Saxon church in England. The church was founded around 670–675 AD during the golden age of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Northumbria, avoiding destruction during the Viking raids and the Norman Conquest that befell so many other Saxon places of worship.

Next we pass through Witton Park and head to the start of the Trail of discovery. The route takes us on a footpath from Witton Park, across a meadow and down into a valley from where another footpath should have led to the start of the trail at Pheonix Row. This was not immediately obvious as to where the path entered the hamlet and the route led us through what can only be described as someones back garden. A passing local told us that he thought they had just laid claim to the land and not to worry about walking through the garden.

Pheonix Row is an important place on the railway, where the railway started, shifting mined coal up an incline, initially using horses and then implementing a stationary steam engine. The whole story of the railway can be read on the website which also provide podcasts which can be listened to as you walk the trail. (SDR Trail of Discovery website. Listening as you walk proved to be a very informative and added further detail to the many information boards along the track.

The first place of any size along the railway is West Auckland, brought to prominence on April 17th 1911 when the local football team won the world cup, beating Juventus FC by 6 goals to 1. A statue stands in the centre of town to commemorate this achievement. As the Gaunless Bridge, which the former railway traversed, was having building works carried out to it, this allowed us to pass through the town, see the football statue and even pay a visit to the football club before rejoining the track beyond the works.

Next along the line is the Brusselton Inlcline - there is a diversion away from the original track bed, rejoining the track near Brusselton. This is the site of the Brusselton Incident where the rope on the stationary engine snapped leading to wagons running out of control down the incline. Everyone managed to jump clear except William Kitching, who was trapped on the runaway wagon. Luckily, a young worker chased after the wagon and applied the brake just in time, preventing a tragedy.

It is little snippet stories like these that are on the podcasts and made entertainment as we walk the trail. It did bring forth a discussion about exactly how fast the runaway wagons were travelling if a yong worker managed to catch up and bring them to a halt and why William Kitching didnt just jump off.

We now head down towards Shildon and no visit is complete without a visit to the local George Samuel Brewery. Although it was late lunchtime, they still accommodated us with some lovely beer and sandwiches.

An interesting revelation came about at the brewery. During our 3 day excursion we had booked 3 separate AirBnB accommodation at Bishop Auckland, Darlington and Thornaby. On the first day the second days accommodation phoned to say it was no longer available due to broken boiler. On this day, the third days accommodation phoned with a similar story and also blaming a broken boiler. One of the girls at the tap room had to close the bar early because she had booked AirBnB that night which had now cancelled and she needed to get her daughter to the evenings Take That concert at The Stadium of Light in Sunderland, which is why they had original booked it. Broken Boiler? A short discussion resulted in the theory that due high demand for accommodation, owners of AirBnB were cancelling booking requests so they could get a better price down to the amount of demand caused by the concert. Luckily we found other accommodation.

Satiated with good ale and food, we headed down to Shildon where the Locomotion Railway museum beckoned. This is an amazing collection of historic locomotives, both steam and diesel and even electric, laid out in the bright modern surrounds of two modern sheds. A trainspotters paradise that you need to spend a good hour just to see everything.

The final section is between Shildon and Heighington, following the modern railway. A thoroughly good day was had by all and this trail is highly recommended. Even with some drizzle and a short thunderstorm it did not dampen our enthusiasm. There is a wealth of information as you walk the trail about the history of the railway, supplemented with the details on the website and the podcasts that this also provides.

References

Directions

Introductory Paragraph

Head to the west side of the shopping area of Bishop Auckland, leaving the tow via High Bondgate
Cross the roundabout with the A689 then take the immediate first left into West Street followed by a right into the residential Hexham Street
At the end is a footpath that leads down to the riverside emerging onto Bridge Road which forms part of the Weardale Way
Turn left and follow the waymarkers for the Weardale Way - when this was undertaken by Griffmonster Walks, a diversion was in place and the GPX follows this. Whatever route is taken, the Weardale Way needs to be followed, or parallel paths, to get through to Escomb village, then to continue through the village to the hamlet at Witton Park
At Witton Park take Low Queen Street on the right after the railway bridge, turn right onto New road and at then left onto Park Road
At the junction at the top of Park Road, go straight over and onto a footpath. This will lead out onto meadowland
Follow the meadow down the hill and cross the stream at the bottom then turn right to follow the stream/ditch
At the far end there is a gate across the ditch, take this then keep to the field boundary on the left - at the top there is a public footpath on the left that leads around the back of the community. This emerges through a domestic garden and onto the track behind the houses
Where the track bends to the right, go straight on along the path which leads onto the SDR Trail of Discovery
The route through to Shildon is now well marked, following the course of the old railway with a couple of diversions
At the time of walking the route was diverted through West Auckland due to works on the Gaunless River Bridge. This is a worthwhile excursion that takes in the scultpture to commemorate the 1911 World Cup victory against Juventus FC by the local football team. Turn right onto Station Road and follow the road through town to the green where the statue is found. Return by heading down Chapel Street opposite the green. There are signs for the football club down here. Cut across the green area on the right, following the footpath to the very end which leads back onto the former trackbed
A little further on, due to private ground the route diverts off to the left. Keep along this track to the junction then virtually double back on oneself which leads back to the public accessible trackbed, close to Brusselton
As you come to Shildon, the trail passes through an industrial area, then crosses Byerley Road. To the right is a roundabout. To visit the George Samuel Brewery, go to the roundabout, turn right and follow the road immediately after the roundabout on the right. The unit on the right of this road is the brewery.
Continue along the trail until it meets the modern railway line. The Locomotion Museum is clearly seen ahead
Leaving the museum, follow the entrance road to the junction, turn left and the road turns to a path that leads back down to the railway and over a footbridge to the opposite side. The path then follows the railway line
At Newton Aycliffe station the path leads up to the road. At the roundabout take Horndale Avenue, following the route of the railway. At School Aycliffe Lane on the right, cross this road and head down Preston Raod
Where Preston road eventually turns to the left and meets a junction with Spring Road. Turn right, taking the next right turn down Station Road which will bring you out at Heighington station. This is as far as the trail currently goes for this section.

Directions

Introductory Paragraph

Head to the west side of the shopping area of Bishop Auckland, leaving the tow via High Bondgate
Cross the roundabout with the A689 then take the immediate first left into West Street followed by a right into the residential Hexham Street
At the end is a footpath that leads down to the riverside emerging onto Bridge Road which forms part of the Weardale Way
Turn left and follow the waymarkers for the Weardale Way - when this was undertaken by Griffmonster Walks, a diversion was in place and the GPX follows this. Whatever route is taken, the Weardale Way needs to be followed, or parallel paths, to get through to Escomb village, then to continue through the village to the hamlet at Witton Park
At Witton Park take Low Queen Street on the right after the railway bridge, turn right onto New road and at then left onto Park Road
At the junction at the top of Park Road, go straight over and onto a footpath. This will lead out onto meadowland
Follow the meadow down the hill and cross the stream at the bottom then turn right to follow the stream/ditch
At the far end there is a gate across the ditch, take this then keep to the field boundary on the left - at the top there is a public footpath on the left that leads around the back of the community. This emerges through a domestic garden and onto the track behind the houses
Where the track bends to the right, go straight on along the path which leads onto the SDR Trail of Discovery
The route through to Shildon is now well marked, following the course of the old railway with a couple of diversions
At the time of walking the route was diverted through West Auckland due to works on the Gaunless River Bridge. This is a worthwhile excursion that takes in the scultpture to commemorate the 1911 World Cup victory against Juventus FC by the local football team. Turn right onto Station Road and follow the road through town to the green where the statue is found. Return by heading down Chapel Street opposite the green. There are signs for the football club down here. Cut across the green area on the right, following the footpath to the very end which leads back onto the former trackbed
A little further on, due to private ground the route diverts off to the left. Keep along this track to the junction then virtually double back on oneself which leads back to the public accessible trackbed, close to Brusselton
As you come to Shildon, the trail passes through an industrial area, then crosses Byerley Road. To the right is a roundabout. To visit the George Samuel Brewery, go to the roundabout, turn right and follow the road immediately after the roundabout on the right. The unit on the right of this road is the brewery.
Continue along the trail until it meets the modern railway line. The Locomotion Museum is clearly seen ahead
Leaving the museum, follow the entrance road to the junction, turn left and the road turns to a path that leads back down to the railway and over a footbridge to the opposite side. The path then follows the railway line
At Newton Aycliffe station the path leads up to the road. At the roundabout take Horndale Avenue, following the route of the railway. At School Aycliffe Lane on the right, cross this road and head down Preston Raod
Where Preston road eventually turns to the left and meets a junction with Spring Road. Turn right, taking the next right turn down Station Road which will bring you out at Heighington station. This is as far as the trail currently goes for this section.

Pubs

George Samuel Brewery, Shildon

Address: Unit 3 Norland House, Shildon
Website: https://www.georgesamuelbreweryltd.com/

Amazing little brewery and tap room on the industrial estates as you enter Shildon along the Stockton and Darlington Trail of Discovery. Well worth a visit

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