10.7 miles.
Explorer Maps 306 and 308, - Middlesbrough & Hartlepool /
Durham & Sunderland
This walk is ine which be a delight in Summertime, but is
attractive at any time of the year.
One of the big advantages of the walk is that it uses old railway track
beds and firm footpaths (apart from one short section which crosses farmland),
so that in wet or wintry weather it is a viable proposition for walkers.
There are sea views to be had, and it is also possible to walk along the
beach instead of the cliff-top path.
The return is through Castle Eden Dene, which is a very popular walking
area.
For a Memory Map overlay of the walk described, please select the above
link.
(Overlay made with Version 5 of Memory Map)
Some new mapping software is now availabe which you may want to try, - QUO mapping. You can download the software for free from the link below, complete with demonstration maps. Having installed QUO, you can import and export Memory Map overlays. Thus YOU DON'T NEED Memory Map to use any of the overlays provided on the Grey Panthers website, - just use QUO!!
Start from a convenient spot on Hesleden, - beside the cemetery
the is a road where parking wouldn't cause a problem with local residents
(NZ44136 38231).
Just past the church, the road bends sharp left. At this point, a lane
heads South past houses to the Castle Eden Walkway.
Follow the walkway all the way until you come to a railway footbridge
that crosses the East Coast railway line.
Continue along the footpath to Crimdon Dene.
Follow footpath signs to follow the Durham Coast Path all the way to Dene
Mouth, - where the Eden Burn flows into the North Sea.
Here, head inland under the railway viaduct, and continue along the road
for a short distance.
Where you see a track leaving the road and heading down to the Eden Burn,
take this track.
This leads to a culvert which takes the Eden Burn under the A1086 road.
Walk through the culvert and continue on the path Westwards through Castle
Eden Dene.
Just past the Garden of Eden BRidge, a track heads uphill on your left.
Follow this track to the top of the bank.
Here there is a field footpath which takes you almost due South.
When you come to a farm track turn left, and at the next field take the
footpath South to Hesleden.