The Grey Panthers

A walk that is slightly longer than usual, but apart from a couple of short stretches the route is essentially level and easy to navigate.
Between Piercebridge and Winston, on the outward leg, the route follows the Teesdale Way. The route is on easy to follow paths beside the River Tees. In dry weather the route is a delight, but it may well be a different matter in wet weather or when the river is running high.
On the return leg the route uses farm tracks and field footpaths, with some use of minor roads. Use of an OS 1:25000 map is recommended in order to follow parts of the field footpaths.

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 available 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 web site, - just use QUO!!

Start from the village green in Piercebridge (NZ210 156). Parking is limited, and you need to show consideration.
Just close to the bridge over the River Tees are some stone steps. Cross these to start on the footpath that is the Teesdale Way.
Follow the footpath beside the River until you arrive in Gainford. Here walk beside the main road, initially, before heading through the village. Past the village Green, there is a street that returns you to the main road.
Walk beside the main road for a few hundred yards, until you see the finger post directing you to the Gainford Spa beside the River Tees.
From here, return to walk beside the main road, until you come to the footpath (part of the old railway track bed) that takes you to the West Tees Bridge.
From this old railway bridge, follow the clear footpath beside the River Tees all the way to Winston Bridge.
Cross Winston Bridge.
There is a footpath on the upstream side of the bridge that takes you down to the river, should you wish to stop off there.
From Winston Bridge take the footpath towards Hedgeholme Farm, then continue along the farm track past the farm.
Where this track bends sharp right, continue for about 50 yards, then take the field footpath to Barforth Hall Farm.
From Barforth Hall Farm, continue along the farm road to St. Lawrence's Chapel and beyond.
When you reach Boat Lane, turn right then almost immediately turn left to follow the farm track to Low Fields Farm.
Just before the farm, take the footpath to Chapel House Farm
This footpath is not all that clear at times, and you may need help by using the 1:25000 OS Map.
From Chapel House Farm, follow the farm track to Low Field Farm, then continue along the road past Cliffe Hall to take the footpath back to Piercebridge.