Teesdale Way – Dufton to Cow Green (Section 1) – 28th February 2025
John McCullagh of the Teesside Walking & Talking Society kindly sent me this report of their day out walking the Teesdale Way’s most challenging section, from Dufton, in Cumbria, to Cow Green, in the wilds of Upper Teesdale on 28th February 2025. I think it’s fair to say they did well with the weather. Please feel free to send us your report for any of the trails we feature – we love to read and publish them.
“Hi Scott,
We are the Teesside Walking And Talking Society, a group of six – plus an occasional guest – who walk about once a month. Teesside business is our connection but we live in various locations scattered between Durham and Northallerton.
This year we aim to walk the Teesdale way as described in your book which we found by chance after googling walks starting at the South Gare, a couple of months ago, and purchased a copy.
When the day came for our South Gare to South Bank walk which we’d planned for 24th January 2025, we were hit by Storm Eowyn so it was decided to re-route and go bowling at Teesside Park instead!
That was where the idea to follow the Teesdale Way as a year-long challenge was born, with the first leg – from Dufton to Cow Green – being scheduled for 28th February.
Following your advice on logistics we opted to meet in Barnard Castle from where we’d booked a minibus with a local firm, Hodgson’s Taxis (www.hodgsonstaxis.com).
The bus cost £60 to drop us off at Dufton and £80 to collect us – 5 hours later – from the car park at Cow Green and bring us back to Barnard Castle.
Parking, in the central reservation area of Barnard Castle high street, opposite the Coach & Horses pub, was free all day – and was where we met the bus.
The town offers plenty of pubs and breakfast options for the finish, proving to be a good solution that we all agreed worked really well.
The walk itself was fantastic, we had great weather which altogether made for a perfect day! Legs 2 & 3 combined are next for us on 4th April.
The guide book is excellent by the way, and has become our ‘travelling copy’ which I duly handed on to Alastair – our nominated leader for the next leg – over a pint at the finish yesterday.
I’ll be going online to order myself a replacement to keep.
John.”
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