Weardale Way Section 2 (Cowshill to Westgate)
Introduction
Section 2 of the Weardale Way starts from Burtreeford Bridge in Cowshill and finishes on the junction of Front Street with Scutterhill Bank, in Westgate, by the “Candle House”. This section of the trail trends gently downhill, is sheltered and pastoral. Frankly it’s untypical of the terrain normally experienced or sought this far up the dale and makes for a pleasant walk at any time of year.
Stats at a Glance
Distance 7.3 km/4.5 miles) | Elevation Gain 12 m/39 ft | Maximum Elevation 365 m/1198 ft (Cowshill) | Going Generally firm & dry on trails, tracks and lanes through farmland, riparian woodland and urban | Exposure Fairly sheltered | Navigation (OS Maps Explorer OL31; Landranger 87; Landranger 92); GPS File | Hospitality & Supplies Cowshill (Ho); St John’s Chapel (Ca; GS; PH; Ho) [0.5 km]; Westgate (CS; GS; PH) | Start Burtreeford Bridge, Cowshill NY 853405 (w3w: napkins.cuddled.executive) | Finish The Candle House, Westgate NY 907380 (w3w: flick.disprove.curable) | Grade Gentle | GALLERY
Trail Updates
The following updates have been published by The Durham Cow for this section: 190425
Description
Leave Burtreeford Bridge following Weardale Way way-markers through the nearby gate and up the farm-track of ‘Mellon Isle’ (from where there’s a decent view of Burtreeford Falls – particularly in winter, when trees have lost their leaves). After a short, steep descent towards the Killhope Burn, the trail heads gently downhill, through fields, to Wearhead. After passing through the village which has now lost its shop, you return to the trail at Wearhead Bridge (looking upstream you’ll be able to see where the Burnhope Burn – flowing out of nearby Burnhope Reservoir – joins the Killhope Burn to become the River Wear.
The house by the bridge, on the downstream side, is the site of the former Wearhead Station and the terminus for the Weardale Railway. There was a turntable installed here also, so that the trains could physically be turned around. After a brief stretch of riparian woodland the trail breaks cover, crossing fields towards Waterside Farm from where you might notice the long redundant railway bridge at West Blackdene.
On the road after the farm, the route crosses the River Wear at West Blackdene then turns right on ‘Anita’s Way’ immediately afterwards. Here, the river runs through a picturesque ‘sluice’ in a stratum of rock known as the ‘Five Yard Limestone’.
After West Blackdene Mine Bridge comes Coronation Bridge on the other side of which you’ll find the Weardale Museum and High House Chapel that claims to have been the world’s oldest Wesleyan chapel in continuous weekly use. There’s also a commemorative stone altar where John Wesley is said to have preached. Accessing the trail from the bridge involves a tight squeeze which you can avoid if you decide to continue along the river without visiting the museum.
An expansive limestone pavement creates a natural ford across the River Wear at Pennine Lodge, making it a pleasant place to linger, after which the trail returns to fields via a stile in the stone wall. After passing through the farm buildings at ‘Island House’, the route continues across a succession of fields from where there’s an option to divert off the trail to the well appointed village of St John’s Chapel.
Returning to the trail, there are a couple more fields to cross before reaching a lane that leads to the A689 – the main road through the dale. At the A689 you COULD turn left to go directly to the finish in Westgate. The Weardale Way however, crosses the river via Daddry Shield Bridge and returns to the riverside trail via a flight of stairs off the bridge.
After passing through an isolated terrace of houses at Windyside, the trail sets off across another field, past a handy footbridge and stepping stones, onto a lane that grants vehicular access to Westgate – accurately named ‘Shallow Ford’ – where there’s another footbridge. Across the lane is another gate after which the trail joins the track bed of the former Weardale Railway until stopped by a long-blocked portal at Haswick’s Bridge. After scrambling up the bank to the road, it’s a short, easy stroll into Westgate, to the section finish at the ‘Candle House’.