Weardale Way Update (Section 3 & 4)
22nd March 2023 | The Rookhope Inn has been closed for a couple of years now and doesn’t look like it’s about to open any time soon. When I was last up there (18/03/23) there was no activity; in fact it appeared to be derelict.
I’m sure it’s unfortunate for the village, and is a major loss for Weardale Way and Pennine Journey walkers, and C2C cyclists. For anyone walking the Weardale Way there’s little point going on to Rookhope unless your objective is Barrington Bunkhouse or you’re interested in seeing the village itself.
This alternative route, combines Sections 3 & 4 into a comfortable day-walk to Stanhope with a potential pub stop at Cross Keys Inn, Eastgate.
We’ll be keeping our eye on developments and posting here. If you have any information you’d like to share feel free to post in the comments.
February 20, 2025 @ 12:51 am
This is really helpful, thank you. I am planning a long training run and thought “ooh I could run to Rookhope and back, I’ll check if it has a cafe and water and warmth”. Blunt delivery but ultimately not a safe place to run to in Feb with nowhere to shelter, thank you.
February 20, 2025 @ 10:56 am
Glad to be able to help Steph. It’s a shame, as the inn has proved to be a real boon in walks we’ve done over the years. Maybe it’ll have a resurgence. Here’s hoping…
February 5, 2024 @ 4:50 pm
We can confirm that in Rookhope there are a number of places to stay for the evening. Should any walkers or cyclists look of a watering hole, the Rookhope Village Club opens Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings and regularly see a number of visitors, it is fast becoming a meeting point for those travelling to Rookhope as part of the C2C. This is great for Rookhope and really putting it back on the map 🙂
June 10, 2023 @ 10:20 pm
This is Val Livingston, of Barrington Bunkhouse.
As you can probably imagine, I am struggling to survive and you have to rub my face in it …. put a nail in the coffin and say ‘miss out on Rookhope’. The pub closed down for Covid,then the owners decided to sell and the present owner has had it now for 2 maybe 3 years but is just living there. He is telling people that he might re-open it as a pub next year, by that time it will be too late for me. This isn’t my fault, my bunkhouse is still a nice cozy place to stay, people love it and I’m still getting returnees … pub or no pub. There is a club in the village which is open on Tuesday nights (darts) and Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so there is somewhere to have a pint or two.
Some people eat before they get here, some people self cater and some people take a taxi (if they don’t have their own transport) to the nearest pub which is only 3 miles away. It’s difficult, but we’ve managed, but for you to say bypass Rookhope is so unfair, have some empathy and please reword this article.
June 11, 2023 @ 2:18 pm
Hi Val,
I’m sorry that you feel the contents of my post has hurt your business which, of course, was never the intention. On reflection, I might have been rather blunt but essentially stand by what I’ve said. I can’t in good conscience recommend that day walkers go to what’s effectively a blind alley in Rookhope now that there’s no casual hospitality outlet. They need somewhere to rest, drink, eat and shelter especially when the Weardale weather is at its worst.
I’m happy, however, to modify the wording with respect to there being a facility for overnight accommodation at Barrington Bunkhouse – perhaps you’d like to suggest something? But I can’t recommend going all the way into Rookhope as things stand – unless it’s the walkers’ choice. There’s always been a link to Barrington Bunkhouse’s website in the post and I think that’s reasonable.
Very simply, the comfort and safety of walkers is my priority. I’d be more than happy to do a low-cost feature on Barrington Bunkhouse but can’t do it for free I’m afraid.
For what it’s worth, you have my sympathy and it would indeed be a shame to lose yet another facility like Barrington Bunkhouse (it is, as you say, a ‘nice, cosy place’) and notwithstanding the personal consequences to you. Neither does anyone have to promote the merits of Rookhope to me: I continue to spend happy hours there, exploring, walking, cycling and running through and around it. I was as crestfallen to learn of the pub’s closure as anyone.
If this issue is as important as it seems then, in my humble opinion, the village would benefit from a basic but reliable hospitality outlet – a ‘pop-up’ cafe for want of a better term. That would change things completely though I stress that it needs to be reliable.
By all means, send me some alternative wording for the post and I can have a look at it. I can’t get involved in promoting individual businesses however, unless I offer it to everyone and that of course, isn’t possible unless it’s paid for.
Yours in good faith,
Scott
March 14, 2025 @ 12:41 am
Not long after this article a friend of mine in the village converted his cute little summer house into a mini-pizzeria, just for him, his family and friends, and my guests, not for the general public. 98% of my guests have eaten there. The rest either eat before they get here, self cater or go to The Cross Keys in Eastgate. The pizzeria has been a godsend!
The latest news is that the school, which closed down a year or so ago is going to be a Business Hub and it looks as though there’s going to be a little cafe there as well. The business hub will be opening sometime soon …. maybe June?
Also, the pub car park has trestle tables. Walking groups sit there to eat their lunch and I quite often offer them tea or coffee. I don’t charge, but I ask for a donation to either Air Ambulance or Mountain Rescue, I have collection boxes for both. Sometimes I invite them into the bunkhouse if it’s raining or very cold. That way, they see my lovely bunkhouse and might return to stay 🙂
March 14, 2025 @ 12:03 pm
Very pleased to hear this Val. Feel free to keep us informed. All the best.