{"id":2736,"date":"2024-03-03T19:17:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-03T19:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/phoenixwalks.xyz\/?p=2736"},"modified":"2024-03-03T19:24:31","modified_gmt":"2024-03-03T19:24:31","slug":"elementor-2736","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/phoenixwalks.xyz\/index.php\/2024\/03\/03\/elementor-2736\/","title":{"rendered":"29\/2"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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29 – 02 – 24\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0CASTLE EDEN<\/strong><\/h1>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Distance 13.7 Km\u00a0 (10.7 miles)\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ascent\u00a0 \u00a0415 m\u00a0 (1360 ft)\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Average moving speed\u00a0 4.11 Km\/hr\u00a0 (2.56 mph)\u00a0 \u00a0 Start\u00a0 9.27 am\u00a0 \u00a0Finish\u00a0 15.32pm<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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On an overcast but dry day, with a westerly wind, 15 of us alighted the coach on the B1432 at Hawthorne.\u00a0 We then turned left (E) onto\u00a0 a minor road through the village and headed past South Farm before turning N and then E on a reasonable path to Haythorne’s Plantation.\u00a0 Just inside the northern edge of the wood we continued east until I realised we had missed the RoW which according to the map had left the path at a slight angle.\u00a0 Backtracking a short distance, we saw the path below us and cutting thro some rough undergrowth regained the correct route although there were so many paths and so many trees it was difficult to determine which one was the correct path.\u00a0 Suffice to say the path did improve and after a while we found ourselves at the railway crossing and then to the edge of the cliffs.\u00a0 Being advised by a couple of guys that this path was not good, we backtracked over the railway, headed away from the cliffs and then down a long series of steps into Hawthorne Dene.\u00a0 Crossing the dene on a footbridge we had excellent views of the high railway bridge crossing the dene.\u00a0 \u00a0The Durham Coast Line was opened in 1905 so the viaduct must have been opened before that date.\u00a0 Climbing up the south side of the dene, the path led us under one of the arches of the bridge and back onto the English Coast path.\u00a0 Heading south down the path, we had good views of a fairly calm North Sea.\u00a0 After almost 1 Km, while the path continues S, the RoW heads W to Shippersea Point.\u00a0 As it was almost 11.00 am, it was a good spot for a coffee break.\u00a0 Although rather windy, we had excellent views of the cliffs heading northwards.<\/p>

After coffee, we followed the\u00a0 fairly good path around the point and then southwards.\u00a0 After about 0.5 Km, I noticed a wire mesh obstructing part of the path, but with plenty of room to pass we carried on.\u00a0 About 250 m later, I was informed by one of the group that\u00a0 the path ahead was closed.\u00a0 I hadn’t seen any notice, could I have been talking!!!\u00a0 Anyhow, another backtrack and sure enough there was a new stile (which I had ignored) so we crossed over it, away from the cliffs and continued south.\u00a0 It must be said that the original path was the better route as this grassy area was soggy to say the least,\u00a0 Near Busiers Holes we were able to return to the cliff top path and continue S until we reached Fox Holes Dene where we cut inland around the top of the dene before returning to the south side of the dene and heading south again.\u00a0 Continuing down the England Coast Path we arrived above Warren House Gill.\u00a0 While there was a set of steps leading down to the gill, they didn’t look good.\u00a0 However, looking at the alternative paths down, they had obviously been used by mountain bikers and would have been treacherous and so down the steps we went.\u00a0 After crossing the gill, we headed for the “sands” and stopped for our lunch.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

After lunch we continued S on the “sands”.\u00a0 I use the word “sands” with reservation because as someone used to the Northumberland beaches, the sands were a mixture of coal, pebbles and some undescribable composition which was almost like concrete.\u00a0 As we walked towards Hartlepool Point, the percentage of sand did increase slightly but it still defied description.\u00a0 At Hartlepool Point, we turned inland into Castle Eden Dene and soon passed under another huge railway bridge, Horden viaduct, which has 10 arches and is 141 ft from ground to rail level.\u00a0 After climbing up to the A1086, crossing the road and then descending back to the valley floor, questions were asked whether we could have stayed by the burn.\u00a0 In hindsight, we possibly could have avoided the climb but it wasn’t clear.\u00a0 Anyhow, we continued upstream passing several unusual trees.\u00a0 Near Scotchman’s Gill the good path we were on was closed and we had to detour to the south side of the burn and along a rather muddy path.\u00a0 Fortunately, at Priest’s Gill we were able to rejoin the main path.\u00a0 After Castle Bridge, we started climbing out of the dene, the last part of the climb being quite steep.\u00a0 On reaching the castle (fortified house) at the top, not surprisingly when I offered the group a short drinks stop they were keen to take it.\u00a0 After the stop, we headed SSE on a minor road and then across a clarty field to a disused railway line which led us directly to the Castle Eden pub.<\/p>

A reasonable walk for County Durham, which most of the group seemed to enjoy, or were they just being nice to me.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u00a0Click on any photo to view full screen.\u00a0 \u00a0 Move through the gallery using the\u00a0 \u00a0<\u00a0 >\u00a0 arrows.<\/p>