The Durham Dales, a wonderful place to walk and hike. It is indeed and even more so with your dog as everywhere seems to be so dog friendly. I am sure your four legged friend would never forget all the wide open valleys and countryside being discovered too!
After our morning exploits around Teesdale and Low and High Force we too the time to drive over to another valley for the afternoon walk, Weardale! And a gorgeous drive it was too.
The destination in Weardale was Stanhope. A great place to start many a walk. Just taking a look in the information centre I found leaflets full of walks heading out of the town. Ranging from a couple of miles to many.. Up above the valley or along it. With an afternoon of fresh air to be had I chose to head above the town, a walk that incorporated some local history.
Up and through Ashes Quarry was our route. For 70 years or so (from 1870 to the 1940s) the hillside above Stanhope was an important quarry for limestone. As you walk up and gaze upon the quarry you get to see the scale of it! Gazing out along its vastness, now quiet and completely calm, you not just get a sense of scale within bit the operation to get the quarried stone down in those days must have been immense and hard work. Using an old railway (remnants can still be seen) with wagons and ropes, after all the extraction with pick axes. Must have been one hell of a hards day’s work!
Our walk was to take us through and onwards and upwards. Up through the fern and onto the top of Crawley Edge.
This is one of those fine examples of a small walk/climb that leads to really expansive views. Once up on Crawley Edge you get to see out all over Weardale and the beauty of the Durham Dales. The open moorland behind you. Bea could just run and run, I could enjoy the views, the fresh air and absolutely no noise or masses around. beautiful.
Alas it was getting dark and we had done our two walks for today. For info you can make this circular walk just a couple of miles if you want, great for time and families!
Time to head back around and down to town to drive to our accommodation. We stayed at the Rose and Crown in Romaldkirk. A beautiful village setting in the dales here. Very very dog friendly, a charming atmosphere, and great food much of it locally produced. Perfect for our rest before a new day of miles.
For details on the walk you can ask in local visitor centres for the Ashes Quarry Geotrail leaflet and all details are within, including much of the history to help as you walk.
I miss Bea.
Aww she is doing wonderfully, running around the parks of London 🙂