Westgate Circular Walk

About

Distance: 7.25 kms (4.5 Miles)
Grade of walk: Moderate
Time: 2.5-3 Hours

This route provides a more strenuous hill-walk high up onto the grassy moorland around Swinhope Burn with some quite steep gradients and rough terrain. There is a long and gradual descent along a walled track at the end of this walk with superb views across the valley.

This route makes the whole walk 4.5 miles (7 .25km) and should take around 2.5 - 3 hours.

1. Follow the road over the bridge across the River Wear up onto Front Street.

2. Turn left along the road.

3. Turn right before the Methodist Chapel up towards ‘Weeds’.

4. At the houses, follow the left-hand lane up to a gate at the top of the farmyard. Follow the rough grassy track straight on up to reach a lane beside Low Crooked Well Farm.

5. A clear lane leads up passing High Crooked Well Farm on to reach a junction of roads, tracks and paths.

6. Turn left along the road for about half a mile.

7. Turn left into the yard of Strathmore Farm, through the gate ahead then steeply down across the middle of the hillside. At the bottom of the second field, head through the small wall-gate then continue down the hillside to join a track to the right of a house that leads down to the road.

8. Turn right along the road, over the bridge across the River Wear into Daddry Shield.

9. After the bridge across the River Wear, continue along the road into Daddry Shield. Take the turning to the left towards ‘Brotherlee’ and then take the lane to the right after the bridge across Daddryshield Burn. Follow this walled track up bearing round to the left then where the walled track turns sharp right head through the gate ahead.

10. Follow the path straight on across fields, over a stream then up through a wallgate towards Glenwhelt Farm. Walk behind the buildings, through the gate after the barn into the farmyard to join the road.

11. Turn right along the road then immediately left through a gate. Follow the grassy track bearing to the right across the moorland to reach a walled copse of trees.

12. Skirt to the right around the copse and steeply down to the Swinhope Burn to a wall-gate beside the stream.  Cross the stream (there is no bridge, and the crossing may be impassable after rain) and head up alongside the wall on your left passing two ruinous farms up to join the top of a walled lane. (PLEASE NOT THE STREAM CROSSING IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE)

13. Turn left and follow this walled lane down passing New Close Farm then bending down to the left into the wooded confines of Swinhope Burn.

14. Cross the bridge over Swinhope Burn then turn right at the houses down to reach a road junction. Turn left and follow the right-hand fork back to Westgate.

OS Explorer Sheet OL31 ‘North Pennines’