Wolsingham Circular Walk

About

This is a 5.75 miles (9.5 km) medium gradient walk that should take 2.5 - 3 hours.

1. From the Demesne Mill parking area, take the footpath through the metal kissing gate up some steps, then across a field to reach the Church.

2. Walk through the churchyard, keeping the church on your left, then on along an enclosed path down to join a lane. Turn left to reach the main road.

3. Take the lane directly opposite, at the bottom of which, follow the grassy path to the left across the Recreation Ground and continue straight on to join the road.

4. Turn right over the bridge across the River Wear and follow the road up over the railway bridge, then head up along the wooded track that runs parallel to the road.

5. Where this old track re-joins the road (at a lay-by), take the path to the left. Head straight on across the field, gradually bearing up to the right to a stile over the fence. After the stile, head up to the left over another stile and on to reach High Wiserley Farm.

6. Follow the track passing to the right of the buildings then turn left after the farmhouse down along a track and over a stream to your right. Head straight on passing Friarside Farm on your right, on to reach a gate beyond the large barn. After the gate, head left across the field to a stile then bear right up to the ruined buildings of Wigside.

7. Head along the stony track passing to the left of the ruined buildings then, after a gate, leave the track behind and head straight up across the field – no clear path – to a ladder stile. Head up to the right across the next field to another stile and onto the road.

8. Turn left along the road for just over 3/4 of a mile.

9. Turn left along the gravel Forestry Commission Road.

10. Just before the track bends to the left, turn off to the left along a grassy path through the heather. Follow this straight on passing to the right of the Trig Point.

11. Drop down to cross the stile beyond the telegraph pole. Bear to the left down across the field, through a gate in the fence then on to join a track that leads down to a gate in the bottom left corner of the field. Head on towards the ruinous Crowsfield Farm.

12. Walk through the gate to the right of Crowsfield Farm, then head down to a stile in the far bottom right-hand corner of the field.

13. After this stile, bear left across the field passing the head of a small wooded ravine then drop down the wooded banks to a ford across the stream. Head up alongside the wall on your left to reach Wiserley Hall Farm.

14. Walk along the lane bearing round to the left after the barns then head through the gate to your right and walk down across the field to a stile in the bottom left corner. Cross the stile and head on with woodland on your right to re-join the lane.

15. Turn right along the lane back to the bridge across the Wear and up into Wolsingham.

16. Turn left at the War Memorial.

Covered by OS Explorer Sheet 31 ‘North Pennines’

This route passes near to the following Taste Durham establishment: Bradley Burn Farm Shop & Cafe.