THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017 The Northern Echo 35 Walks what’son Walks Around Huworth-on-Tees

the wooded riverbank (walkboards Walk information in places) for 200 metres to reach a stile at the end of the woods Distance: 5.75 km (3.6 miles) that leads out onto a field. Carry Time: 2 hours straight on along the riverside path for 150 metres to reach a fence Maps: OS Explorer Sheet 304 - and copse of woodland across always take a map on your walk your path, where you head to the Start / Parking: Limited on-street left alongside the fence/woodland parking throughout Croft-on-Tees. (away from the river) across the You can also start this walk at field to reach a stile in the corner Hurworth-on-Tees. of the field. Cross the stile and Refreshments: Pubs at Croft- follow the enclosed path up to on-Tees, Hurworth Place and emerge onto a lane amongst the Hurworth-on-Tees. brick-built houses of Hurworth- Terrain: Roads (pavements), on-Tees. muddy paths across parkland and fields, farm lanes and riverside Turn right along the lane to paths. 5emerge onto the village green, How to get there: Croft-on-Tees where you head left to reach the lies along the A167 just to the south main road through the village. of Darlington, across the large Turn left along the main road bridge over the River Tees. From Croft-on-Tees, our route (pavement) to soon reach a road Caution: Take care walking along heads across the grounds of junction beside the Spar shop and crossing the roads. Some of Rockcliffe Hall to reach the banks (Memorial Fountain) where you the paths are muddy. Several stiles. of the sweeping River Tees. A turn right along Roundhill Road. delightful stretch of riverside path Follow this road for 25 metres Giant Hogweed along the riverside Way’) that leads down along the straight on for 100 metres to reach then takes us up into Hurworth-on- then turn left along a back lane path – do not touch. East Coast Mainline. Follow this another stile beside a gate that Tees. This lovely village boasts an (signpost). Follow this lane/track enclosed path straight on alongside leads onto a tarmac farm lane assortment of attractive Georgian straight on passing the back Points of interest the railway for 175 metres to reach (Blind Lane). gardens of houses for 250 metres and Victorian houses and cottages some warning signs and a path fronting a long village green. But to reach a gate at the end of the ROFT-ON-TEES is a junction, where you turn left along this village green holds a dark Turn right along the lane enclosed track (end of the houses village on the western the clear enclosed path heading secret, for when the Plague swept 3and follow it down to reach a on your right). Head through the banks of the River away from the railway line. Follow through Hurworth in the 17th crossroads of lanes at the bottom gate and follow the clear grassy Tees, the ancient bridge this enclosed path straight on, Century it almost wiped out the of the bank (buildings of Rockcliffe track straight on across several Cacross which marks the with woodland on your left and entire village population, and the Farm across to your left), where fields alongside the wall/fence boundary between the counties sports fields on your right, for 300 dead were buried in large graves you head straight on along the lane and then houses on your left (with of Yorkshire and Durham. Once metres to reach a gate at the end of dug on the green. From Hurworth, (sign ‘Low Rockcliffe’) to reach fields to your right) for 825 metres famous for its sulphur wells and the enclosed path (Rockcliffe Hall a track takes us back along the the buildings and large barns of to reach a bridge across the East spa, it was also an important across to your right). northern edge of the village, before Rockcliffe Farm. As you reach the Coast Mainline. Cross the bridge coaching stop along what was once crossing the East Coast Mainline and then a stile, after which follow the Great North Road (now the buildings carry straight on along via a bridge; you just have to stop Head through the gate and bear the path straight on then bear A167), which crossed the River Tees the lane passing the buildings on and wait to see a high-speed train! 2slightly right over the driveway slightly left down the bank to reach by way of Croft Bridge en route your left (golf course on your right) (zebra crossing) and on across the then, at the end of the buildings, a stile at the bottom of the field from Darlington to Boroughbridge parkland (clear grassy path) to that leads onto a track. Turn left by way of Northallerton. There has carry on along the lane for 175 soon reach another driveway (zebra metres before bending sharp left along the track into Hurworth been a bridge here since at least The walk crossing). Cross over this driveway, Place. As you reach Linden Court the 14th Century; note the coaching From the road junction at then carry on along the lane for and walk straight on along the a further 225 metres to reach the (housing development) turn right inns on either side of the river. 1Croft-on-Tees beside the Croft grassy path alongside the wrought- River Tees in front of you where to quickly reach the main road Beside this bridge stands St Peter’s Hotel and Croft Bridge over the iron fence (cricket pitch) on your the lane bends sharp right – (A167). Turn left along the road Church. The author Lewis Carroll River Tees (with your back to the left then, where this fence bends turn left off this bend through a (cross using the traffic island) spent some years of his childhood church), turn left along the main away at the end of the cricket pitch, gateway that leads out onto a field walking along the pavement, back at Croft-on-Tees, where his father A167 over Croft Bridge (pavement) bear very slightly right along the (River Tees on your right). over Croft Bridge over the River was Rector of this church; look out then, just after the bridge, take clear grassy path, passing houses Tess and back into Croft-on-Tees. for the carving of a grinning cat, the road turning to the right into on your right, to reach a stile over a Mark Reid which may have inspired Carroll’s Hurworth Place. Follow this road fence in the corner of the parkland Follow the riverside path walkingweekenders.co.uk famous Cheshire Cat. There has rising up and curving slightly left (houses end on your right). Cross 4straight on heading downstream been a church on this site since to reach a bridge over the East the stile and walk straight on across (river on your right) across two Unique corporate activity days, Anglo-Saxon times, although the Coast Mainline, immediately after the field alongside the fence/hedge fields for 550 metres to reach a stile navigation skills and team building present building dates from various which turn right (Railway Terrace) on your right to soon reach a stile that leads into woodland (foot of a experiences in the great outdoors. building programmes between the and then immediately right again beside a gate that leads onto an bank on your left). Follow the clear teamwalking.co.uk 12th and 15th Centuries. over a stile (signpost ‘Teesdale enclosed track, which you follow riverside path straight on along

Birdwatch By Ian Kerr

TARLINGS in their rather gathering each afternoon in the minutes of sheer magic as the these displays were purely the opportunity to visit one to go drab and spotted winter half hour or so before darkness flock swelled, swirled and changed designed to baffle predators. along. They won’t be disappointed. Splumage aren’t much to over the Saltholme RSPB reserve shape. Sometimes it was a huge That may be partly true and The New Year started with look at but when they gather in and the extensive reedbeds at the ball but at other the birds spread these roosts certainly do attract some old favourites remaining, pre-roosting flocks they really are Birtley water treatment works in out in long wavering lines. At one them. But on many occasions the including the eastern black north Durham. most elaborate and spectacular creatures transformed. Then, if stage this line of thousands even redstart at Skinningrove and murmurations occur when there conditions are right and the mood I was at Birtley with two put on the avian equivalent of a shore larks near Hartlepool is no threat. Another theory is takes them, they provide one of colleagues the other afternoon and Mexican wave. Headland and at Druridge Bay. that starlings are gregarious and wildlife’s winter wonders. what a tremendous show those New rarities include a drake black Then, just as suddenly as it the displays are a social thing These incredible starlings put on for us. It was all started the show ended and the scoter at Goswick and a black- very atmospheric, being windless designed to attract as many as murmurations, the mass displays bird poured like inverted smoke possible into the roost. After all, throated thrush briefly at Whittle when many thousands put on the with a cold blue sky, brilliant into their roosting places below. Dene. orange sunset and background there is safety in numbers. The most incredible synchronised Starlings prefer roosting over chorus of water rails squealing larger the roost the less chance flying displays, are currently water because it makes it difficult in two different areas of the an individual has of becoming a entertaining both birders and reedbeds. At dusk, starlings began for mammalian predators such as victim. the general public alike at two to arrive in small parties which foxes, stoats and weasels to reach Whatever the reason, reedbed areas in the region. gradually merged to form a huge them. starling roosts are wonderful. Up to 20,000 starlings are black mass. There followed ten It used to be considered that I recommend anyone who gets