No. 5: Coniscliffe Moor & Teesdale
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The other pub in the village is the Keep a lookout for dippers, mallards, Duke of Wellington, though from 1975 widgeon, goosanders and kingfishers, to 1988 its sign showed a portrait of all of which have been seen along this Napoleon! A large collection of foreign stretch of the river. On rounding a banknotes decorates the bar. sharp left-hand bend in the river, the The name “Coniscliffe” path goes through more woods, mainly means the “King‘s cliff”. larger sycamore and Elduf, a High Sheriff, varieties of ash. was slain here in AD778. No. 5: Coniscliffe Moor & Teesdale Way After passing under the motorway, in a short distance leave the surfaced lane via a metal stile to continue along the Take the footpath through the kissing river, entering Low Coniscliffe by the he walk starts at the Baydale He even kept a cow for the tenants! gate down to the river, indicated by a short Wellburn Lane. T Beck Inn on the westbound A67 Highwayman Dick Turpin is reputed Teesdale Way sign. A clear leaving Darlington. Cars may be left to have slept here. riverside path can now be Low Coniscliffe used to have a followed all the way to Manor House which belonged parked in the layby. From the lay-by, follow the signed Low Coniscliffe. For the to the Greystoke family, but There has been an inn here for over bridleway northwards along a pleasant next kilometre the path that, together with the gaol 200 years. In 1770 it was the haunt of farm track with hedges either side. The and gallows is long since follows an earth Catton‘s Gang of thieves and another track bears left then immediately right, embankment built to gone. The School House, built by notorious regular, Sir William Browne, continuing with a fence on the right as prevent flooding. the last of the Mosstroopers, was far as Coniscliffe Grange Farm. Do not Pass through a small Arthur Pease and opened in 1893, is sentenced to death at Newcastle enter the farmyard but turn left along plantation of larch in 1743 for returning back from the top edge of the field with the hedge and pine and as you now a private house, one of the few old village transportation. The inn had such a on your right, pass through a gate, and leave the plantation, cross the bridge over the very busy Ulnaby Beck is crossed by way of a buildings still remaining. bad name that the landlord let it with 20 acres of land for £8 per annum. A1(M) motorway. small footbridge. Away to your left are Turn right along the street as far as a the houses of Merrybent bordering the left-hand bend. Look for a Teesdale A67. The path soon meanders through Way sign marking a narrow path INFORMATION scrubby woodland, mainly of alder, between detached houses, which hazel, willow and sycamore, lining the brings you via a field path back to the Distance: 10 km (6 ¼ miles) riverbank. Baydale Beck Inn. Time: allow 3 hours Standard: level, very easy going Enquiries about leaflets: [email protected] Transport: bus to Baydale Beck Full series available at: www.alanbhutchinson.co.uk/ramblingon1.html Refreshments: pub at start/half-way This is the highest point on the walk Turn half-left to walk towards the and the views are superb. To the south nearest building with its red-tiled roof, can be seen Jockey Cap (a landmark to a gate. This is old Mill House, now group of trees above Richmond), converted to an attractive residence Gayles Moor and the Swaledale hills. with fine gardens and a heron-shaped Barningham and Bowes Moor lie to weather vane. the southwest. East are the Cleveland Hills, and the Pennines can be seen to Continue along the short Mill Lane the west. All this yet you are only 63m past the local tennis club until you above sea-level. reach the A67 road. Turn right, past the Spotted Dog Inn and walk up through Walk along the farm track and at the the village as far as the church. end of the first field leave it to cross the stile on your left and continue parallel to the track but separated from it by a hedge. A footbridge leads into the next field then go forward, ignoring a stile on the right half way along. At the end of the field, turn left. Before The Spotted Dog takes its name from a a patch of waterlogged ground, take a Cheshire Blue Cap hunting dog, stile on your right, cross a footbridge probably of the Raby pack. St. Edwin's between ponds, go over a stile and turn church, approached via a lych-gate, left. Pass a superb old oak, continuing dates from 1170 and is the only to a water trough by another oak. Turn English church dedicated to Saxon right and follow tracks across the field King Edwin of Northumbria. It was to a metal gate leading into a lane, re-modelled in the 13th century, which swings left. After 100m exit via restored in Victorian times, and the the stile on your right and cross the recent stainless steel roof should last field, aiming for the distant spire of into the 22nd century! The north High Coniscliffe church. Go doorway is Norman and the along three more small fields to elegant spire dates from the 13th reach a stile by a finger-post. Keep in century. Next to the church is the the same direction to a stile at the end old vicarage, rebuilt 150 years ago of a wall, to emerge in an ancient and reputed to contain secret Leaflet originally designed by the Darlington Group of the Ramblers’ Association, © Dec 96. furrowed meadow. passages. Published originally by Darlington Borough Council. Version 4 revised to December 2019..