THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 The Northern Echo 47 Walks what’son Walks Lartington & Deep Dale

to Earl Ughtred of Northumbria, through a gate (beside a chicken Walk information a Viking. During medieval times, coop) that leads out onto a field. this parkland was farmed, as the Walk on over a stone-slab footbridge Distance: 6 km / 3.75 miles well-preserved medieval ridge and after a short distance, after which Time: Allow 2 hours furrow ploughing strips testify, continue straight on across the whilst in the 18th Century more middle of the field for 150 metres Map: OS Sheets OL31 formal gardens were laid out in the to reach a solitary telegraph pole Parking: Limited on-street parking fashionable ‘picturesque’ style of in the middle of the field, where throughout Lartington – please the time. From Lartington village, you continue straight on for 100 park considerately and safely. Or with its lovely assortment of stone- metres to reach an old line of trees why not catch the bus from Barnard built cottages, our route heads over on your right. Follow this line of Castle? into Deepdale, an impressively deep trees heading down (trees on your Refreshments: Bring a packed valley that is cloaked in birch, oak right) across the field then, at the lunch and flask. and ash trees, with a deep gorge bottom of the field, drop down the through which flows a tumbling Terrain: Muddy field, riverside bank to reach a footbridge across stream. This wooded valley is and woodland paths and tracks all Gill Beck. After the footbridge, head really quite beautiful and such the way, with a muddy farmyard, through the gate in the wall a short more steeply down a very muddy (cottages to your right). Walk a pleasant surprise to find, and several stiles and a couple of distance ahead (boggy ground and path, passing a lovely waterfall straight on along this old railway such a pleasure to walk through. stream crossings. The path through side-steam just to your left), after on your right, beyond which this track-bed, passing a dilapidated In the middle of this valley our Deep Dale is very muddy and which head to the right up the low small side-stream feeds into the signal box then continue along the route passes the old pier footings slippery in places. bank then across the field (heading much larger Deepdale Beck set in track for a further 250 metres to and the old viaduct buttress of the towards The Rigg farmhouse in the the dramatic gorge of Deep Dale. reach metal gates on either side How to get there: Lartington is now-demolished Deepdale Viaduct, distance) to reach a wall-stile. After A clear, narrow path now leads of the track (shallow cutting also situated along the B6277 to the west originally a wrought-iron viaduct the wall-stile, head diagonally to straight on following the edge of comes to an end). of Barnard Castle. that had a span of 740-ft and a the left up across the middle of the the steep slopes above the beck Caution: Many of the paths height of 161-ft; it must have been field (heading towards The Rigg) to (take care - steep drops in places). are very muddy underfoot – quite a sight. The South Durham reach a gate in the far top corner Follow this clear path meandering Turn left through the gate good walking boots and gaiters & Lancashire Union Railway was of the field, where you join a track. through the trees, with Deepdale 4(horses, footpath painted on gate recommended. The path along the built in 1861 linking the Stockton Follow this track straight on to Beck to your right, for 800 metres post), after which head diagonally to the right across the middle of wooded banks of Deep Dale is very & Darlington Railway near Bishop reach The Rigg farmhouse. to eventually drop almost down the field, to reach a small stream muddy and slippery in places, with Auckland with the Lancaster and to river level where you reach the across your path. Cross the stream steep drops to the side of the path Carlisle Railway (now the West moss covered stone footings of the and turn right down alongside this in a couple of places; keep dogs and Coast Main Line) at Tebay, via Follow the track straight on old Deepdale Viaduct piers, set stream back to reach the gate in children under close control and Barnard Castle, Stainmore Summit 2passing the farmhouse and then amongst birch trees. the wall (boggy ground) and the take extra care along these sections. and Kirkby Stephen; this was the the barns on your left, beyond footbridge just beyond over Gill There are a couple of small streams famous Stainmore Line that would which bear to the left around the Continue along the path through Beck. After the footbridge, head to cross. have been, if it had not been closed large pile of silage (muddy) to 3woodland heading downstream up the bank to join the line of in 1962, one of the most scenic reach a stile beside a gate in the for 400 metres then gently rising up trees once again, which you follow railway lines in England. corner of the field (beyond the farm buildings). After the stile, head left to join a wider grassy track, where heading up the field for 250 metres Points of interest diagonally across the field to a gate you continue along the track for then, where these trees bend in the far corner of the field, after 50 metres then, where the track away to the left, head to the right HE village of Lartington The walk which turn left along the track that steepens, turn left back on yourself back across the field passing the lies in Teesdale, a few leads over a cattle grid and into along a path up a couple of steps solitary telegraph pole and back to miles to the west of From the centre of Lartington, woodland. Follow the track through (waymarker post). Follow this path reach the gate that leads over the Barnard Castle. There 1walk up along the main road the woods and bending to the right up over a small stream, then up paddock into Lartington. Tis evidence of people heading towards Cotherstone then, after 150 metres then, as this track more steps to reach the boundary living in this area for thousands where there road bends sharp bends right, take the narrow path along the top of the steep wooded of years, and to the south of the right at the top (west) end of the off to the left through the woods valley slope. Follow this path/track Mark Reid village there are extensive remains village just before the road junction (waymarker post), 75 metres before straight on (Cat Castle Cottages Walking Weekends 2014 of ridge and furrow fields systems towards ‘Bowes’ (near the ‘phone the gateway across the track at the across to your right) to reach the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, from the medieval period. It is box), turn left along a track then end of the woods. Follow this path stone-built buttress of the old Lake District & Snowdonia essentially an estate village of immediately right through a gate straight on through the woodland viaduct, 100 metres after which walkingweekenders.co.uk Lartington Hall, which stands (signpost) into a paddock. Walk then gradually down passing follow the path round to the right (waymarker) through woodland Unique corporate activity days, amidst an historic landscape diagonally across the paddock and outcrops, with a small stream just to reach a stile that leads onto a navigation skills and team building that has evolved over 1,000 years. onto a track beside the entrance to your right. After 250 metres you track (old railway track-bed) near experiences in the great outdoors. Before the Norman Conquest it was to a house, where you turn left for come to an indistinct fork in the the entrance to Cat Castle Cottages teamwalking.co.uk given by the Bishop of Durham a couple of paces then bear right path, where you bear right heading

Countrydiary By Phil GatesBBirdwatch y Ian Kerr

OME ponds are only just beginning become stagnant, HE run of wonderfully fine days we’ve also appeared moving back towards to thaw after the recent cold snap, as many garden enjoyed over the past week has breeding areas. Large-scale movements T certainly had an impact on the birds S but underneath the thick covering of ponds do through of pink-footed geese have occurred along ice life has gone as normal for the smaller the accumulation of with song, mating displays and early the coast, presumably birds returning aquatic animals that live there. Small ponds dead leaves, these tiny migration. I heard my first singing skylarks northwards from their main wintering tend to warm up quickly and when I took a crustaceans still thrive last Saturday even through the meadows areas in East Anglia. Both Greenland and look into our garden pond this week, soon because they adapt below were still a drab winter brown European white-fronted geese also visited after the ice melted, I could see swarms by producing extra patched with frost. On Monday a song Nosterfield in North Yorkshire. There was of tiny water fleas already swimming just amounts of red blood thrush was in fine voice in the garden. also a noticeable northwards movement under the surface. pigment that absorbs Many more birds have moulted into of herring gulls back towards Scottish and Water fleas are crustaceans, relatives oxygen from the water. breeding plumage. Even starlings at the Scandinavian breeding areas. of crabs, lobsters and shrimps, and are If the water fleas in bird table are now worth a second glance While all this activity might make it your pond are pink, it not related to the biting fleas that live as and have transformed from dull and spotted feel spring-like, we still have five or six probably means that parasites on pets and people. They are winter dress to black, flushed with brilliant more weeks of winter and we all know just the water is poorly incredibly resilient creatures, swimming in iridescences of green and purple. Kestrels how fickle our weather can be. The drake ice cold water but also capable of surviving oxygenated and it needs more water weed. were seen displaying at Castle Lake this American green-winged teal has again if a pond dries up completely in summer. These microscopic animals, each the size week where there was also a huge gathering been showing at Saltholme and a black Then the adults die but they leave drought- of a pin head, occupy an important place in of 1,900 lapwings. A pair of sparrowhawk guillemot was at Hartlepool Headland. Last resistant eggs that are protected inside a the pond food chain, feeding on planktonic was watched displaying high over Shibdon week’s ring ouzel remained at Roxby as did tough outer coat, ready for hatching when algae and acting as food for tadpoles and Pond and the A1 traffic at Blaydon. the American wigeon at Nosterfield. Also rain returns. The eggs can be carried others. Garden ponds that have a healthy At the coast, cormorants are showing reported regularly was the long-staying rose- around on the feet of birds, which explains water flea population grazing on the algae their brilliant white breeding patches, coloured starling at Prudhoe. Further afield, why water fleas colonise new garden ponds are less likely to develop a slimy algal visible from afar. A few with white heads, the American black scoter remained at so quickly. And even when these pools bloom that can smother the surface. characteristic of the Baltic race, have Cheswick with common and velvet scoters.