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- stanhope circular route one
Stanhope Circular Route One
Route facts
Waterways:
River Wear »
Distance: 24.23 miles / 39 km
Duration: 4-5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Circular route from: Stanhope
This route takes you through numerous villages, through parts of two counties and alongside the Wear valley.
1.1 Turn right out of Dales Centre at Stanhope and go along along the A689 for 1km (just over half a mile) past Old Stanhope Hall. On the outskirts of the village, on the brow of the hill, Turn right up the minor road beside Toll Cottage (signposted: Greenfoot Caravan Park). There is a long uphill section and two gates to pass through but a magnificent view of the dale. 1.2 Follow this road downhill and give way at the bottom as you are now joining the main road into Rookhope. Turn right and go through the village, passing Rookhope Nursery and Rookhope Arch on left. The route then takes you out over the moorland climbing gently as you head for the County boundary with Northumberland. 1.3 After you pass the County boundary there is a steep descent into Allenheads with some sharp bends. At the T-junction the route turns left and climbs steadily before descending effortlessly back into Cowshill in County Durham. 1.4 Continue on the main A689 road through St. John’s Chapel and on to Daddry Shield. Turn right just before the left hand bend in the village. 1.5 Go straight ahead along this road taking care in wet weather as the sides of the roads become heavily silted. This section of the route is used by farm vehicles and the occasional car does travel quite fast. Keep well to the left and go round corners in single file. Follow this road along the south side of the valley for about 10km (6 miles). Near Stanhope turn left across the bridge over River Wear and turn right onto A689 back into Stanhope.
Getting there
Parking: Town centre.
