[1] From Barnard Castle Post Office, go straight ahead down the Horsemarket (the main street of the town), passing the Market Cross, and going down the Bank.
(A) The Market Cross was built in 1747 and has been a butter market, Town Hall, courtroom, lock up and fire station in its time.
[2] Where the main road turns sharp right at the foot of the hill, turn left opposite the Bluebell public house. Go down Gray Lane, and straight ahead at the end through a grassy area. Pass a farm building and continue for 2 km along the river bank. Where the fields end, go through a gate into a wood and follow the path until it emerges on the road at the north end of Abbey Bridge.
(B) Abbey Bridge was built in 1773 for John Sawrey Morritt.
[3] Cross the road and continue on a footpath through the woods with the river on your right. On emerging into fields, keep on the river bank.
[4] Where a substantial watercourse (River Greta) joins the River Tees on the opposite side of the river, turn left across the field and ascend a steep slope to a gate at the corner of the wood. Go through this, and follow the edges of fields with the steep wooded slope down to the river on your right all the way to Whorlton village, crossing one side gully on the way.
[5] On reaching the road at the south end of Whorlton (a diversion into the village may be in order! Whorlton is a very pretty village set around a green with an interesting church and has a very good pub.) otherwise, turn right on the road, and then immediately right down a stepped path leading down to Whorlton bridge.
(C) Whorlton bridge was built in 1829-31 and is the oldest suspension bridge in the world still supported by its original chains. Cross the bridge and go on for 50m.
[6] Turn right over a stile into the field at a public footpath sign and go half left up the field to the corner of a wall. Bear slightly right at this corner and continue on the path as it bears away from the wall on your right. Go through a gate and continue with a field boundary on your left to a ruined barn. Continue in the same direction but with the field boundary now on your right to a wood ahead. Bear left on the track around the wood, and then turn right over a stile by a gate. Continue on the track straight ahead with a steep slope on your right. and follow the track until you reach the access road to Mortham Tower which is on your left.
(D) Mortham Tower is a mediaeval house built in 1485-1509 alongside a pele tower.it is one of the best preserved and picturesque fortified manor houses in the North of England.
[7] Turn right down the track and cross the bridge over the River Greta at the Meeting of the Waters.
(E) The 18th century Dairy Bridge over the River Greta above the "Meeting of the Waters" where the rivers Tees and Greta meet. This has been a favourite spot for landscape painters. Follow the road until it reaches a T junction.
(F) Rokeby Park is a fine house built in 1725-31 for Sir Thomas Robinson. The writer Sir Walter Scott and the painters JMW Turner and Coteman were frequent visitors.
[8] Turn right into the wood on a path just before this junction, and follow the path as it emerges from the wood into a field and continues with the river on your right. Just before a watercourse, bear right down a slope and steps to cross this stream by stepping stones. Follow the path through the river gorge for 1 km and at Abbey Bridge go steeply up the bank to the road at the south end of the bridge.
[9] Cross the road which crosses the bridge, and continue on the road in the same direction as before along the south side of the river passing Egglestone Abbey on your left.
(G) Egglestone Abbey was founded in 1189 by monks of the Premonstratensian order from Easby Abbey. It was dissolved in 1540. After crossing a stream, (note the adjacent packhorse bridge) continue up a hill until a footpath leaves the road on the right. Follow this path through fields until you reach the access road into a caravan site.
[10] Turn right into the caravan park and go through the park to exit at the north west corner to a path alongside the river. Follow this path upstream until a metal footbridge is reached.
[11] Cross the bridge and continue straight ahead on the other side to the Bluebell public house. Turn left along the main road. Cross the road and continue in the same direction to the road bridge over the river.
(H) Barnard Castle bridge over the Tees is 14th century.
[12] Continue straight ahead on a footpath with the castle above on your right. Follow the castle wall up the hill back to the Post Office.
(I) Barnard Castle is a 12th century castle with a wall and a ditch surrounding 4 courtyards.