West Auckland Railway Walk

By bus: Arriva bus No. 6 from Durham and Bishop Auckland serves West Auckland

[1] From the car park of the Manor House Hotel (A), return to the main road and turn left along the north edge of the Green.  Where the road to Bishop Auckland exits the Green, cross this road and continue straight ahead along East Green towards an arch under a building ahead. Turn left immediately before the arch to an estate road and turn right along it.  Where the road turns right, go straight ahead to a footbridge over the River Gaunless.

[2] Turn right before crossing the bridge and go on a footpath alongside the river passing the abutments of Stephenson's bridge (B)  over the river which carried the Stockton and Darlington railway (C).  On rejoining the road bear left along it, until it turns right, where bear left up onto the former railway embankment. Turn right along the embankment to the bypass.  Cross this and continue along the former wagonway on the opposite side of the road passing Broom Mill farm on your left.

[3] On reaching a track crossing turn left, and then left again on a footpath after 30m.  Pass over the river on a footbridge and continue on a raised embankment till the bypass is reached. Turn right along this and cross it just before a roundabout.  

[4] Take the first left turn from the roundabout, and then immediately turn left again through a metal gate onto a footpath.  Continue on this path which becomes the trackbed of another railway (D) until it reaches the main road between St Helen's and West Auckland.

[5] Cross the road and turn left along the opposite side to reach a road bridge over the River Gaunless. Turn right before crossing this bridge along a footpath alongside the river. (Take care as this can be slippery).Where a bridge crosses the river, turn right and immediately left along a continuation of the railway track (E).  Continue on this for 800m passing a footpath crossing the line of the track.

[6] Turn left over a stile into a field and bear right to the corner of the field and exit onto the road. Turn left and cross the road bridge over the river, and then turn left over a stile into a field.  Turn right and follow a path between the road and the river until a further bridge over the river is reached. Turn right on a track back to the car park at the start of the walk.

(A) The Manor House Hotel was formerly  a manor house built in the 16th Century but replacing an older building.  It was the principal residence of the Eden family (Sir Anthony Eden PM 1955-7) before they moved to Windlestone Hall.  It has also been a brewery.

(B) The abutments of the Stockton and Darlington  railway crossing of the River Gaunless (means useless), designed by George Stephenson in 1823 which was the world's first iron railway bridge.  The bridge had 4 spans of 12.5. feet and is preserved in the National Railway Museum in York.

(C) The track bed of the Stockton and Darlington railway opened on 27/9/1825.  This section was a wagonway with the wagons pulled by horses.

(D) This is a wagonway from St Helen's Colliery to join with the S & DR.

(E) The track bed of the Haggerleases branch of the S&DR and the Bishop Auckland to Barnard Castle railway.