[1] From the start, go west along the main road and turn right up the track at the West end of the layby immediately before the Methodist Chapel. At the houses, bear right on a footpath and cross the Middlehope Burn on a footbridge. Bear left passing the remains of the former Bishop of Durham's Hunting Lodge on your right.
(A) Bishop of Durham's Hunting Lodge. Eastgate and Westgate once marked the boundary of Stanhope Dale, the Prince Bishop's Hunting Ground. Here the Great Chases were held. Local people were expected to provide hounds for the hunt and food and drink for the hunters
At the road turn sharp left down a track between houses (SP Weardale Middlehope Mine). Pass through a gate and proceed with the burn on your left past a former mill. Continue for 1 km on the footpath up the beautiful valley to reach the Low Slit Mine.(B) Low Slit Mine was a lead mine for many years. The ruins are very interesting. There are substantial lead mining remains all the way up the valley
[2] Continue straight up the valley until a track crosses your path adjacent to an old mine adit. with a barred entrance. Turn left and cross the stream (taking great care if the water is high). (N.B. If the stream is in flood, turn left at the Low Slit Mine and go steeply up the hill to a reservoir. Turn right at the reservoir and gradually descend on an old wagon way route to reach the stream across from the mine adit.) Go up a very rough track on the west side of the stream to reach a T junction.
[3] Turn right and follow the track (Seeing Sike Road) to its end. Turn left on the tarmac road up Middlehope Bank to a wood and follow the road as it turns left.
[4] About 100m after the wood, turn left through a gate on to a walled bridleway. After about 300m pass through a gate and continue ahead with a wall on your left. After a further 600m pass through a gate and continue on a walled track downhill to reach a road. Turn left along the road for 100m, and then turn right down steps through a gap in the wall. Bear right down the field and join a farm track and follow it down to a road. Cross the road and go down a footpath through the field and then down a flight of steps. Continue straight ahead to reach a footbridge over the River Wear. Go over the bridge and bear left across the next field and exit through a gate onto a road. Turn left over a bridge, and then immediately right and follow the road into the centre of St John's Chapel.
(C) St John's Chapel was originally built in 1465. It was rebuilt in 1752 by Walter Blackett, lead mines proprietor. The Church enjoyed income from hunting, farming and mining but landlords were absent.
[5] Turn right on the main road and immediately after passing over a bridge, turn left along a path alongside the burn. On reaching an open area with a caravan site on the right, bear left and pass through a small gate in a wall. Turn left and then right and pass through a metal gate and pass in front of a row of cottages. Turn right on the road for 50m, and then turn left along a signed footpath. Follow this with the burn on your left and cross a bridge over the burn. Continue through the next field and then through a coniferous wood. Ascend a flight of steps and at a footpath junction turn left out of the wood.
[6] Continue very slightly left across the next field and go across a ruined field wall and continue with a wall on your right through 2 fields. Cross a track and continue through the next field with a wall on your left to exit onto a track at the corner of the field. Turn left down the track until the main road is reached at Daddry Shield.
[7] Turn right and follow the main road until just before the river bridge. Turn right down some steps and follow the south bank of the river. Pass some cottages and continue along the river passing a metal footbridge over the River Wear. On reaching a lane which crosses the river through a ford, turn left and cross the river on a footbridge.
[8] Continue to the main road and turn right to reach your starting point.