Tow Law and Thornley Beck

About

This walk is 4.5 miles (7 km) long, of a medium standard and should take approximately 1.5 hours to complete.


1. Follow the main road (A68) towards Darlington out of Tow Law then, where the houses end, turn right along a track through the farmyard of Barracks Farm. Follow this track down to reach Thornley Grove House.


2. Pass to the right of Thornley Grove over a stile onto fields. Head straight on alongside the wall / fence on your left across several fields down to reach a lane.


3. Turn right along the lane then take the footpath to the left before the house on the left down to reach another lane.


4. Turn left, through the driveway of the house and along the path ahead to reach a kissing gate, after which head straight on alongside the wall on your left to a gate, then continue on along the field boundary / overgrown hedgerow on your right, through another gate then straight on to a stile that leads into woodland.


5. Drop steeply down over Thornley Beck then up to a gate at the end of the woods. Head straight on up across the field, through woodland to reach the road.


6. Turn right passing Helme Park Hall Hotel then turn right towards the car park and head straight on along the track to reach South Park Farm.


7. Follow the track bending round to the right passing in front of the farm buildings then down across fields – keeping close to the wood on your right – to reach a gate in the corner of the field.


8. Follow the path down across Thornley Beck and up to a gate. Head straight on alongside the field boundary on your right into Thornley.


9. Head straight on along the road through the village, passing the Church on your left then bear left just after the old Wesleyan Chapel.


10. Turn left at the War Memorial Cross.


11. Where the road bends sharply to the left, take the higher of the two footpaths to the right. Walk up the hillside alongside the wall on your right, then just before the wall bends left, take the path to the right onto a track. Follow this track straight on, with the plantation on your left, to join the road.


12. Turn right along the track.


13. Turn left up along the quiet lane back into Tow Law. Beware traffic!


This route passes near to the following Taste Durham establishment: Bradley Burn Farm Shop and Cafe.