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Welcome to the Itinerary Planner. Use this tool to build your own journey or choose from an exciting range of specially selected tours.

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    This is Durham Blog

You are here > Home > Things to Do > Tunstall Circular Walk

Tunstall Circular Walk

Reservoir Car Park
Tunstall
Wolsingham
Bishop Auckland
County Durham
DL13 3LZ

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Add Tunstall Circular Walk to your Itinerary

Tunstall Circular Walk
  • Product Image
  • Tunstall Circular Map - OS Map Crown Copyright

About

This route takes you around Tunstall Reservoir and through the stunning ancient Backstone Bank Wood, which hundreds of years ago was the site of iron smelt bloomeries and charcoal production.

There are good pubs and facilities in Wolsingham.

Turn left out of the reservoir car park and walk along the minor road to the reservoir dam. Go through the metal gate and walk along the top of the dam to the other side of the valley. Follow the track to the left, uphill and take the clear path into the woodland. Keeping the reservoir on your left, follow the path through the woodland to the track and turn left across the top of the reservoir. Follow the minor road back to the car park.

Route provided by the North Pennines National Landscape Partnership.
 

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Tunstall Circular Map - OS Map Crown Copyright
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Tunstall Circular Map - OS Map Crown Copyright

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Facilities

Accessibility

  • Distance: 1-5 Miles
  • Grade: Moderate
  • Route Surface: Off Road
  • Route Surface: On Road
  • Theme: Forest / Woodland Trail
  • Theme: Heritage
  • Theme: Nature
  • Theme: Rivers / Reservoirs

Parking & Transport

  • On site parking

Provider Features

  • In countryside
  • Walk Distance - 2 miles

Access Information

Opening Times

2025 (1 Jan 2025 - 31 Dec 2025)

Map & Directions

Map Link

View Map

Road Directions

Take the A689 through Wolsingham towards Stanhope. Just before you leave the village, there's a junction on your right hand side signposted for Wolsingham School and Wolsingham Community Pool. Take this right turn and follow the road up past the school to Tunstall Reservoir. The car park is on the western side of the reservoir.

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