On a cold bright frosty morning the 5.7 mile walk started by going down Wear Chare towards the Batts, then along Dial Stobb Hill, passing views of the Bishops’ Palace Chapel on our right, the River Wear and the back of Kynren on our left.  After crossing Jock’s Bridge we walked 400 yards to turn right and up a stepped bank through Binchester Plantation. At the top we continued on through the fields past the white tented bath house at Vinovia on our left while seeing large flocks of Redwings and Fieldfares in the fields, hedges and trees to our right.

Just before reaching Vinovia Cottage we turned right into Bellburn Woods to walk on the Finchale Camino Inglis. During the recce a lot of this path was muddy and wet, but today the frosty nights had hardened the ground leaves and mud so the walking was a lot easier. With the sun shining the woods had a dappled glow and there was a lot of bird life in the woods. We identified 4 species of Tit and heard 2 Jays having a barney.

At the east end of the woods we stepped up onto the Auckland Walk (the disused railway line from Spennymoor to Bishop Auckland) and turned south towards New Coundon. Large flocks of Redwing and Fieldfares flew along the path in front of us and around our short lunch break. We continued on past New Coundon, under Durham Road and down into Bishop Auckland cemetery along the banks of the Gaunless past several snowberry bushes, then up into Castle Chare to the Market Place.

A good bracing walk to start the group’s New Year.

Author : John S

Photos : John S,