16 of us set off from West Auckland Manor car park (usable only by arrangement with the hotel manager) on a really beautiful walk along the Gaunless valley to Ramshaw and back, with a picnic on the benches in the playpark at Ramshaw. The weather was quite sunny and pleasant, warm in the sunshine, but with a cool wind when the sun was hidden by cloud.

Much of the walk followed the old tramline, now a multi user route, which took coal from the Cockfield pits to Bishop Auckland and onwards to Teesside and London. Now it is a delight to walk, easy, wide, comfortable for chatting side by side with our friends. The valley feels much more remote than it is, with birdsong, big “escape to the country” houses, and with hidden sidepaths that our walk leader used to vary the route, rather than just a straight linear route there and back.

I really enjoyed discovering this valley, and was taken on paths I had not visited before. Many thanks to Jo Dack for leading this walk.

Author - Richard E