28th Jan 2025

9 of us set off on a cloudy dry day. Despite the forecast, the weather was better than
expected and this proved to be a good and interesting winter walk.
We set off from Jubilee Park by the River Wear and climbed gently up to Willington
Cenotaph enjoying excellent views over the valley. Then we went behind the cricket
club up onto the “mixed use” railway path, and followed this to Meadowfield. There
were few other users, but normally this route is popular with cyclists and runners,
and is part of the old railway route from Bishop Auckland to the main LNER line. This
used to serve the collieries of the Western Durham Coalfield, but fell victim to the
Beeching cuts and was closed in 1964. We had lunch by the old station house at
Brancepeth Station.
It is a nice easy route on a good track, wide enough to allow for plenty of chat as we
walked, and far enough away from the road and other disturbance to allow us to hear
birdsong. We saw six magpies roosting and the first lambs I have seen this year.
There is some beautiful woodland and views to Kirk Merrington Church on the
Magnesian Limestone escarpment.
We returned from Meadowfield to Willington Cenotaph by X46 bus which runs every
20 minutes, and walked back to Jubilee Park.

Author - Richard E

Pictures - John S