Deerness Valley Railway Path

About the Site

This line was opened in 1858 and carried coal out of the valley for nearly a hundred years. Now it is a pleasant walk, which follows the River Deerness through a wooded and pastoral landscape.

From Broompark follow the Deerness Valley Walk sign. The track runs high above the river valley and passes through arable and grazing land. This area has had restricted access due to the railway and steep valley slopes and much of it has escaped intensive improvement. Consequently, a number of original landscape features and herb rich meadows remain.

The railway path and adjacent land provides a corridor from fells near Hedleyhope in the west to Durham City and the River Wear. Kingfishers and herons use the river and green woodpeckers, finches, warblers, jays and many other common woodland birds are abundant. Butterflies include meadow brown, common blue and large skipper.

A wide variety of flowers, shrubs and trees have colonised the railway walk. Birch, sycamore and oak with bird cherry, wild cherry and hazel grow adjacent to the path. Common knapweed, greater knapweed and field scabious are abundant in places together with crosswort, red campion and meadow crane’s-bill.

At Ushaw Moor Car Park the track crosses the river for the first time. Alder carr with swathes of butterbur edge the riverbanks and dippers can be seen flying along the river. The River Deerness is one of the cleanest rivers in County Durham and many fish can be seen from the bridges. The wooded banks here provide shelter for owls and red squirrel. Even hare and roe deer can be seen on a quiet day.

Around Flass Hall, the land opens out into meadows with a more park-like appearance. The pasture contains a variety of grasses along with betony and devil’s bit scabious.

Woodland adjacent to the path is a mix of plantation and deciduous. It runs near to ancient sites such as Ragpath Wood, whilst other woodland is mature ash and sycamore, with colourful displays of bluebell, lesser celandine and wood anemone in the spring time.

From Hedley Hill Terrace, the track climbs through deciduous woodland that includes some large, old oak trees. At the top of the railway path, the land was once opencast and has now been reclaimed and planted with trees.

Deerness Valley Railway Path - Map

Location

Broompark Picnic Area is ½ mile from Stonebridge on the B6302 road to Ushaw Moor This leads directly onto the Railway Path.

Grid reference: NZ 251 415 - car parking is available here.

Facilities

There is a car park and picnic area at Broompark and Ushaw Moor. Parking is also available in Esh Winning.

Enquiries

Countryside Group
Durham County Council
Environment
County Hall
Durham
DH1 5UQ
Tel: 0191 3833594