Derwent Valley Railway Path

About the Site

The Derwent Valley Railway Path shadows the River Derwent for 11 miles between Swalwell and Consett, passing through the villages of Shotley Bridge, Ebchester and Rowlands Gill.

It passes through woodland, meadow and along side ponds and riverside areas. In addition there are two visitor centres, Swalwell and Thornley Woodland.

Fragments of ancient woodland remain along the valley with carpets of springtime wood anemomes and lesser celandine. There are many birds including Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, nuthatch and sparrowhawk and the occasional glimpse of animals such as fox, badger and roe deer.

Hay meadows along the path support butterflies such as common blue and meadow brown. Many of these meadows lie alongside the river, where kingfisher, dipper and heron can be seen. Much of the walk passes through farmland where the hedgerows support flocks of Linnets, greenfinches and yellowhammers.

Along the edge of the walk, flowers such as knapweed and field scabious grow under the silver birch and willow trees. Willow warblers sing from these in the summer, alongside blackcap and whitethroat. In the winter you may see bullfinches and flocks of redpoll or siskins.

From the two viaducts of Pontburn and Fogoesburn, walkers get a bird’s eye view over the tree canopies of Pontburn Wood and Broomhill Dene. The latter is an ancient woodland site where red squirrel may still be spotted in the tree tops. Across the valley beyond Hamsterley Mill, lies Chopwell Wood which contains mixed species of oak, beech and conifer.

At Lydgetts Junction near Consett, the Derwent Valley route links with the Lanchester Valley Railway Path, Waskerley Way, and the Sustrans Consett-Sunderland cycle path, the latter two form part of the C2C (Sea to Sea) Cycle Route.

Derwent Valley Railway Path - Map

Location

The ends of the walk are at Blackhill, Consett and at the Swalwell Visitor Centre off the B6317, beside Blaydon Rugby Club.

Facilities

The Thornley Woodlands Centre is on the A694 near Rowlands Gill. Toilets, parking and information available. A hide overlooks a winter bird feeding station of interest from November to April. It is open 9am to 5pm, a key is required at other times.

There are toilets, parking and information at the Swalwell Visitor Centre. From here, there is direct access for cyclists and horse riders to the Derwent Walk and the Derwenthaugh Park multi-user route

Car parking is available on the A694 west of Hamsterley Mill, Ebchester, Shotley Bridge and Lydgetts junction.

Disabled Access

The Derwent Walk is wheelchair accessible at Swalwell, Rowlands Gill and Ebchester. The surface is smooth and the gradient level except for a short steep section at Rowlands Gill (Gateshead side).

Derwenthaugh Park is wheelchair accessible at the Winlaton Mill entrance and from the Derwent Walk near the viaduct. All path surfaces are smooth with some undulating gradients.

Thornley Wood is wheelchair accessible at the A694 lay-by near the Thornley Woodlands Centre. The surface is rough and the gradient mainly level.

Enquiries

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