Cycling in Weardale

Weardale-Allenheads-Rookhope

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ON THE ROUTE
Weardale Museum
Burnhope Reservoir
Linzgarth Arch (Rookhope)
Dales Centre (Stanhope)
Weardale Railway

REFRESHMENTS
Cowshill Hotel
The Hemmel (Allenheads)
Rookhope Inn

Pubs at
Eastgate, Westgate, St John's Chapel, Ireshopeburn, Allenheads & Rookhope

PUBLIC TOILETS
Dales Centre
Wearhead *
St Johns Chapel *
Allenheads

* Open Easter-Oct

CYCLE SHOPS
Nenthead
Corbridge
Newton Aycliffe
Richmond
Darlington

ACCOMMODATION

For further information contact
Dales Centre 01388 527650

Ask for a North Pennines Discovery Guide 01388 528801

Request a County Durham Holiday Guide 0191 3833354

TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRES

Barnard Castle
01833 690909

Stanhope
01388 527650

Middleton in Teesdale
01833 641001

Alston
 01434 382244

         
Burnhope Reservoir and Weardale Meadows

Horsley Hall Hotel & Lintzgarth Arch

A good introductory route to cycling in Weardale covering the small country lanes running parallel with the main dale road.
Leaving the main road this route follows the Horsley Valley on the south side of the river Wear passing Horsley Hall the once ancestral home of the Hildyard family now a Hotel. This family once owned the land between Westgate and Unthank east of Stanhope as well as the shooting rights on Bollihope Common. The route rejoins the main valley road at Daddry Shield passing through Ireshopeburn the small village that is the home of the Weardale Folk Museum and the oldest Methodist Chapel in England where John Wesley once preached.  A small detour at Wearhead on the outward journey takes in the Reservoir at Burnhope. (Turn left before bridge take local road to the water treatment works) return to the route turning left onto the road to Cowshill. Over the climb of Burtree Fell out of Cowshill (1935ft) to Allenheads once the site of the largest silver mine in the world. It closed in 1896. Climbing out of the Allen valley to Rookhope Head (1578ft) to the cairn which marks the border between Northumberland & County Durham and down the Rookhope valley passing the disused lead mine on Wolfcleugh Common. After the descent we pass the remains of the Lintzgarth Arch on the right hand of the road.  The arch is one of the few remaining parts of the two mile Rookhope Chimney which was used to carry poisonous gases from the Rookhope lead smelting works up onto the high moor. Leaving the village of Rookhope we return to Stanhope via Brandon Walls and Greenhead.

More local information

From: Stanhope To: Stanhope

Cycling Distance: 26.61 miles at 10.0 mph 2 hrs 39.66 mins. at 13.0 mph 2 hrs 2.81 mins. at 16.0 mph 1 hr 39.79 mins. at 19.0 mph 1 hr 24.03 mins. at 22.0 mph 1 hr 12.57 mins. Cycle route 1 1:1 Leaving the Dales Centre at Stanhope turn RIGHT onto the A689 main valley road. 1:2 Turn LEFT onto B6278 after half mile. 1:3 Avoid the ford and stay on local road, after 400 yds take the RIGHT hand turn after the bridge to Brotherlee. 1:4 Stay on local roads to Brotherlee (2) 1:5 Keep on local road until Westgate, bear LEFT towards A689 joining main valley road at Daddry Shield (3) 1:6 At Daddry Shield turn LEFT at T Junction and keep on main road through St John's Chapel, Ireshopeburn (Weardale Museum) and Wearhead (Burnhope Reservoir) 1:7 At Cowshill (4) take B6295 to Allenheads (Burtree Fell) 1:8 In Allenheads (5) turn RIGHT to Rookhope (Rookhope Head) (6) (Linzgarth Arch) 1:9  0.2 mile after leaving Rookhope turn LEFT to St Johns Church (7) 1:10 Continue on local road (Brandon Walls & Hill Top) (8) until junction with A689 1:11 Turn LEFT on A689 1:12 Arrive at Stanhope Dales Centre (9) To view this route in Google Maps click button   Elevation profile: Weardale & Rookhope Valleys total gain 3477 ft The Hills Burtree Fell Height approx 1836ft Length 1.8 miles Steepest section 1 in 8 The climb starts outside the Cowshill Hotel in the village of  Cowshill and climbs up Copthill a short section of 1 in 8 for about 400 yds to the start of the long drag up Burtree Fell past disused quarries to  the summit which marks the County Durham border. The climb is long and gradual but not to difficult. Rookhope Head Height approx 1745ft Length 0.75 miles Steepest section 1 in 9 Starting in the village of Allendale the hill climbs through the tree line. The more exposed upper part of the climb is less steep to the summit where a stone cairn marks the top of the hill and the county boundry. Brandon Walls & Hill Top Height approx 1570ft Length approx 2 miles Steepest section 1 in 5 After leaving Rookhope there is a left hand turn marked St John's Church, The road climbs steeply from the start over the hills in short sharp climbs to  Hill Top before descending into Stanhope. Your comments on this route