Bowlees, Newbiggin, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Monks Moor, Hardberry Hill, Co Durham.
[22.7 km] Thu 02 Jan 2014

OS Grid Ref: NY 9078 2828
Lat/Long: +54.649498, -02.144374
After a wet and dismal drive I reached the car park at Bowlees to the NW of Middleton-in-Teesdale. It is a Pay & Display park but the payment is voluntary. The ticket machine suggested £2 which I thought was reasonable so I bought a ticket then headed along a muddy track into a field and missed the path turn off. There was no waymarker so it’s not surprising.

The path across fields to Hud Gill was very wet. After that I followed the line of an old track up the field and onto the tarmac road at Newbiggin. It was a pleasant walk along Miry Lane and up the steep climb to the higher length of road that took me to Middleton-in-Teesdale.

Entering Middleton-in-Teesdale

When I reached Market Place it started to rain but it soon stopped. I left the town up a lane heading north. Part way up was a stone shelter building by the road. It looked like a bus shelter but wasn’t. Inside was a memorial plaque that read:
==
Dedicated to the memory of William Addison late of High Dyke died 2-1-1934 and his dear wife Martha died 29-1-1940 also their son George William Addison died 14-10-1990
==

Farm building near High Dyke.

I turned right at the top of the hill then followed the road to Blunt House where I turned left into the field to follow the path towards the hills. It was very wet as I squelched my way upwards towards Monk’s Moor. To my left I saw a small stone hut which I investigated then further up I left the path to cross rough moor to the trig post on Monk’s Moor.

There was no sign of a path anywhere so I had to find the best route I could through the heather. I left to the NW and headed towards a large protruding rock I could see in the distance. The map shows it as a Currick. After checking it out I descended to the west where I saw some strange stone features by my route.

 
Coldberry Mine workings

They were rectangular stone edged features that looked man made. I continued down to the road which I followed north then west to cross Huddshope Beck. I climbed up through a large area of old mine workings. Higher up some of the buildings were substantial and intact. The map calls it Coldberry Mine. An internet search showed it was last used in 1933 and two deaths were recorded.
Thomas Anderson, aged 20 and William Coatsworth aged 15, both Lead Ore Dresser who were Smothered by the fall of a refuse heap on 18 Feb 1896.
I continued up to Hardberry Hill to the trig post.

There were no path markers as I descended towards Laddiegill Sike. There was a lot of evidence of old workings in the landscape. The lonely Red Grooves House stood out against the landscape. It looked empty and derelict but not yet ruinous. Across wet fields I crossed the road to more wet fields.

The path stile at one point had been blocked by corrugated iron but I managed to get through. The path continued to Flushimere Beck but there it ended without a bridge. To get across I had to take my boots off and wade. Next came Wester Beck which wasn’t quite as big and I managed to jump across. There was a steep climb up to the path above Bow Lee Beck. Thankfully I was now on a proper path and hoped to find Gibson’s Cave which the map seems to show on the west side of the river. I walked through the woods all the way back to the car park and visitors centre, which was closed.

Gibson's Cave and Summerhill Force.

I took another path up the east side but there were no markers as to where the path leads to. I kept going till I came to a sign saying I’d reached Gibson's Cave and Summerhill Force.
It said that local tradition says that Gibson was a 16th century outlaw who hid here while on the run from the constables of Barnard Castle. William Gibson was said to have been a lovable rogue. Friends supplied him with food and dry clothes while he hid behind the waterfall’s silvery screen in his dark and secret hideaway.

By now it was getting dark as it was past mid afternoon. I returned along the muddy path back to the car park.