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Regions - Trip reports, destination advice, recommended routes, etc. => Rest of England => Topic started by: Dodgylegs on 21:40:08, 05/10/20

Title: Sunderland Bridge - Whitworth Park
Post by: Dodgylegs on 21:40:08, 05/10/20
This turned out to be an unexpected walk in more ways than one....
Firstly I only intended to do a shortish 4 miler, as that is about my limit at present, decided instead of leaving Sunderland Bridge (this is the hamlet just south of Durham) going up through Croxdale Hall into Croxdale Woods, had a change of plan. Standing on the bridge, with the roar of the passing river Wear below, watching a Muscovy Duck (thanks for that Bigfoot_Mike) constantly pruning itself which was also being watched by a nearby Heron, looking to see if I can see any Otters are up here today.
(https://i.postimg.cc/D0KW3Fvb/05178-AB4-68-DB-46-AE-8217-84-AA0522-BBAF.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/k6fMW0tn)
As I moved on I came across a pathway going in the other direction which brought a memory of doing a loop around here when walking Weardale Way. This wasn't a good walking memory as coming back along this side of the river I ended up in a wood which had recently been felled in places with huge vehicle tracks full of muddy water, fallen down trees and basically I lost the trail and it took ages to fight my way through. I'll have a wee walk along here, but path along riverside looked like it was flooded in places so kept to path going up through Coldstream Wood. This led to a path through the edge of fields which ended up at a small road. No further signs for pathway, had a choice of three different directions to go, which way? Fortunately a couple were approaching who were out for their daily walk. They were very friendly advising of the various destinations of the different roads, decided to stick with them as they were heading the way I fancied going. This was a really lovely woodland walk, close to Tudhoe Village, through Trotter Wood. After swapping tales, I was given directions to get back to the river as they left to go home. As with most areas around here, coal played huge part in our history and the floor of the wood was full of slag from these pit days, it's called Black Plantation. Take it the trees had taken over the area of the local pit. Nature had returned in full, never seen so many squirrels running about. Unfortunately my camera must have changed settings as I got it out of my pocket as most photos taken in here are all blurred!


(https://i.postimg.cc/kGT0LBH5/16-F19271-EB87-46-F6-A56-B-E04-ECB883-FA6.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/bS2VtNpX)img hosting (https://postimages.org/)
Really enjoyed this woodland walk, so quiet and peaceful, wouldn't think so close to the ever increasing town of Spennymoor. Arrived back at the river, turned right to head back. After a short walk pathway headed into Spring Wood going in a number of directions, very noticeable how pathways have been well used during recent virus, took the one heading towards river rather than one into those woods!
This became tricky as the path had recently been flooded, being thick slimy gooey mud, lovely! It's blurry but gives an idea of the mud!
(https://i.postimg.cc/1zKJvb2m/DC03-B97-A-A6-F6-462-D-A427-32-D569776-DCD.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/LqntXQmw)
Plenty of berries on the woodland trees...
(https://i.postimg.cc/xjLy5wzW/0-AF39616-876-B-41-A3-9-A76-0-C48-A87-D4140.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/dDtytSnB)


Ah remember losing my way in there...
(https://i.postimg.cc/mrxgm5M5/D9963-EE3-253-A-4-AEA-9-B4-D-434-F0-B0648-F3.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/bZTPJLmx)
Found another pathway and followed a dog walker along here. Of course the friendly Bedlington Terrier came running to see me jumping up and covering me in muddy paw marks, not that I was bothered as I was hardly clean after what I'd walked through. Dog owner apologised, no need, look at the state I'm in! Back down to path by river ...
(https://i.postimg.cc/YStJ2NwS/CE7-FEC24-BFCD-4-B1-E-B2-E2-3-FA6-C2-FCE23-F.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/rDYhQrs6)


Heading towards Railway Viaduct. Anyone heading up north east on the train crosses over here and this beautiful walk.
(https://i.postimg.cc/pXZSGhjb/0-D173-D86-2561-4-C63-996-B-B6466313-FD4-D.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/CzRJdKJm)
and back to Sunderland Bridge, hiding behind the trees!
(https://i.postimg.cc/D07gL6BW/34-A7-B708-E895-4-A64-99-CE-E1-CB0-B74839-D.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/YGyYw6ck)
Biggest surprise, it was 6.5 miles, the most I'd managed to walk for ages, the Physio will be pleased when she rings tomorrow, if I can get up quick enough to answer the phone!
Title: Re: Sunderland Bridge - Whitworth Park
Post by: Ridge on 22:11:39, 05/10/20
Nice pics and congratulations on pushing the distance.
It is nice sometimes to just see where the paths lead you.
Title: Re: Sunderland Bridge - Whitworth Park
Post by: Dodgylegs on 11:07:06, 06/10/20
Nice pics and congratulations on pushing the distance.
It is nice sometimes to just see where the paths lead you.
Thanks Ridge, felt fine after walk, but not at 5am this morning! Physio was very pleased with progress, 5am pain is apparently expected after what I've been through!
Title: Re: Sunderland Bridge - Whitworth Park
Post by: beefy on 17:32:10, 07/10/20
Nice pics Dodgylegs O0
I like the duck :)
Title: Re: Sunderland Bridge - Whitworth Park
Post by: Dodgylegs on 18:11:44, 09/10/20
Thanks beefy, enjoy finding out about wildlife around here, just discovered from a fisherman there's Mink around riverbanks!
Title: Re: Sunderland Bridge - Whitworth Park
Post by: Dodgylegs on 22:07:08, 17/10/20
Parked up at Sunderland Bridge walked over bridge and there was the Muscovy Duck in the same place.(https://i.postimg.cc/QNwKgThk/07-BA5376-D401-4602-94-F5-A2921-C42-C9-E4.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/MX0GqXcv) (https://i.postimg.cc/Kz4D93j7/7-DAD961-A-41-C1-4-B0-B-8612-AFB56-F255-EB6.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Fd5SzRj1) (https://i.postimg.cc/MG6DQF8F/FB6-D490-F-E977-490-E-AE3-D-3-E132-AF0-C2-A0.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/fVPm45yc)
Worryingly it appeared to have something stuck in it's throat by repeated actions.
Decided to walk the opposite way around to last time, avoiding flooded path by river by going through wood.
What a change in scenery after recent heavy rain and autumnal foliage. Anyway ended up coming out of the woods in a different place, passed a decent size stables and down a long straight ridged road, which went from being tarmac to a brick base covered in coal! Guess this must have been a colliery line many years ago. This turned into a river, with all the water coming off the fields, then to my surprise there was the railway viaduct at Sunderland Bridge! Came out of woods back on pathway I came along. Chatted to some friendly fishermen, no one had caught anything today, and back to the bridge. The Muscovy Duck was back on their rock asleep! It was a very dark drizzly day.
Title: Re: Sunderland Bridge - Whitworth Park
Post by: richardh1905 on 20:30:13, 18/10/20
Some good photos there, irritating about the camera settings (hate it when that happens).


Good that you managed 6.5 miles too  O0
Title: Re: Sunderland Bridge - Whitworth Park
Post by: Dodgylegs on 14:05:09, 19/10/20
Thanks Richard, this area has many paths, which are well used by the look of them, but other than fishermen and a couple of dog walkers, very quiet.