This was my last Durham County Council walk this year, starting at Causey Arch picnic area - sort of near Stanley. We had two leaders - Steve and Janet who are also paid rangers and three ranger/stewards, Clarry, Neville and me - and 25 "customers" plus two dogs. In the face of trying to count this crowd and all the excitement of the fact that it wasnt raining, I left my walking poles sticking in the grass in the car park and didnt realise till I'd walked a couple of miles.
Our walk went through managed woodland, over the arch and along to a nature reserve near Tanfield - where it started to rain - then up to a railway path - where it turned to sleet - and along to Beamish where it got even wetter.
We managed a short, damp lunch stop in an old railway tunnel then through more woodland to the Shepherd and Sheherdess pub which we didnt go in (doh!) However, to make up for this, it stopped snowing and the sun came out.
Some plodging through mud and slutch (Lancashire word for sloppy underfoot stuff) brought us back to the start.
A shortish walk of just over seven miles.
It would be a great little trundle in summer, with a stop in the boozah.
My walking poles were exactly where 'd left them nearly four hours earlier.
They're obviously a very honest lot around there (or they recognise that the poles are a bit old and knackered)
Next one is on New Years day
A few pics below....