Cowshill Circular – via Sedling Rake, Newhouse & the Weardale Way Tue 20th October 2026 (Mike)
Cowshill Circular – via Sedling Rake, Newhouse & the Weardale Way
Tue 20th October 2026
£1
Important: In the event of bad weather walks may be cancelled, changed or rescheduled for later in the same week. Please consult the weardale.uk website from 8am on the morning of the walk to confirm the walk is going ahead. Note we are often able to update the website the evening before.
Walk Route:
From the car park we will walk up the track towards Burtree Pasture Mine. Turning E opposite the former mine manager’s house we will then follow a rough track, steep in places, alongside the worked-out Sedling Vein onto Sedling Rake. The track ascends rapidly and, in clear weather, there are good views looking back towards Killhope and over Burnhope Reservoir. This section of the walk is the former lead ore carriage route from the mine to Rookhope Smelt Mill. The track over Sedling Rake pools water in places so we may need to cross some boggy ground here. On reaching the Ireshopeburn – Rookhope road we will turn south and use this quiet road, with splendid views of the dale, to descend to Newhouse and the River Wear. The final section of the walk is a pleasant stroll upstream following the Weardale Way via West Blackdene & Wearhead until we reach Burtreeford Bridge and then cut across to return to the car park at Wearhead.
Unfortunately, there are no convenient short-cuts although it would be possible to walk up onto Sedling Rake and return by the same route to the car park for anyone preferring a shorter walk.
Date: Tuesday 20th October 2026
Start time: 10.00am Estimated finish time: 13:00p.m.
Distance c. 6 miles Height gain: 276m (mostly at the beginning of the walk)
Leader: Mike Contact details: 07889 508817
Starting Point: Public car park near the Cowshill Hotel on the A689 near the B6295 junction.
What3Words: nipped.nightlife.tidying
OS Map: North Pennines OS Explorer OL31 NY 856,405
Walks cost £1 to cover costs and mountain rescue contribution.
Terrain: Mix of open moorland, farmland, track and quiet country roads.
Toilets: Wearhead.
Equipment for this walk: Walking boots and socks, waterproofs, small snack and drink.
Dogs: Dogs on a lead are permitted on this walk.
Accompanied children under 16 and accompanied vulnerable adults are welcome.
Disclaimer: Everyone taking part in any of our group walks does so at their own risk. The group works on the same basis as a group of friends who go out walking together. Walk organisers accept no risk for anyone attending any walk and will not be held responsible for any accident, injury or loss occurring on a walk or in connection with travel to and from a walk. None of our leaders is qualified or has first aid training but a basic first aid kit is available. Participants must read the walk description carefully and assess whether the terrain, distance and height gain of the walk are within their own and their guests’ capabilities and whether their equipment is suitable.