1. Raby Castle
Meeting Point: Raby Castle
We begin the Big Smile in the magnificent grounds of Raby Castle. We follow a broad path through the grassy landscape where Red and Fallow Deer herds live wild. We pass the impressively maintained medieval castle, built between 1367 and 1390 by John Neville, the 3rd Baron Neville de Raby.
We wander through Ladywood and then up towards Raby Home Farm and then Shotton enjoying the beautiful countryside home to some superb flora and fauna.
Eventually, we leave the Raby estate and find ourselves heading over Cockfield fell, common land pock marked with evidence of human habitation including flint arrowheads dating back to 8000BC.
We skirt around Cockfield itself and back through the estate to finish back at Raby Castle in a wonderful start to the Big Smile Walks.
Distance: 20 km ( 12.47 miles)
Difficulty Rating: ★★★☆☆
Sponsored By: The Ramside Hall Hotel
1. Raby Castle
Meeting Point: Raby Castle
We begin the Big Smile in the magnificent grounds of Raby Castle. We follow a broad path through the grassy landscape where Red and Fallow Deer herds live wild. We pass the impressively maintained medieval castle, built between 1367 and 1390 by John Neville, the 3rd Baron Neville de Raby.
We wander through Ladywood and then up towards Raby Home Farm and then Shotton enjoying the beautiful countryside home to some superb flora and fauna.
Eventually, we leave the Raby estate and find ourselves heading over Cockfield fell, common land pock marked with evidence of human habitation including flint arrowheads dating back to 8000BC.
We skirt around Cockfield itself and back through the estate to finish back at Raby Castle in a wonderful start to the Big Smile Walks.
Distance: 20 km ( 12.47 miles)
Difficulty Rating: ★★★☆☆
Sponsored By: The Ramside Hall Hotel
5. The Langdon Beck Trek
Date: 26/06/2021
Meeting Point: Langdon Beck Hotel, Forest-in-Teesdale, DL12 0XP
8:30am registration for 9:00am departure
From Forest-in-Teesdale, we pick our way across the dale until we reach the River Tees. A path takes us upriver alongside the mighty waters as they meander through the Tees Valley. At the foot of Black Hill, we climb 500 metres to Cow Green Reservoir, where we skirt around the shoreline until we reach an old mine tramway.
Continuing over Touting Hill, we cross Harwood Beck and hike down the valley until we reach Langdon Beck. From here, we drop back down to the River Tees, and loop around to our finishing point in Forest-in-Teesdale.
A great dales walk in a popular walking area, there is plenty to see in terms of wildlife and the remnants of Teesdale’s industrial past.
Distance: 20.7km (12.8 miles)
Difficulty Rating: ★★★☆☆