Post Office Front Street Haswell County Durham DH6 2BL

From Durham take the B1283 through Sherburn Hill.  Turn left at Haswell Plough and left again at Haswell

From the A19 turn off onto the B1283 at Easington then take the B1280 to Haswell.

Parking is available at laybys all along Front Street.

You can also access this route via public transport. From Durham to Haswell take Arriva bus no. 24, 24A or 24B.

[1]  With the Post Office behind you, turn right to walk down Front Street and turn left along Hall Lane (marked by bus stop and public footpath sign on the opposite side of the street).

[2]  About half way along the lane to Pesspool Hall, turn right at the metal kissing gate (use the gate or the adjacent stile) to join the 'Haswell to Hart Countryside Trail'. Follow this trail until you reach a blue sign pointing to Sunderland. 

[3]  Turn left here and follow the course of the old railway (now a cycle track) northwards. Cross the double gates at the junction with Hall Lane (or you can shorten the walk by turning left here and passing Pesspool Hall back to Haswell) and continue to the next barrier at Pesspool Lane. On the left, just before the barrier, is a board celebrating cyclists including Tommy Simpson.  Unfortunately the board has been damaged.

Tom Simpson, born in Haswell, was, until the success of Bradley Wiggins in the 2012 Tour de France, the most successful English road racing cyclist after the war. He was Britain’s first men’s road race World Champion. He died of exhaustion on the slopes of Mont Ventoux during the Tour de France. Haswell was also home to other Olympic athletes: John Watts (shot put and discus) and Ernie Pomfret (steeplechaser).

[4]  Cross the road and turn left to walk along the pavement back to Haswell.  At the road junction turn left onto Front Street.