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 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 left to walk up Front Street, past the crossroads and up a slight rise. A metal barrier on the right marks the access to the public footpath to South Hetton.

[2] Go past the barrier and walk, with the hedge on your left, to and along a narrow lane that eventually passes Low Fallowfield Farm. After about a mile the first houses of South Hetton are reached (Charters Crescent).

[3] Turn right here over a makeshift brick stile and follow the path with the houses to your left.  At the other end of the path the track narrows and appears to be blocked by a tall, narrow metal gate. Go through this gate.

[4] Just before the main road (A182) turn right onto the disused railway cycle track. Note the information board at the start.  Walk south along the track for about a mile to reach the barrier at Pesspool Lane (For a shorter walk turn right here and walk back into Haswell).

[5] Cross the road and continue along the cycle track (noting the sadly damaged information board on your right just past the barrier) until a double gate is reached. Go through the first gate and turn right to cross the stile to the right of the gate in front. Walk along to Pesspool Hall.

[6] Use the narrow metal gate to the right of the main gate in front of the Hall and walk through the farmyard to a second, black gate. Go through the gap to the left of the gate and follow Hall Lane back to Haswell. At the main road (B1280) turn right onto Front Street.

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).