Castle Eden Dene Oakerside Dene Lodge Stanhope Chase Peterlee SR8 1NJ

Parking is available at the starting point. This route is also accessible via public transport. From Durham, take Arriva bus no. 24 or 24A. From Peterlee, take Arriva bus no. 24A.

[1] Exit the car park to enter Castle Eden Dene through the gate. Follow the path downhill. Ignore the path that turns sharps left.

[2] At the junction of paths, turn left down to follow the ‘Tree Way’. Shortly before you cross a bridge, turn into a slightly hidden path on your right.

[3] Follow the obvious path and walk downhill to get to the beck in the valley which is on your left. After crossing over a wooden bridge, follow the path further along. Now with the beck on your right.

Be careful as the path might be muddy at times.

[4] You will come to a junction. Turn sharp left to walk steeply uphill. 

[5] At the end of the path, you will reach a T junction of paths. Turn left to walk to the Castle.

[6] You will see a gate in front of you which leads to the Castle. Turn left in front of the gate and walk downhill.

[7] You will reach a T junction of paths. Turn right to walk uphill.

[8] Ignore the path that leads to the right to ‘St James Church’ and take the left path instead. Follow the path uphill.

[9] When the path forks out, stay right and follow it for a long distance.

Be careful as the path might be muddy at times.

[10] On your right you will see some fields. Walk along the black fence around the fields to stay on the path.

Watch out for brambles on your left.

[11] After a far distance, you will reach a ‘Welcome’ sign. Ignore the stile on the right and turn left instead to follow the way around.

[12] The path will fork out at a bench. Take the left path which is also the widest and most obvious one. This will lead you downhill in serpentines.

Walk slowly as the descend is very steep.

[13] At the end of the way, turn left to walk along the beck on your right side. Ignore a small bridge that comes up after a distance on your right.

[14] Follow the way further ahead. After a distance you will cross over a stone bridge. Stay on the path and follow it uphill.

[15] You will see another obvious path forking slightly to the left. Ignore it and walk further uphill to reach the main path that you came down in the beginning.

[16] You will reach the main path. Turn right to walk up and back to the starting point at the Visitor Centre.

Despite being a smaller village, Castle Eden offers one of the best golf courses of the County. The club goes back a long time and was founded under the name of The Dene Golf Club after the First World War. The 8^th hole on the course is one of the most interesting ones as it is 190 yards long and goes over a ravine.