This trail is just 500m from Barnard Castle town centre offering more adventurous disabled visitors an opportunity to experience the town’s “green lung” - a beautiful and tranquil woodland through which Percy Beck meanders down to the River Tees. In Winter, Holly & Snowdrops offer colour whilst in Spring, the woods come alive with Wild Garlic, Primroses and Bluebells carpeting the slopes down to the beck. In Summer, beautiful flowers (Red Campion, Wood Anemone, Violet, Marsh Marigold, etc.) and wildlife can be seen (Dipper, Roe Deer, Tawny Owl, Greater Spotted Woodpecker; etc.) whilst in Autumn a blaze of colour awaits with the falling leaves. The route is named after Flatts Wood owner, Lord Barnard whose titles included The Duke of Cleveland. The Cleveland Walk was constructed during the reign of William VI by Dr George Edwards a local philanthropist. He saw the squalid and unhygienic living conditions the townsfolk had endured and wanted to provide a tranquil place with clean air for those working in the town’s mills and factories to escape to. 5 seats are provided along the trail. There are areas of loose stones and some muddy sections when wet, the maximum gradient is 1 in 7.

Surveyed by: David Gribble, April 2014 (Spring)
Accessibility Rating: 4
Distance: 0.5 km

Full Profile

The Cleveland Walk starts at the end of Raby Avenue, by the timber signpost and bench. Be aware of a possible hazard presented by the projecting lower finger blade on the signpost, 1650mm above ground level. The white lower-case writing on a natural background on the blades does provide a good contrast.

Plenty of free on-road street parking near the start of the Walk.

Plenty of free on-road street parking near the start of the Walk.

Walk starts on the path by the side of the house.

Uneven surface.

Compacted soil surface.

Compacted soil surface.

Exposed bricks and stones in places.

By the modified bench, the maximum gradient is 14% (1:8).

The modified bench offers a resting point with good views down through the woods to Percy Beck. The steeply sloping bankside in front of the bench may prove difficult for some to access it or stand up from it. Bench height is 400mm.

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places.

The modified bench offers a resting point with good views down through the woods to Percy Beck.

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places. The gradient of the path is 8% (1:12) and the cross fall is between 6%-10% (1:10 – 1:16)

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places.

Soft muddy rut to the side of the path (800mm wide) but there’s a wide route past this.

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places. Cross fall is 8% (1 :12);

The modified bench offers a resting point with good views down through the woods to Percy Beck. The steeply sloping bankside in front of the bench may prove difficult for some to access it or stand up from it. Bench height is 540mm.

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places.

Exposed stones and bricks in places.

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places. Cross fall is 8% (1 :12).

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places. Cross fall is 10% (1 :10).

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places.

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places.

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places.

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places.

The modified bench offers a resting point with good views down through the woods to Percy Beck. The steeply sloping bankside in front of the bench may prove difficult for some to access it or stand up from it. Bench height is 500mm

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places.

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places.

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel or compacted soil and is rutted in

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places. Narrow uneven route available to bypass a soft muddy section”. Exposed stones and tree roots present too.

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places. Narrow uneven route available to bypass a soft muddy section”. Exposed stones and tree roots present too.

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places. Water run-off is cutting a channel across the path.

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places.

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places.

Muddy surface

The modified bench offers a resting point with good views down through the woods to Percy Beck. The steeply sloping bankside in front of the bench may prove difficult for some to access it or stand up from it. Bench height is 540mm.

The modified bench offers a resting point with good views down through the woods to Percy Beck.

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places.

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places. Gradient at this point is 10% (1:10).

Path comprises of compacted/loose gravel and compacted soil in places. Gradient at this point is 10% (1:10).

The modified bench at the top of the stone steps is sited in an area called “The Fairy Glen”. A place where couples met, whilst off the main Walk. The bench offers an elevated view over the beck and footbridge and is well worth a visit.

The modified bench at this point is where this trail ends but The Cleveland Walk continues over the nearby bridge and onwards through the woods. Visitors may wish to carry on along the path to another bridge further on (with a modified bench nearby), as excellent views of the Percy Beck viaduct (the Barnard Castle - Bowes railway used to run over this) can be had.