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
39. The Barnard Castle Loop
Date: 12/08/2021
Meeting Point: Bowes Museum, Newgate, Barnard Castle, DL12 8NP
Steeped in history, the Bowes Museum is the start of this stage of The Big Smile, once again giving us the chance to enjoy the spectacular County Durham countryside.
Heading eastwards out of Barnard Castle, we follow the River Tees, before crossing it to arrive at the ruins of Egglestone Abbey which was founded in the late 12th century by the Premonstatensians, or ‘White Canons’ as they became known.
From here we head back to Barnard Castle on the other side of the Tees, before crossing it again to pick up the Teesdale Way, winding its way below the remnants of the castle. We follow a riverside path through gentle woodland with some short, hillier stretches, all the way to the scenic village of Cotherstone.
Turning at Cotherstone, the walk heads back by the river once more, before rising up through meadows and woodland, heading through Barnard Castle and finishing at Bowes Museum.
Distance: 19.3 km (11.9 miles)
Difficulty Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Sponsored By: North Star