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
The 2021 inaugural year of The Big Smile was one to remember.
We started BIG with a 1,000km challenge for our team of walking guides, spread across 50 spectacular walks around the north of England. Alongside them, members of the public (you may have been one) joined each stage to raise vital funds towards the Big Smile goal of providing walking boots for schoolchildren and the broader Walk & Talk vision of promoting the physical and mental health benefits associated with walking and the outdoors. It was a bold beginning and one we are proud to have delivered so successfully.
Thank you to all those who joined us, bringing endless enthusiasm and support along the journey.
That first year was both a fantastic success and also a big learning curve for us. We have taken it all on board and, along with your valuable feedback, we’ve created a more accessible series of iconic walks across the North East with even more emphasis on interaction within the groups and greater engagement with the landscape and points of interest along the way.
So, for more information and to get involved in 2022, please take a look at the events in the Walks & Dates tab and book your place.