Start : The Old Hall, West Auckland along Front Street (DL14 9HL). Grid ref. NZ 180 262
(S) From the Old Hall, walk West along Front Street, then turn right (North) and walk along the footpath past the war memorial on the green. Cross the A68 main road and continue North past the Manor House Hotel and Spa on your left and car park on your right. Bear left (North-West) at the fork in the lane and cross the River Gaunless and continue to follow the track in a North-Westerly direction passing 2 tracks to your right and one to your left.
(1) At the next track junction, take the path to your right (North-East) to Greenfield Road. Go through the kissing gate and turn right onto Greenfield Road. Continue along Greenfield Road past the houses.
(2) When you reach the sign for Etherley Incline on your left, go through the kissing gate and follow the path through the trees (North-West) passing the former engine pond on your left.
(3) When you reach the B6282 at Low Etherley, go through the kissing gate cross the road turning left for 10m, then turn right following the sign for Whitton Park and continue on the path (North-West). On reaching Phoenix Row, walk along the back of the houses and then join the main road passing the old chapel on your right.
(4) Follow the road North crossing Sloshes Lane and continuing on the wide lane.
(5) The track will begin to bend North-Westwards, after 200m, look for a path to your right (North-East) and follow this downhill to the railway. Here the Way of Life joins the Weardale Way.
(6) Turn right onto New Road and follow the road (South-East).
(7) At the junction of New Road, turn left onto Low Queen Street and then turn left again onto Main Street and pass under the railway line.
Alternative route: instead of turning left into Low Queen Street, cross the grassed area in southeasterly direction to the sculpture of The Ball and the Bradford Boy by Ray Lonsdale. After viewing the sculpture, turn left (north) into Main Street and pass under the railway line.
Keep right after the railway line walking along the field boundary with the trees to your left and the field to the right. The path will go into the trees and emerge at the other side by a pond
(8) Continue walking past the pond on your left and then Escomb Lake. The path will pass allotment gardens on your left before emerging on Saxon Green. Escomb Saxon Church is located in the middle of the green (E).
