Start : Auckland Tower (vistor centre) (DL14 7NJ) junction Castle Chare and Market Place.
(S) From Auckland Tower, walk through the entrance to Auckland Castle passing the Walled Garden to your right. At the end of the lawn follow the track around to your left. This is the main carriageway through the estate.
(1) At the track junction keep right following signs for the deer house, after the deer house the path will bend North-Westwards and follows the River Gaunless. Cross over the wide track again keeping the River Gaunless to your right.
(2) When you pass under the bridge as you reach the River Wear, turn left and walk over the bridge you have just walked under. Follow the road North and then West keeping the River Wear to your left.
(3) After the gravel parking area to your left look for the gate and signpost for Binchester Roman Fort which goes straight ahead at the bend in the road. Walk up the drive about 400m to the fort. After visiting the fort retrace your steps to the small parking area by the River Wear. Look across the river for another view of the Newton Cap Viaduct.
Note: Binchester Roman Fort is open 1st April to 31st October, ouside of these times continue straight (4).
(4) Take the path opposite the parking area (North) and follow the path to a kissing gate, go through the gate and continue following the path North-West across the fields. The path will bend around to the North-East at a stile (cross the stile) and then the North-West again. Cross a further stile and then follow the path Northwards. Cross another stile and then cross Bell Burn.
(5) At the next stile turn sharply right and follow the path in a South-Easterly direction through the woods with Bell Burn on your right. After some time the burn will veer away from the path then back again so you will be walking right beside the burn.
(6) After approximately 1km cross Bell Burn and turn left following the path back across the burn which should now be on your right again. Continue Eastwards, crossing the burn one more time before reaching a track junction (about 600m), turn left onto the Auckland Way (North).
(7) If you are ending your walk here then when you reach the houses at Binchester, turn right and walk along the back of Granville Terrace to the main road (Church Street) and continue to the A688 to the bus stop at Binchester Service Station (E), otherwise continue straight ahead on the Auckland Way towards Byers Green.