Wingate Quarry Loop

fr

This walk takes in Wingate Quarry Nature Reserve and Wingate Welfare Park with its football pitch, bowling green, play park and woodland walk. The walk first follows a green lane and passes through the site of Wingate Grange pit, then on the return follows the track of the old Wingate railway line.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.73 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 54 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 54 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 161 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 118 m
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Description of the walk

(S/E) From Wingate Quarry car Park, follow the main bridle path in a north-easterly direction (you may explore the quarry now or on your return). The bridle path will cross straight ahead to the other side of the quarry.

(1) When you reach Green Lane, turn right and follow the lane.
Go through the gate, and continue walking along Green Lane. There are houses to your left and the remains of Old Wingate on your right although there is nothing much to see.

(2) When you reach the farm, follow Green Lane between the buildings on your right-hand side and at the far side of the farm turn right still on Green Lane. Continue to follow Green Lane, this will twist left and turn right until it reaches allotments and Wingate Grange Industrial Estate.

(3) Green Lane will end at the junction with Front Street (B1280). Wingate Parish Church will be directly in front of you, turn right passing the Wingate Grange pit disaster memorial on your right and walk along the street. Note the old crossing gates where the railway used to run next to the Railway Crossings pub. You are now following the Northern Saints' Trail.

(4) Follow the B1280 past the chemist and two doctor's surgeries, turning right after the second one (The Medical Centre) into Johnson's Street following the sign for Wingate Welfare Park. Either follow the direct path past the football pitch or follow the road around the allotments, these meet up again at the Infant's School.

(5) Walk past the school into Wingate Welfare Park, stay on the main wide bridle path through the centre of the park.

(6) At the far side of the park, turn right onto the tarmac footpath and continue on this path until you reach Deaf Hill/Trimdon Station, the footpath becomes a dirt track here. Follow this path straight ahead behind the houses.

(7) The footpath will end at Wingate Road, turn right and follow the footpath on the roadside back to Wingate Quarry Car Park. (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 135 m - Wingate Quarry Car Park
  2. 1 : km 0.47 - alt. 152 m - Exit of Wingate Quarry onto Green Lane
  3. 2 : km 1.86 - alt. 131 m - Farm
  4. 3 : km 3.38 - alt. 127 m - Wingate Church
  5. 4 : km 3.74 - alt. 120 m - The Medical Centre
  6. 5 : km 4.12 - alt. 123 m - St Mary's Catholic Primary School
  7. 6 : km 4.45 - alt. 137 m - Old Railway Footpath/Wingate Welfare Park
  8. 7 : km 6.15 - alt. 141 m - Wingate Road
  9. S/E : km 7.73 - alt. 135 m - Wingate Quarry Car Park

Practical information

  • Transport: This is a circular route and can be started at either Wingate Quarry Car Park or Wingate Welfare Park Car Park next to St Mary's School. Buses from Peterlee (Go Northeast 239), Darlington (Arriva X21), Durham (Arriva 57/58) and Middlesbrough (Arriva X22) stop at Front Street/Hadrian Court in Wingate. There are no bus stops near Wingate Quarry but the X21 and X22 stop in Trimdon Station.
  • Facilities: There are no facilities at Wingate Quarry. In Wingate Robinson's Cafe and the Railway Crossings can all provide refreshments. There is a McColls for snacks just past Robinson's Cafe.
  • Accessibility: The majority of this walk is on tarmac and dirt tracks which can become very muddy during wet weather.

In the nearby area

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