Conrow one

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Conrow here.

Tl;dr
Two hazards on route - section of official route from Pont Low Top wood isn't a path so divert west by 2-300 metres to rejoin at South Field Farm - correct path clearly shown on OS Map. 400metres of path closed just north of Hamsterly Hall - be prepared for steep and complicated route find through the woods (see pic 11).

For more leisurely readers:
Being on plateau above the surrounding area, I elected to get the bus to Consett and then walk down to Rowlands Gill. I walked on a hot Saturday in June and was surprised by how few shops and cafes are on the route (none!), so make sure you have plenty of water with you.

As I travelled by the bus, the start was conveniently at the bus station (pic 1). The route heads out of town on Sherburn Terrace (pic 2) - a quiet street running parallel to the bypass. There could be options to leave town on the coast to coast cycle path, but the walk was pleasant enough and getting to the C2C would be more complicated and further.

Crossing the A691/A692 roundabouts is safest done opposite the garage so keep left to begin with. A short walk along Wedohl Way and you enter a new woodland. The paths are not clearly defined, so I headed north east until I popped out on Watling Street. Startling two deer in the woods was a good reminder of how quickly you leave the built up area.

The route is easy to follow and the slow walk up the well made up track (see pic 3) to Low Bradley Farm is rewarded with a great view across the valley to the site of the north east's last open cast mine working. A scar on landscape that is quickly healing (pic 4).

Descending from the farm, the path is obvious but the gates are all chained with no style. As it lambing had just ended, I was careful to rechain each gate as I passed through (pic 5). As the path descends towards Pont Burn it crosses a large uncut field (pic 6) which made route finding tricky as the style out of the field was well hidden (pic 7).

Easy navigation in Pont Woods (pic 8) takes you down to the stream, but then the official route follows the line of pylons out of the valley which can't be followed on foot. A diversion following the OS Map marked public footpath around 300 yards to the west, brings you up out of the valley and at Southfield farm you rejoin the marked route. The route here is easy following a bridleway through the woods. Although a bridleway there were several blocked (pic 9) or padlocked gates, so this route currently is not passable with wheels.

Ahead was the reason. 450 metres short of the B6310 the path was blocked by six foot high fencing (pic 10) and a complicated diversion sign (pic 11). Research after the walk revealed it had been closed since September 2022 awaiting repairs from the council due to a landslip. The diversion was 1.3km - adding another 700metres to the route. Worse, the route climbed up and down into a steep wooded ravine, that while it had steps, makes the route considerably harder.

Once I was at the B6310, I was already aware that there is no path from the official route under the viaduct up to the long distance Consett to Swalwell C2C cycle path. Crossing into the Woodland Trust car park, the climb the steep steps turn left at the top and then another flight of steps gets you on the cycle path just top the right of the bridge under the route (pic 12).

The rest of the route is simple as the path is well made up cinder track with sections of asphalt - just watch out for the MAMILs who use it as a downhill weekend speed test (pic 13)! Crossing the River Derwent on another old viaduct you bear left at the road and pop out in the village with a Tescos, cafes, Dilly Dilly's sweet shop and the excellent Maguire's chip shop.

An interesting walk through the Pont Valley which is much more interesting than if the route had followed the C2C route from Consett to Rowlands Gill.

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