🥾 Walking route
Hudeshope from Middleton Geotrail
County Durham
- 📏 8.8 km · 5.5 mi
- ⛰ +289 m
- ⏱ 2 hr 30 min
- 🐕 On lead
Walk stats
- Distance8.8 km · 5.5 mi
- Elevation+289 m
- Duration2 hr 30 min
- DifficultyModerate
- Route typeCircular
- TerrainUpland paths, beck-side tracks and old mining ground; some rough and rocky sections.
- Best seasonLate spring to early autumn for best waterfall flow and dry ground.
- DogsDog-friendly on leads; livestock and open ground on higher sections.
About this walk
Setting off from Middleton-in-Teesdale, this circular route follows the valley of Hudeshope Beck northwards into the quiet hills above the town. The path threads past a string of waterfalls and geological features that give the trail its name, beginning with Little Middleton Force and climbing gently towards Throstle Gill and Auk Side.
Beyond, the walk passes Hudeshope Waterfall and the striking Upper Hudeshope Linn, along with the Queenswalk Waterfall and a curious rock formation known as the Window tracery. The Skears area, taking in both High Skears and Low Skears, showcases limestone crags and the scars of the dale's lead-mining past, with the remains of Coldberry mine, Pikestone Brow Mine and Firestone Level lying nearby, along with a classic hushed hillside.
The return leg drops back into Teesdale and finishes in Middleton, where the war memorial marks the village centre. With around 289 m of ascent spread over roughly two and a half hours of walking, it is a rewarding half-day out combining waterfalls, upland pasture and industrial heritage.
Route map
Route line drawn from OpenStreetMap footpath data. Numbered markers are waypoints on the route; amber star markers are points of interest a short detour away.
Waypoints along the route
11 waypoints along the way
- 1
Middleton in Teesdale (start and finish)
- Start / finish
Start and finish of this circular route.
- 2
High Skears
- 3
Low Skears
- 4
Upper Hudeshope Linn (waterfall)
- 5
Queenswalk Waterfall
- 6
Window tracery
- 7
Little Middleton Force
- 8
Throstle Gill
- 9
Auk Side
- 10
Hudeshope Waterfall
- 11
Skears
Worth a short detour
Points of interest just off the route, look for the amber markers on the map.
Middleton-in-Teesdale War Memorial
~194 m off the route
Pikestone Brow Mine
~245 m off the route
Firestone Level
~316 m off the route
hush
~377 m off the route
Coldberry lead mine
~479 m off the route
Route & waypoint data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).