OLD railway lines reclaimed by nature and turned into cycling and walking routes may be a great way to connect to the outdoors and the North-East's history to boost your mental health.
There’s no doubt the pandemic has caused a great deal of suffering for a great many people. In November last year, mental health charity Mind reported that more people have experienced a mental health crisis during the pandemic than ever previously recorded.
This Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs from May 10 to May 16, is focusing on connecting to nature.
Many people have found outdoor exercise like walking, hiking and running invaluable for their mental health over lockdown, but do you know about the 18 old railway lines that have been converted into walking and cycling routes?
The Beeching cuts led to the closure of many railway stations and lines in the 60s, including those at Easington, Brancepeth, Crook and Horden, leaving once busy railway routes to fall into disuse.
Luckily, not all of the 5,000 miles of the country's railway tracks were ripped from the ground, with around 1,200 to 2,200 miles being converted into rail trails for walking and cycling.
Rail tracks make for good walking and cycling routes as they are typically flat and often run through scenic countryside.
Over 100 miles across the North-East are now used to recreation, spread over 18 specific rail trails in County Durham and Tyne and Wear.
With lockdown easing, tackling one of the region's trails could be the perfect way to reconnect with nature and heritage, as many of these routes first transported coal.
The routes vary in length, with some running through nature reserves and past industrial monuments.
The Stay at Home order for coronavirus lockdown is still in place, but you can leave home for recreation outdoors such as a coffee or picnic with your household or support bubble, or with one person outside your household.
On March 29, the Stay at Home order will end and the rule of six will return, whereby outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households will be allowed.
Here are the North-East's rail trails:
County Durham
Auckland Way - Spennymoor to Bishop Auckland, 4.3 miles
Brandon to Bishop Auckland Railway Path Broompark to Bishop Auckland, 9 miles
Castle Eden Walkway - Castle Eden to Thorpe Thewles, 5.6 miles
Consett and Sunderland Railway Path, 24 miles
Deerness Valley Way - Broompark to Crook, 8.5 miles
Derwent Walk - Consett to Swalwell, 12 miles
Hart to Haswell Walkway - Monk Hesledon to Hart, 19.3 miles
Hawthorn to Ryhope Way - Seaton to South Hetton, 3.2 miles
Hurworth Burn to Station Town Railway Path - Hurworth Burn to Wingate, 1.8 miles
Lanchester Valley Railway Path - Durham to Consett, 12 miles
Pittington Way - Pittington to Hetton-le-hole, 0.9 miles
Raisby Way - Trimdon to Coxhoe, 1.6 miles
Sherburn Way - Sherburn Hill, 1.4 miles
Tees Railway Path - Middleton-in-Teesdale to Cotherstone, 5.5 miles
Walker Riverside Park - St.Peters to Carville, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear
Waskerley Way - Consett to Stanhope, 9.7 miles
West Auckland to Ramshaw, 2.2 mile
Tyne and Wear
Bowes Railway Path - Jarrow to Tanfield Railway Museum, 11.5 miles
Walker Riverside Park - St.Peters to Carville, Newcastle
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