HURWORTH BURN: IT is some time since a ramble in the country has been covered in this feature.

So, before the sun drops much lower and we need to dig out the gloves and thermals before even thinking about venturing out, let's get another trip in.

Many people are familiar with the Castle Eden Walkway that extends from the outskirts of Stockton to Wingate and Haswell, near Peterlee. What some may not know is that it is now an integral part of the National Cycle Network Route 1 developed by the charity Sustrans, which aims to cover the country in a network of cycle-friendly routes. While these routes are created, quite naturally, primarily for cyclists, there is a spin-off for those of us who get around on wheelchairs, electric buggies and the whole gamut of vehicles that help folk with disabilities to get about.

Often, (but not always), the environment created for high-quality, safe cycling is perfectly suited also to wheelchair use and the Sustrans routes are worth, therefore, checking out. So I decided to give Hurworth Burn a recce, since it is an interesting body of water at roughly the halfway point of the Castle Eden Walkway Country Park on the minor road between Elwick and Trimdon.

The car park has a tarmac surface but no dedicated disabled car parking spaces. A slight incline leads up to the track, which is an old railway line known locally as the Cuckoo Line. It is now dressed in a very fine crushed surface that is reasonably level, although its use as a bridlepath can lead to some uneven stretches. At the top of the incline, the reservoir is visible straight ahead.

It is a wonderful open space and the outlook is a fine reward for the short 1:16 climb. On reaching the track, bear right and follow the gentle incline all the way to Black Hurworth Farm just beyond the reservoir. As this is a shared path, it experiences a variety of uses.

En route, you are likely to meet cyclists, walkers and people on horseback, all of which add to the general interest.

The vistas over open water are compelling and invite the traveller to stop, look and take it all in. I recommend taking a flask and some binoculars. That way, the views can be brought in closer and a warm drink is just the touch of luxury needed to complete the indulgence. Of particular interest at this time of year are the diving birds from northern Europe dropping by to sample our milder winters. The emphasis here is on lingering, not racing, and that can be of great benefit to folk with limited mobility.

Just before the farm there is a path off to the left that forms part of a circular route around the reservoir. This is rather muddy and inaccessible to anyone using a wheelchair but there may be scope for others in a party of mixed abilities. A circular tour would be most satisfying and - if a group were to split at this point - both parties would be able to see each other from opposite shores. Perhaps there is an opportunity here for regular walking groups to include people with disabilities on one of their rambles?

Those of us who need to stick to the original track should about-turn at the farm and return by the original route. This time, it is all downhill and, on a bright day, into the sun.

The gentle descent makes this leg of the journey much easier and quicker than the outward one. One of the beauties of this route is that the diverse usage and its three-metre width mean that this can be a sociable outing without the feeling that people are getting in each other's way. On returning to the area alongside the car park, if there is plenty of time and energy left, try following this route a little further south, taking in the old station platform and crossing Hurworth Burn Road via the railway bridge.

It is important to point out that this route has no facilities such as a visitor centre, so these need to be sought elsewhere. Otherwise, make your journey here by camper van. Please don't let that put you off though. This is a very manageable little gem of an outing.

Anyone wishing to organise a mixed ability ramble may wish to refer to an extension of this route that was covered by The Northern Echo walks correspondent Charlie Emmett in this paper on November 11, 1999. His was a five-mile circular route while mine is just over one mile, but both could start and finish at the same place.

Published: 21/10/2003