Two lovely days in Kirby Stephen with lovely walks and weather.
While most of the group opted for the longer walks, on one day four of us felt it would be too difficult for us and so went for an easier option. This was ‘The Viaduct Walk’, along a section of the former South Durham and Lancashire Union Railway. The railway was opened in 1861 to carry freight traffic of coke and iron ore, and closed in 1961. Now the viaducts at Podgill and Merrygill, which give the walk its name, have been restored and are in the care of the Northern Viaducts Trust.
After leaving the car park near Nateby, and before beginning the walk proper, we first made a slight detour to traverse the Millennium Bridge, a footbridge giving an excellent view of the River Eden in a narrow rocky gorge. Back on the main route, we walked on to cross both viaducts before turning and retracing our steps. The two viaducts are impressive limestone structures, so typical of the Victorian era, and gave fine views into the deep valleys below them. We enjoyed a very pleasant, easy walk of about 3 miles in total, with a mixture of wooded and open sections.
– Frank Smith
