Hamsterley Forest

The Grove, sited in a clearing by the confluence of the Euden and Spurlswood becks and surrounded by some of the oldest trees in Hamsterley, was home to the Surtees family, who farmed here and used the estate for hunting. One of the family, Robert Smith Surtees (1805–64), created the character John Jorrocks, a fox-hunting cockney grocer who became Master of the Foxhounds. Surtees's popular articles appeared regularly in the New Sporting Magazine and in the novel Jorrocks’ Jaunts and Jollities.

Durham's largest forest

Since the Forestry Commission purchased the estate in 1927, the area has been planted with commercial timber, filling the Bedburn and Ayhope valleys and extending across the spur of high moorland separating Euden and Spurlswood. Hamsterley Forest has become Durham's single largest plantation and extends over more than 5,000 acres (2,025ha). Sitka spruce, larch and Scots pine climb the steep hillsides, but among the plantations are large areas of broadleaved trees that include some 62 acres (25ha) of oak wood, part of which was planted to commemorate the coronation of George VI in 1937.

A home for wildlife

Initial criticism suggesting that the large areas of monoculture would decimate wildlife has waned and, three-quarters of a century on, the forest has become an ever-changing and important feature of the landscape. The cycle of planting, re-growth and harvesting of different tree types creates a mix of environments that wild plants, insects and animals can exploit. Bat boxes have been placed in some areas to encourage these furry, flying mammals to nest, for although the abundance of insects means that there is plenty to eat, sites for bats to roost and nest are limited. In the streams, you might see dippers, bobbing among the rocks and disappearing beneath the water in their search for insect larvae. Keep a look out too for kingfishers, unmistakable with their bright blue and orange plumage. In autumn, you may see leaping salmon as they migrate upstream to breed. Go quietly through the forest and you may come across red squirrels or roe deer.

As the walk begins to turn back across the spur of Hamsterley Common, it follows the course of an old drove road overlooking meadows down to a bridge spanning Ayhope Beck. Above the stream are the ruins of Metcalf's House, which was an old coaching inn standing beside a moorland road between Barnard Castle and Wolsingham. 

From the forestry information board in the car park follow orange walking trail markers towards Bedburn Beck. Swing right along a broad gravel path past more parking and picnic areas.

Reaching a crossing path, go left over a bridge and climb the forest trail beyond to a junction. Turn left, but after only 100yds (91m), look for a narrow path leaving right into the trees. Head straight up the hillside, eventually emerging onto a broad trail. Walk right, passing beside a barrier onto a lane at Windy Bank.

Follow the lane to the right for a little over 0.25 miles (400m). Bear off left by an orange waymarker past a barrier along a trail rising gently into the forest. After another 0.5 miles (800m), watch for a waypost on the right marking a path dropping steeply through the wood. Curving left towards the bottom, it comes out onto a lane. 

Cross to the continuing path opposite, which leads to a small footbridge over Bedburn Beck. Wind right and then down steps to meet another trail. Go left and turn out onto the forest drive. Follow it left over a bridge, leaving immediately beyond on a path to the right. Meeting another path from the drive, turn right and follow it beside the stream to a bridge by The Grove car park.

Don't cross, but instead climb right along a tarmac drive. Later degrading to gravel, it rises to the edge of the forest overlooking open pastures. Carry on past a house and then a junction, the way now gently cresting the shoulder of the hill. Passing into trees at the far end of the open ground, bear right past boulders at the side of an adjacent forestry track and descend more steeply.

Cross a footbridge over Ayhope Beck at the bottom and walk up past a picnic area and the ruin of Metcalf's House to a junction. Turn right along a path contouring through the trees. Eventually meeting a tarmac forest road, go left. Reaching a fork, branch up left past foresters' cottages and a barrier to another junction. 

Turn off right along a gravel path. Ignore a cycle path from the right, but at the next junction, bear right, now heading downhill and finally dropping out to the main forest drive. Go left past the visitor centre and cafe back to the car park.