Walk from the car park down to the red and blue metal flags at the top of the park. Turn right down to a bridge, there swinging left onto an island in the centre of the canoe slalom course. Walk on over a second bridge, bearing right and then left onto a riverside path. Before walking away, look back to the Barrage, which was completed in 1995 at a cost of £54 million. The four 50-ton gates control the river flow and help prevent flooding. Upstream, it has created 11 miles (17.7km) of freshwater, which is used for a wide variety of leisure activities, while the whitewater slalom course has hosted world champion canoe competitions. Follow the riverside path downstream through the Portrack Marsh nature reserve. Continue beneath a bridge carrying the A19 and on to the Tees Newport Bridge. Built by Dorman Long, it was the first vertical lift bridge in Britain, the deck being raised to let shipping pass upriver. It was opened in 1934, but with the decline in shipping, the bridge was decommissioned in 1990 and is now permanently down.
Climb steps to the road and cross the bridge, dropping right on the far side back to the river. Swing left at the bottom to pass beneath the bridge and continue downstream for another 1.5 miles (2.4km). The land beside the riverbank here has been reclaimed from the former Newport Iron Works, which were founded in 1864, while on the far side are the chemical complexes at Billingham. The riverside path eventually sweeps around a right-hand bend to reach a blue and white 'End of Cycleway' sign. Turn right and walk away at the edge of Teesaurus Park – formerly a slag heap but now home to metal dinosaurs lurking in the trees.
Reaching the road, go left. Keep ahead at a roundabout, shortly coming to a crossroads near the Transporter Bridge. An iconic symbol of Teesside, it was built between 1907 and 1911 and still carries up to 750 people and 600 vehicles above the Tees every day, the crossing taking just 2.5 minutes. Turn right and walk up to Albert Bridge, where the station entrance is then just to the right. Take the train west one stop to Thornaby.
At Thornaby Station climb up to the footbridge and go right, dropping out onto Station Street. Cross right to a path beside a tyre and auto centre, which leads through to another street. Turn left to a roundabout and turn right along Yale Crescent. Crossing a bridge, go right and left to walk along Westpoint Road towards Stockton town centre. Continue beyond the end on another short path to emerge at a roundabout. Head right along University Boulevard to the next roundabout and go left, bearing right onto Infinity Bridge across the river. When lit up at night, the bridge with its reflection in the river appears as an infinity symbol.
Back on the north bank, double back to the river and head downstream to return to the Tees Barrage. At a fork keep right above the water intake for the slalom course. Continue beneath the barrage bridge and walk up to the car park.
Only the River Tees separates Stockton-on-Tees from Middlesbrough and it served as the border between County Durham and North Yorkshire before the various local government reorganisations of the latter part of the 20th century displaced the ancient boundaries. Both places can trace a history to... before the arrival of the Normans; Middlesbrough was the site of a monastic cell and later priory dedicated to St Hilda, while Stockton was an Anglo-Saxon settlement. But whereas the settlements on the south bank of the river remained small, Stockton grew during the Middle Ages into a modest but busy market town and port under the protection of a castle (long since demolished) owned by the Bishop of Durham. Shipbuilding and trades such as rope and brick manufacture helped the town prosper alongside its main role as a port exporting lead, rope and produce from the surrounding countryside. The Industrial Revolution All began to change in the 18th century as the Industrial Revolution got under way. A major factor in the development of both towns was the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825, which brough coal from the mines of Durham. It was decided to extend the railway and build a new export dock on the south bank of the river, which was named Port Darlington. The port was immediately successful, but within a few years, was unable to cope with the trade and by 1842, a much larger dock had been built at Middlesbrough. The discovery of iron ore at Eston, just to the east gave further impetus, spawning a booming steel industry. Blast furnaces and rolling mills sprang up on either side of the river and so important was the steel business that the area was known as Ironopolis. Shipbuilding became a major industry, with several yards operating along the river. Heavy engineering companies were established too, such as Dorman Long, who built the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle and its much larger cousin, Sydney Harbour Bridge. World War I saw the establishment of a chemical industry to produce nitrates for the manufacture of explosives. But the war ended before production began, and instead the factory was reorganised to produce fertiliser, the plant growing and eventually becoming part of ICI. During World War II, it produced plastics and aviation fuel from the distillation of coal, as well as undertaking some development work on the atomic bomb. A changing economy These were prosperous times, but the area paid a heavy price in pollution from the dust and smoke emanating from the chimneys and from mountains of slag produced by the furnaces, things that did not noticeably improve until the industrial decline during the latter part of the 20th century. Although chemicals and engineering are still significant components of the local economy, service and digital industries now play a much greater role. Trade remains important and Teesport now ranks as Britain's third largest port. The changing economy has resulted in a major reworking of the riverfront. Old industrial sites have been cleared for new developments of housing, offices and light industry. Beside the Tees Barrage derelict land has been cleared for recreation, providing a park and an exciting whitewater canoe course, while elsewhere nature has encroached upon formerly barren ground, creating habitats for a variety of wildlife.
If the Prince-Bishops of Durham had set out to make their cathedral the greatest tourist attraction in the northeast, they could not have done better. In a sense, that is exactly what they did set out to do.
Walk from the car park down to the red and blue metal flags at the top of the park. Turn right down to a bridge, there swinging left onto an island in the centre of the canoe slalom course. Walk on over a second bridge, bearing right and then left onto a riverside path. Before walking away, look back to the Barrage, which was completed in 1995 at a cost of £54 million. The four 50-ton gates control the river flow and help prevent flooding. Upstream, it has created 11 miles (17.7km) of freshwater, which is used for a wide variety of leisure activities, while the whitewater slalom course has hosted world champion canoe competitions. Follow the riverside path downstream through the Portrack Marsh nature reserve. Continue beneath a bridge carrying the A19 and on to the Tees Newport Bridge. Built by Dorman Long, it was the first vertical lift bridge in Britain, the deck being raised to let shipping pass upriver. It was opened in 1934, but with the decline in shipping, the bridge was decommissioned in 1990 and is now permanently down.
1 of 5
Climb steps to the road and cross the bridge, dropping right on the far side back to the river. Swing left at the bottom to pass beneath the bridge and continue downstream for another 1.5 miles (2.4km). The land beside the riverbank here has been reclaimed from the former Newport Iron Works, which were founded in 1864, while on the far side are the chemical complexes at Billingham. The riverside path eventually sweeps around a right-hand bend to reach a blue and white 'End of Cycleway' sign. Turn right and walk away at the edge of Teesaurus Park – formerly a slag heap but now home to metal dinosaurs lurking in the trees.
2 of 5
Reaching the road, go left. Keep ahead at a roundabout, shortly coming to a crossroads near the Transporter Bridge. An iconic symbol of Teesside, it was built between 1907 and 1911 and still carries up to 750 people and 600 vehicles above the Tees every day, the crossing taking just 2.5 minutes. Turn right and walk up to Albert Bridge, where the station entrance is then just to the right. Take the train west one stop to Thornaby.
3 of 5
At Thornaby Station climb up to the footbridge and go right, dropping out onto Station Street. Cross right to a path beside a tyre and auto centre, which leads through to another street. Turn left to a roundabout and turn right along Yale Crescent. Crossing a bridge, go right and left to walk along Westpoint Road towards Stockton town centre. Continue beyond the end on another short path to emerge at a roundabout. Head right along University Boulevard to the next roundabout and go left, bearing right onto Infinity Bridge across the river. When lit up at night, the bridge with its reflection in the river appears as an infinity symbol.
4 of 5
Back on the north bank, double back to the river and head downstream to return to the Tees Barrage. At a fork keep right above the water intake for the slalom course. Continue beneath the barrage bridge and walk up to the car park.
Only the River Tees separates Stockton-on-Tees from Middlesbrough and it served as the border between County Durham and North Yorkshire before the various local government reorganisations of the latter part of the 20th century displaced the ancient boundaries. Both places can trace a history to... before the arrival of the Normans; Middlesbrough was the site of a monastic cell and later priory dedicated to St Hilda, while Stockton was an Anglo-Saxon settlement. But whereas the settlements on the south bank of the river remained small, Stockton grew during the Middle Ages into a modest but busy market town and port under the protection of a castle (long since demolished) owned by the Bishop of Durham. Shipbuilding and trades such as rope and brick manufacture helped the town prosper alongside its main role as a port exporting lead, rope and produce from the surrounding countryside. The Industrial Revolution All began to change in the 18th century as the Industrial Revolution got under way. A major factor in the development of both towns was the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825, which brough coal from the mines of Durham. It was decided to extend the railway and build a new export dock on the south bank of the river, which was named Port Darlington. The port was immediately successful, but within a few years, was unable to cope with the trade and by 1842, a much larger dock had been built at Middlesbrough. The discovery of iron ore at Eston, just to the east gave further impetus, spawning a booming steel industry. Blast furnaces and rolling mills sprang up on either side of the river and so important was the steel business that the area was known as Ironopolis. Shipbuilding became a major industry, with several yards operating along the river. Heavy engineering companies were established too, such as Dorman Long, who built the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle and its much larger cousin, Sydney Harbour Bridge. World War I saw the establishment of a chemical industry to produce nitrates for the manufacture of explosives. But the war ended before production began, and instead the factory was reorganised to produce fertiliser, the plant growing and eventually becoming part of ICI. During World War II, it produced plastics and aviation fuel from the distillation of coal, as well as undertaking some development work on the atomic bomb. A changing economy These were prosperous times, but the area paid a heavy price in pollution from the dust and smoke emanating from the chimneys and from mountains of slag produced by the furnaces, things that did not noticeably improve until the industrial decline during the latter part of the 20th century. Although chemicals and engineering are still significant components of the local economy, service and digital industries now play a much greater role. Trade remains important and Teesport now ranks as Britain's third largest port. The changing economy has resulted in a major reworking of the riverfront. Old industrial sites have been cleared for new developments of housing, offices and light industry. Beside the Tees Barrage derelict land has been cleared for recreation, providing a park and an exciting whitewater canoe course, while elsewhere nature has encroached upon formerly barren ground, creating habitats for a variety of wildlife.
If the Prince-Bishops of Durham had set out to make their cathedral the greatest tourist attraction in the northeast, they could not have done better. In a sense, that is exactly what they did set out to do.
