Cycle Gateshead - Derwent

Derwent Walk and Derwenthaugh Park

From the District Boundary with Derwentside the NCN 14 (C2C) cycle route passes through Rowlands Gill on a shared use path alongside the road before joining the Derwent Walk - following the track bed of the disused Derwent Valley Railway it crosses the Nine Arches Viaduct where the route divides.

NCN 14 turns left following the wide sweep of the River Derwent on a multi-user path through the Derwenthaugh Country Park. After crossing to the west bank it continues down to the River Tyne to join the Keelman's Way at Blaydon.

The Derwent Walk continues ahead following the disused railway down to Swalwell.

WARNING

RED KITE VIEWING PLATFORM

PLEASE SLOW DOWN WHEN CROSSING THE NINE ARCHES VIADUCT
THERE IS A VIEWING PLATFORM AND INFORMATION TENT ON THE VIADUCT

STOP AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS PROJECT TO RETURN RED KITES
BACK INTO THE WILD IN THE NORRTH EAST

Click here for more information

The River Derwent rises 518 metres above sea level in the heart of the North Pennines.
One third of its 35 mile (56 km) route runs no further than 3/4 mile from the Derwent Walk before entering the River Tyne near Swalwell.
The river is healthy and supports a wide range of wildlife including kingfisher, dipper and otter.

The Derwent Valley Railway
The Derwent Valley Railway was opened in 1867 after three years' hard building work. Four viaducts were constructed and a deep, 800 metres long cutting was dug near Rowlands Gill. (now infilled)
Stations were built at Shotley Bridge, Ebchester, High Westwood, Lintz Green, Rowlands Gill and Swalwell.
At its peak the railway was carrying over half a million passengers a year with a regular goods traffic of timber, bricks and coal to Newcastle and iron ore to Consett.
As road traffic became more efficient the service declined until the line finally closed in 1962.

The trackbed was later reclaimed and converted into the Derwent Walkway and later used as part of the NCN14 & C2C cycle route.
Derwenthaugh Country Park
Until 1986, Derwenthaugh Park was the site of the Derwenthaugh Coke Works. Opened in 1928 it took coal from the Chopwell colliery and the resulting coke was shipped from the staithes on the River Tyne at Derwenthaugh.
In the 18th and 19th centuries Crowley's Ironworks dominated the site. These were the largest ironworks in Europe at the time.

Gateshead Council has transformed the former cokeworks and spoil heaps into parkland with cycle tracks and footpaths, a fishing lake, a golf course, and a link into the Derwent Country Park with its 300 acres of woodlands, diverse wildlife and habitats.