Barnard Castle Ramblers celebrate 50th anniversary by completing Teesdale Way

HALF a century of rambling in Barnard Castle has been marked by walkers completing the entire length of the Teesdale Way over the course of almost a year.
Walkers from Barnard Castle Ramblers paid tribute to their former chairman John Bird by carrying out his idea of completing the trek to celebrate the group’s 50th anniversary.
Sadly, Mr Bird died before his dream was realised.
Current chairman Allan Rayner said: “We have walked the whole of the Teesdale Way, from Cow Green to Redcar, not all at once, but in stages. Last Saturday was the last one of the 14 stages. We took a circular route from Middleton-in-Teesdale, taking in Low Force.”
The walk, by about 20 members, was followed by a celebratory lunch at Holwick.
He added that along with a walk earlier in the year on the anniversary of the first walk undertaken by the group in 1966, the group had also given cash to the Heart of Teesdale Landscape Partnership to replace three dilapidated stiles with new gates.
The gates have been installed at Ettersgill, Hanging Shaw and along a walk near Bowes Road.
The Ettersgill gate carries a brass plaque commemorating the group’s silver anniversary.
In addition, two other gates were funded privately in memory of former Barnard Castle Ramblers members.
The Ramblers hold a weekly walk of about ten miles every Saturday. They also host a more gentle, shorter Wednesday walk, although with the retirement of hosts Ian and Joan Martin, these now happen on an ad hoc basis.
Mr Rayner said: “It has been quite popular with people who don’t want to walk the full distance.”
Details of the group’s walks can be found on the Teesdale Mercury's events guide.