Smardale Viaduct Walk, Coast to Coast
Historical and Educational Articles
Smardale Viaduct, Smardale
Unseen from the walk is an ancient settlement, Smardale South Demesne Medieval Village. It is up on the hills above the nature reserve. As you approach the dismantled Smardalegill Viaduct, visible on the skyline on the east bank is an area of limestone outcropping known as Witches Stride.
Walking across the Old Smardale Viaduct, in the distance ahead, is Smardale Bridge (known locally as County Bridge), an ancient packhorse bridge. There are pillow mounds on both sides of Scandal Beck near to the bridge. The walk then takes you to Newbiggin on Lune, following the route of the dismantled railway. This part of the route is a haven for wild flowers, flowering shrubs and butterflies.
A hillside display of Bluebells in Demesne Wood
Smardale Viaduct
The Old Smardale Viaduct was designed in 1861 by Sir Thomas Bouch as part of the South Durham & Lancashire Union Railway. The purpose of the railway was to convey coke from County Durham to the iron and steel furnaces in barrow, and limestone to Durham, hence the local nick name, the "black and white line".
Smardale Viaduct
Smardale Viaduct is a Grade II Listed Building. It was designed by Sir Thomas Bouch and built in 1861 by Henry Wrigg. The viaduct has 14 arches and is 275m high and 168m long. Following the closure of Barrow's steelworks the railway was closed. It is now owned by the Cumbria Wildlife Trust as part of the Smardale Gill National Nature Reserve.
Smardale Viaduct
Smardale Viaduct was constructed from sandstone which came from the sandstone quarries adjacent to the rail track on the opposite side of Scandal Beck. The work was carried out by labourers, known as navvies, who lived in huts at the side of the Beck.
Smardale Gill Limestone Kilns
Smardale Gill is home to a set of mid 19th century double limestone kilns. They are scheduled monuments. and are found near to the Smardale limestone quarries and close to the Viaduct. They are housed at the side of the dismantled railway and can be examined while walking the Viaduct trail.
Smardale Sandstone
The sandstone quarry from where the material was obtained for constructing the Smardale Viaduct is found on the east bank of the Scandal Beck near to Smardale Bridge. The quarry has a large cavern blasted into it.
Smardale Viaduct Walk
The Smardale Viaduct walk, where it passes through the reserve owned by the Smardale Gill National Nature Reserve, is smooth and hard-surfaced, allowing wheel chair access. Beyond the Reserve's territory the path, whilst good, is no longer hard-surfaced.
Smardale Viaduct Walk
The Smardale Viaduct walk extends from Smardale Hall to Newbiggin-on-Lune, about 4 miles. The section of walk beyond the National Nature Reserve is attractively festooned with flowering trees and wayside herbs, in the early summer.
Coast to Coast Trail Guide
Hiking the Coast to Coast
"Hiking the Coast to Coast" is a digitally enhanced eBook available from Apple Books for all people who have either a Mac, an iPhone or an iPad, and is designed to accompany you on your walk of the Coast to Coast path. The trail guide contains Ordnance Survey maps and other advanced mapping features, step by step directions, hundreds of colour photographs, details of the route, its conditions in different weather and research snippets relating to places of interest along the way.
