Barnard Castle to Lartington Circular Walk

Parking and Access

This walk starts from the small Deepdale Woods car park on the Startforth side of Barnard Castle. The postcode for the start point is DL12 9AZ.

The car park only has space for around five vehicles, but if it is full there is usually additional roadside parking available in the nearby layby a short distance further along the road.

Deepdale Woods sits only a couple of minutes from Barnard Castle itself, making this one of the easiest woodland walks to access from the town.

The route is mainly gentle, with only a few gradual uphill sections. Most of the walk follows woodland paths, riverside tracks and quiet estate roads.

This route is not suitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs due to uneven ground, roots, narrow woodland sections and muddy areas after rain.

Route Description

From the Deepdale Woods car park, cross the road and head through the gate to the left of Silver Bridge. Do not cross the bridge itself. The route passes what was once Deepdale Mill, now converted into a house, before following the quiet single track lane with the River Tees on your right and open fields on your left.

As the woodland begins to close in, turn left into Pecknell Woods. This is one of the most peaceful sections of the walk, with the path weaving through woodland beside Scur Beck beneath mature trees and seasonal displays of bluebells and wild garlic.

Continue past Pecknell Caravan Park and follow the track down to cross the bridge. Head through the gate to your right after the crossing the bridge signed for Lartington Hall Park where the public right of way follows Scur Beck upstream. A small waterfall appears on your right before the path continues past a pond and through the beautiful grounds surrounding Lartington Hall.

Lartington Hall has long been one of the most historic estates near Barnard Castle. The hall and surrounding parkland became closely associated with the Witham family during the 19th century, including Henry Witham and Reverend Monsignor Thomas Witham whose influence can still be felt across the area today.

Keep Lartington Hall on your left and continue through the gate towards the road. Directly ahead sits the historic Lartington Hall mausoleum and graveyard.

Turn left and follow the quiet lane to the main road,at the main road turn right and walk through Lartington village itself. Some of the stone cottages here are full of charm and character, giving this section of the walk a timeless feel.

As you leave the village, do not follow the road around to the right. Instead turn left onto the old railway track bed. This peaceful section follows part of the dismantled railway line where you will pass the old Lartington West signal box beside the trees.

The track eventually leads back into Deepdale Woods where the route turns left through the woodland. This final section is especially beautiful during spring when the woods are filled with wild garlic and bluebells beneath the tall trees.

Shortly before returning to the car park you will pass the Great Stone, a huge glacial boulder carried here from the Shap area of Cumbria during the last Ice Age thousands of years ago. Look closely and you can still see the shimmering pink mineral tones within the rock.

The woodland path finally loops back to the Deepdale Woods car park where the walk began.

Things You Will See on This Walk

This circular walk packs a surprising amount into just over five miles. Along the route you will pass riverside woodland, hidden railway history, historic estate features and quiet corners of Teesdale that many people drive past without ever noticing.

About Lartington

Lartington is one of the most picturesque villages near Barnard Castle, known for its historic estate, quiet countryside and woodland surroundings. The area became closely connected with the Witham family during the 1800s and still carries a peaceful estate village atmosphere today.

Walking through the grounds of Lartington Hall gives this route a very different feel to many walks near Barnard Castle. Woodland paths, hidden ponds, old estate walls and traces of railway history combine to create a route that feels calm, quiet and surprisingly untouched despite being so close to town.

The nearby mausoleum and historic buildings around the village also provide fascinating links to the wider history of Teesdale and the people who once shaped the area.

It’s More Than Just a Walk

This walk reminds us that some of the best places around Barnard Castle are not always the busiest or most famous.

They are the quiet woodland paths beside hidden becks, the old railway lines slowly being reclaimed by nature and the moments where you stop hearing traffic altogether.

Deepdale Woods and Pecknell Woods have a calming atmosphere that changes through every season. In spring the woods glow green with wild garlic and bluebells, while autumn brings deep gold and copper colours beneath the trees.

It is the kind of route where a flask of coffee and a simple bench somehow feels better than sitting in a busy café.

For us, this is exactly what outdoor exploring should feel like. Slowing down, reconnecting with nature and appreciating the quieter places that many people overlook.

It is definitely more than just a walk.

Find More Walking Routes in Barnard Castle

This walk is part of our growing collection of walking routes in and around Barnard Castle. You can find more peaceful woodland walks, riverside routes and circular walks through our Walks in and near Barnard Castle guide.

Before you set off, you can also use our Barnard Castle Town Map to find nearby parking, public toilets, cash points, EV charging points and useful places around the town.

You may also enjoy learning more about Henry Witham and Reverend Monsignor Thomas Witham, whose family connections helped shape the history of Lartington Hall and the surrounding estate landscape.

Deepdale Woods also connects with several other quiet woodland walks and riverside paths around Barnard Castle and Startforth, making it a lovely place to return to in different seasons.