Shacklesborough Circular Walk from Balderhead Reservoir

Parking and Access

Parking for this walk is at the main car park beside Balderhead Reservoir, postcode DL12 9UX.

The car park is free to use and sits directly beside the reservoir dam, making it a straightforward and convenient starting point. It’s usually quiet, particularly outside of peak summer weekends, and feels remote in a good way.

There are no facilities here, so bring water, snacks and anything else you may need before setting off. Mobile signal can also be limited in this part of Upper Teesdale.

Access to the surrounding land is open once you leave the dam area, but this is exposed moorland. Weather can change quickly and there is little shelter, so come prepared with suitable footwear and clothing.

It’s a simple start, but one that immediately gives you a sense of the space and calm that defines this walk.

The Walk to Shacklesborough

From the car park at Balderhead Reservoir, head straight across the dam. This is a brilliant way to begin, with water stretching out on both sides and wide Teesdale skies opening up ahead. As you cross, take a moment to look right across the reservoir itself, then left towards Blackton Reservoir, sitting quietly beyond the dam wall.

Once over the dam, follow the track uphill past the farmhouse. The surface here is clear and easy to walk on, gradually gaining height as you leave the reservoir behind. Before long, the track gives way to open access land and the landscape begins to feel bigger and more exposed.

Continue climbing steadily. It is not overly steep, but it is consistent enough to warm the legs early on. Getting this ascent done first means the rest of the walk feels far more relaxed. As you rise onto the moor, bear slightly to your right and you will begin to see Shacklesborough ahead, standing as a raised mound against the horizon.

The approach feels open and spacious. There are no dramatic ridgelines here, just wide upland views in every direction. Underfoot, expect a mix of grass and rough moorland ground. In dry conditions it is straightforward, but after rain it can be soft in places.

As you reach Shacklesborough, take time to explore the summit area. The trig pillar marks the highest point at 454 metres, but the wider mound is what makes it interesting. Raised ground, scattered boulders, and sections of drystone walling give it character. Whether natural or shaped by past use, it has a presence that feels older than the modern landscape around it.

From here, the walking becomes easier as you begin your descent towards Bleagill. The ground slopes downhill and you can choose your own best line, picking the clearest route that suits conditions. Take care on this section, especially if the grass is damp.

Bleagill waterfall is a quiet and modest feature. It only really shows itself after heavy rain, but it makes a peaceful pause point. Even when the flow is light, the sound of water and the sense of space around you make it a good place to stop for a drink.

From Bleagill, continue downhill towards the River Balder. Cross carefully, choosing a sensible point depending on water levels. After crossing, follow the river downstream. The path becomes easier to see here, gently curving around the gill as it leads you back towards the edge of the reservoir landscape.

Eventually you will reach the single track road that runs alongside Balderhead Reservoir. Turn and follow it back towards the dam. It is a quiet stretch and an easy final section, giving you time to look back across the water and up towards Shacklesborough rising behind you.

Just before returning to the car park, keep an eye out on your left for the remains of an old lime kiln. It is a small but powerful reminder of the working history woven into this landscape.

This circular route combines reservoir views, open moorland, a trig summit, a seasonal waterfall, and a gentle riverside finish. It feels spacious and unhurried, the kind of walk where the calm settles in without you even noticing.

What You’ll See on This Walk

This circular route across Balderhead moorland offers a mix of upland features, open views and subtle traces of Teesdale’s working past. From exposed rock formations and old stone walls to sweeping reservoir scenery, there is plenty to notice if you slow down and look around.

The History of Shacklesborough

Shacklesborough has long been recognised as a named hill in Upper Teesdale. Historic mapping clearly marks it, and older maps also include the word “currack” nearby, suggesting a feature or enclosure associated with the summit area.

While there is no confirmed archaeological record identifying the site as a medieval farmstead, the raised ground, scattered bolders and fragments of drystone walling indicate that the hill has likely been used or adapted at some point in the past. In upland Teesdale, even small elevated sites were valuable for grazing management, lookout points or temporary shelter.

The name itself has attracted interest. By the late nineteenth century, Shacklesborough was already embedded in local folklore. An 1884 edition of the Teesdale Mercury records a tradition that Robin Hood and his men once stood upon Shacklesborough before the outlaw supposedly hurled a giant stone towards Lunedale. That stone became known as Robin Hood’s Pennystone, and the tale was still being repeated decades later in local place-name studies.

In a 1929 article on the place names of Teesdale, the hill is again referenced, confirming that Shacklesborough was an established and recognised landmark in the dale’s cultural memory.

Later newspaper accounts from the 1940s describe sheep clipping gatherings in Baldersdale, mentioning Shacklesborough alongside nearby hills and even an old coal mine in the area. This reinforces its long association with upland farming life.

Today, the summit trig point may be the most visible marker, but the deeper story lies in the quiet continuity of use. Farming, folklore, grazing, quarrying and community traditions have all left their imprint on this landscape.

Shacklesborough may not shout its history, but it carries it quietly across the moor.

A Moment of Calm

Shacklesborough is not a dramatic peak. It does not tower above the landscape or pull in crowds.

It simply rises.

Standing beside the trig point, with wind moving through the grass and the reservoirs spread out below, there is a quiet stillness here. The kind that only comes with open moorland and distance from roads and noise.

The climb is behind you. The hard ground, the stone, the old walls, the stories. Now it is just space.

If you sit for a moment and look across Baldersdale, you can feel how unchanged parts of this landscape still are. Farming continues. Sheep move slowly across the fell. Weather rolls in and passes just as it has for generations.

It is not loud. It is not showy.

But it settles you.

And sometimes that is exactly what a walk should do.

About This Walking Guide

This Shacklesborough Circular Walk was explored and photographed by Outdoor Exploring Family as part of our Discover Teesdale project. All route details are based on our own experience on the ground.

Distances and timings are approximate and will vary depending on pace, weather and ground conditions. This is open moorland terrain with limited shelter and no facilities, so suitable footwear, navigation awareness and sensible preparation are important.

We always recommend carrying an OS map or offline digital route, checking the forecast before setting out, and respecting livestock and working farmland. Please follow the Countryside Code and leave no trace so that these quiet places remain special for everyone.