River Esk: Steam, Ride and Ramble Walk

Leave the station, turn left along the road towards Boot, then turn right at the crossroads by the pub and head south down the track. The way passes through Esk View Farm, where linear stone walls are the remains of the railway line that served the quarries, then reaches St Catherine's Church and the stepping stones across the River Esk. From the church a pitched surface follows the river upstream to the old railway bridge, which looks toward Gill Force Waterfall, before the route climbs gently through gates and thin woods to the humpback bridge known locally as Doctor's Bridge.

Cross the Esk at Doctor's Bridge and follow the river downstream away from Penny Hill Farm. At Low Birker Farm the bridleway leads through the property and along a walled track to a small footbridge over a ford. Open ground lined with gorse and bracken carries you back towards Gill Force, then an earthen path through woodland, a ford crossing and a gate into a plantation. Stanley Force Waterfall is an optional detour here. Beyond the plantation the bridleway crosses a field to a track and the B road, and a right turn by the old school and war memorial returns you to the station.

The walk is rated easy, with generally good surfaces and clear, unobscured paths for most of its length. There is a small area of uneven ground, and paths can gather water and turn muddy after showers, so footwear with grip and a tolerance for wet feet makes the day easier.

The route uses bridges and fords rather than open river wading, but water is a constant companion and the stepping stones near St Catherine's Church should be treated with respect when the Esk is high. The one point that catches walkers out is the gate where two close parallel paths appear: the well defined lower path crosses the Esk toward the old railway bridge, while the upper ill defined grass strip can be mistaken for the route. Take the lower path, then return to the split and take the right hand path for Doctor's Bridge.

Start from the pay and display car park at Dalegarth Station, which pairs neatly with an arrival by steam train along the valley line. An alternative car park is passed near the B road towards the end of the loop. Dogs are welcome, and local and seasonal guidance should be followed, particularly on the farm sections at Esk View, Penny Hill and Low Birker.