Hownsgill Viaduct Consett — Local services in Healeyfield

This viaduct is now part of the Derwent Walk. The walk starts in Gateshead and takes you along the old railway lines through Rowland's Gill until finally you arrive in Consett. I did the whole walk as a child and it seemed to go on forever. Recently I came to the viaduct because my husband and I were doing a Geocaching series that would eventually take us over the viaduct. As we approached it from underneath it, the sound of the wind was fantastic. It made the local caves feel spooky. Once we got to the top of the bank and started walking over, the wind was even better. The views around were amazing. We had a good time here and will be returning soon as we didn't find one of the...

What a piece of historic railway architecture that was built in 1857. The railway closed in 1985 and is now part of the national cycling network as well as the C2C route. The viaduct can be crossed from Lydgetts Junction, about a 20 minute walk along a hard standing surface suitable for all users. Brilliant views from the viaduct but you do need a head for heights and choose a day its not as windy, but definitely worth a visit if...

An impressive structure with fantastic views from the top. A short walk into the valley, following the Heritage Trail, gives great views of the viaduct. However - I am a little disappointed by the lack of benches along the trail and near the viaduct. The trail is also quite difficult to follow once in the valley because of the limited signage and lack of maps. Despite these, it makes for a good stop when visiting other places...