| 1. From the Car Park at the head of the main entrance gates to the Docks and North Peir, head north along the prominade dropping onto the B1287 road following the directions to Ryhope. At the roundabout on the southern outskirts of Ryhope turn left onto the A1018 and cross the next roundabout. Then drop onto the footpath cycle/route on the left hand side of the road taking you onto the Old Mining Mineral Track (if you reach the next roundabout you have gone too far). This section of the route is a steady climb of about 2 miles up into Seaton, with a section of steep falls down into the Dene (this section is popular with walkers and horse riders). The route levels off at the Seaton Crossings and is easy riding from here, through Murton Village over the crossing to South Hetton. Here you will enter the flats where the track may be lost but Slightly head South East and you should find a bridge crossing the main road (A182) and keep South passing through the villages of Shotton and Wingate, inclining down through Castle Eden and Hart Village to a pedestrian bridge over the East Coast Rail. From here you need to head North East back to the coast and into the southern entrance to Crimdon Caravan Park, whereby you can follow the cycle route signs back along the coastal route North back to Seaham. This route can be described as intermediate with some hard trecking through the Denes at Castle Eden, Easington and Hawthorne, where you will find steep steps either side of the Denes. For those who want to keep it simple, drop down onto the beach and travel along untill you reach Horden where you can re-join the cycle route heading North. The next obstacle is Easington Dene. If you follow the footpath along the top of the Dene it drops into the Dene just before the train lines (be vigilent as this access is easy to miss). Follow the footpath around the Dene heading back towards the cliff tops and onto Hawthorne Dene. Follow the route under the train lines and hang a left taking you down into the Dene and over a small foot bridge and up a steep stepped incline. Keep to the footpath heading North and it will bring you to a foot crossing back over the railway lines. Turn left (North) onto the cycle route back to Seaham. |