Monday 24th July, 20 members from the U3A shorter walking group gathered outside the Co-op shop on Front St in Cockfield. Full of eagerness and enthusiasm for the walk ahead.
Pete led the group up Front St, along Garden House Lane, to pause at George Dixon's home for some information about George, an engineer famous for blowing up his own house whilst pioneering the use of coal gas in heating and lighting. He was also the older brother of Jeremiah, famous for surveying the Mason-Dixon line.
Then on we walked and talked reaching Cockfield Fell, we observed the station cottage, the general position of the Cockfield railway station that was part of the Bishop Auckland to Barnard Castle line. We walked along the old railway line to reach the site of an old level crossing then we joined Scotland Lane to walk to Burnt Houses from there a footpath between the cottages returned us to Cockfield and the start point. We did encounter some livestock, however James ensured we got safely past them.
About a 3.5 mile walk with some good views of the surrounding landscape.
Report by Peter Harding.