Darlington Borough Council is responsible for 216 miles or 346 kilometres of Public Rights of Way
Darlington’s Public Rights of Way network is made up of:
Public Footpaths – 280 kilometres
Public Bridleways – 66 kilometres
Byway open to all traffic (BOAT) – 0.13 kilometre
How can I recognise Rights of Way?
View the latest Rights of Way news
In the Borough of Darlington, all but one of our Rights of Way are Public Footpaths and Public Bridleways. There is one Byway Open to All Traffic (BOAT)
Within the Borough there is also one Permissive Path, which passes through the area around Skerningham Manor, linking Skerningham and Hutton Plantations via a pleasant walk above the south bank of the River Skerne.
The Council is looking towards improving future countryside access around the Borough, by developing more permissive access partnerships with landowners.
The Countryside Team, with the help of nearly 60 Countryside Volunteers, manages the whole network. Darlington’s Rights of Way network covers a wide variety of landscapes: hills and valleys, rural and urban, short paths and circular walks.
The Teesdale Way, a Long Distance footpath passes through the southern part of the Borough of Darlington.
Many of our Rights of Way are ancient. Some of Darlington’s Rights of Way date back almost a thousand years!
Over such a long time, some of these ancient paths and tracks have been widened, surfaced and become lanes and roads.
One example is the age-old Salters’ route, which is still a rustic lane in one part of the Borough, whilst nearer to the town centre, it is in the form of a main road!
Who looks after and manages Public Rights of Way?
Public Rights of Way pass over land owned by private individuals, and in some cases, companies. These are our landowners, and their support and goodwill are essential in maintaining the Public Rights of Way network to a good standard.
Parish Councils have important rights and powers with regard to Public Rights of Way, and can have a crucial role to play in safeguarding their local network of paths. Parish Councils should contact the Public Rights of Way Officer in the Countryside Team for further information.
There are a number of associations: walking groups, riding groups etc. who, on an informal basis, assist the Council by monitoring the condition of Rights of Way and informing the Countryside Team about any problems.
Each countryside officer has responsibility for a geographic area within the Borough.
- Nick Elliott - Darlington urban area and the parishes in the west and north west of the Borough: Piercebridge, High Coniscliffe, Low Coniscliffe, Summerhouse, Killerby, Denton, Heighington, Walworth, Archdeacon Newton and Houghton le Side
- Yvonne Ramage - parishes to the north and east of Darlington: Barmpton, Bishopton, Brafferton, Coatham Mundeville, East & West Newbiggin, Great Burdon, Great Stainton, Little Stainton, Sadberge and Whessoe.
- Issues arising in the parishes to the south and south west of Darlington are temporarily being attended to by the following officers:
Hurworth, Neasham and Sockburn - Nick Elliott
Low Dinsdale, Middleton St George, Morton Palms - Yvonne Ramage.
To contact by telephone:
Nick Elliott 01325 388643
Yvonne Ramage 388784
e-mail – countryside@darlington.gov.uk
The Beehive
Lingfield Point
Darlington
DL1 1YN
Darlington Borough Council aims to work in partnership with landowners, parish councils, volunteer monitors and the public.
Tees Valley Local Access Forum
Tees Valley Local Access Forum
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 required that all Highway Authorities in England and Wales set up 'Local Access Forums' to advise both local authorities and the Countryside Agency (now called Natural England) on access issues and the Rights of Way Improvement Plan.
Each forum consists of between 12 and 20 individuals with specific interests in, or knowledge of issues relating to access. There is a fantastic range of expertise within the LAF, with both user and landowner interests being represented evenly.
There are many Countryside Leaflets and Publications available to the public. These include Cycle Routes, utilising the bridleways and back roads around Darlington as well as easy to moderate Circular Walks set in the countryside surrounding Darlington. Some of these are downloadable, whilst others are available from the Tourist Information Centre in Horsemarket.
If you are interested in visiting the countryside and want to use the Public Rights of Way network, you may want to ask some questions. Click on the Frequently Asked Questions link. Alternatively you may wish to find out about the Council’s, Landowners’ or your Rights and Responsibilities when walking the Rights of Way network.
As a landowner you may want to make sure of your legal obligations regarding Ploughing and Cropping Issues and your Rights and Responsibilities as a landowner.