Today I walked a short section of the England Coast Path from Hartlepool Headland to Crimdon Dene Holiday Park. Stretches of this part of the England Coast Path also follow the Durham Coast Path and The Way of Love route from Durham to Hartlepool.
Living in the village of Dalton Piercy, near Hartlepool, North East England, and in training to walk the last 126km of the Camino Portugues, one of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage routes in northern Spain, I’ve decided to explore as many of the walks on my doorstep that I can.
I really enjoyed the majority of this walk. It was invigorating to walk by the sea with some stunning views.
Hartlepool Headland to Crimdon Dene Section of the England Coast Path – Summary
- Scenery – alongside the beach with great views of the Durham Coast for most of the walk, with the opportunity to walk for stretches on the sand, depending on tide times. Across a golf course and caravan park. A short unattractive and narrow stretch between a railway embankment and building site just before the golf course.
- Distance – approximately 9.5km
- Time to walk – allow 3 hours at a leisurely pace
- Accessibility – no stiles, but some steep steps, sandy ups and downs and path erosion in places. The walk is very accessible and pretty flat along the promenade at Hartlepool, then changes to grit, undulating sand and grass paths along the top of the dunes and cliffs.
- Facilities – there are cafes and other facilities in Hartlepool, plus a lovely cafe in Crimdon Dene directly outside the caravan park. The Hartlepool Golf Course Club House was also open, but seems to be for members and pre-bookings only.
- Points of interest – The Lighthouse and Heugh Battery Museum, at the Headland starting point; Hartlepool’s Old Cemetery, Spion Kop; the historic, industrial Steetley Pier, jutting out to the sea at Crimdon Beach; Crimdon Dene nature reserve towards the end of the walk; great views of Blackhall Rocks from Crimdon Dene cliffs and caravan park.
- Beaches – when the tide is low, the beaches provide plenty of space to enjoy walking directly on the sands.
Please note that the distances and timings may vary. These are according to my fitness tracker.
Navigation and Signage
The England Coast Path symbol on directional signage is an acorn.
For navigation I used OS Landranger Map 93 – Middlesbrough, Darlington and Hartlepool, although mainly I just followed the England Coast Path signs, and made sure I kept the sea to my right hand side! Directions in a couple of places were a little confusing, though.
Just before reaching Hartlepool Golf Course there is a new housing development under construction. Signage was hidden by the builder’s fencing, but present.
The path goes across Hartlepool Golf Course, and signs are plentiful until reaching the Club House. After consulting with some very friendly and helpful golfers, it appears that local youths remove the signage regularly for entertainment. The golfers directed me safely across the course to the path.
Walking Route from Hartlepool Headland to Crimdon Dene
1. Start at the lighthouse and Heugh Battery Museum on Hartlepool Headland. There is free parking outside the museum.
2. Turn left to walk north along the promenade that runs along the sea until it comes to an end.
3. Turn left and then right up the grassy slope along the dune tops, sign posted for the England Coast Path. Keep going past Spion Kop, the Old Cemetery and a new housing development on your left.
4. When the path seems to disappear at the end of the new housing estate, turn left towards a railway bridge and then turn right just before the railway bridge. You’ll have the railway embankment on your left and a building site on your right. The path is narrow and well-used by dog walkers. Keep going until you reach Hartlepool Golf Course.
5. Follow the signs for the England Coast Path across Hartlepool Golf Course, being careful of golfers hitting balls over the trail.
6. Keep following the England Coast Path signs to briefly cross Crimdon Dene nature reserve, heading straight across towards Crimdon Dene car park and cafe, which will be on your left.
7. Stay straight on, signed as the Durham Coast Path, along the edge of Parkdean Crimdon Dene Holiday Park, with the cliff edge directly on your right, until you reach the end of the caravan site. Enjoy the views of Blackhall rocks from there, the end of the walk.
