(S) From the car park, walk walk up the access road and take the new footpath up to Penshaw Monument, this has a number of steps. Alternatively take one of the dirt paths around the bottom of the hill (gate opposite the roundabout).
(1) From Penshaw Monument, take either the left path down the steps and through a kissing gate, then taking the path to the right, or the right path down the hill and over a stile (north side of Penshaw Monument). Enter Penshaw Woods and take the path heading northwest. This will then intersect with another path coming through Penshaw Wood.
(2) Turn right (northeast) and walk through the woods. You will emerge into a field, cross the field and go through the kissing gate onto the road. Turn left and follow the road down to the farm, continue following the road around towards the golf course
(3) As you approach the golf course youw will see a gate in front of you, go around the side of the gate and follow this path, this maintains the northeasterly direction then turns left (northwest). Copperas Gill will be on your right. When you reach the river bank, turn left. You will now be on the Weardale Way.
Alternative route: When you emerge from the gate, turn left and then take the next left along the road, be careful as there is no footpath. After the double bend, take the right hand turn down the road, there is a footpath here. Follow this road all the way to the river bank (Oddfellows Arms) and then turn left, you will now be on the Weardale Way. This village section is a good alternative when it is wet.
(4) Cross the River Wear using the bridge at Cox Green. Walk through the car park and take the righthand track, this is signposted the C2C cycle route. Take the left path (the right one is the driveway to the house) around the back of the house, this then swings right (east) through the woods back to the north bank of the Wear.
(5) Continue walking along the river bank ignoring the paths to your left until you pass under some overhead power lines. Just before you pass under the second set of overhead power lines, the path turns left (north). Continue to follow this path which bends right then left before taking a right turn around a pond to your right and a factory to your left, then left again until you arrive at the car park for the Wetlands Trust (E).
