Heather Barron talks to dog-walking enthusiast Tony Hall who loved his outings with his two Beagles, Darwin and Huxley, so much that he launched a website called www.dogwalks.co.uk, featuring all of his favourite walks in the region. Here's a selection...

1. Yeavering Bell

The Northern Echo:

Start and Finish

Kirknewton, five miles West of Wooler on the B6351. Park next to the church in the village Description A walk of approximately six miles across farmland and the Eastern fringes of the Cheviot Hills, taking in a waterfall and the twin tops of Yeavering Bell. Easy to follow throughout, with wildlife to watch out for and plenty of sheep too.

The Walk

From the churchyard gate, turn right up the road and turn left down another minor road, passing West Kirknewton Farm Cottage, before turning right. This road soon turns into a grassy track after veering to the right. Keep on the easy-to-follow track as it skirts to the left of Kirknewton House.

Keep on this broad track, passing through three gates as you go, and a derelict cottage, and enter College Burn valley.

After veering left, still on the track, a fork appears. The wooden sign says 'Permissive Path' and points to the right. Take this fork and cross over a wall stile, ignoring the yellow arrow pointing left.

Cross the field in a similar direction as you approached the wall and you see a gate in the opposite wall. Head towards this gate, and go through it.

The path is rather vague here, but, once again, keep in the same rough direction until reaching a wire fence and follow this up and then right until eventually reaching a stile.

The stile also has a 'St. Cuthberts Way' sign on it. Go over the stile and follow the path to a junction of paths, take the right path and follow it down, soon reaching the waterfall of Hethpool Linn.

Retrace your steps to the stile next to the wire fence and take the path leading diagonally across the field, passing a sheep enclosure on the way. Join the track, and pass through two gates before passing to the right of Torleehouse.

Keep on the track until just before the second cattle grid. Here, turn right at the way-marker and after 80 yards or so, go through a gate which leads to a grassy path up to a wall stile. Go over the wall stile and admire Yeavering Bell immediately in front of you.

Once over the stile, turn right and proceed up the grass track until you come to a crossroad signpost signalling Yeavering Bell to the left. Take this path and proceed to the summit of Yeavering Bell.

After admiring the views all around, including the North Sea to the east, move to the northern side of the peak and look for the marker posts which designate the descent route. Follow the posts as they descend diagonally to a gate/stile.

Go over or through and move to the next gate on the right. Once again, go over the wall stile and follow the marker posts down to the wall stile just before the hamlet of Old Yeavering.

Proceed to join the road and turn left and walk the last few hundred yards back into Kirknewton.

2. Simonside Hills

The Northern Echo:

Start and Finish

Simonside Picnic Area, grid ref. NZ037996, a right turn off the B6342 signposted Simonside, approx 2 miles South of Rothbury. The woodland picnic area is over two cattle grids to the left.

Description A walk of approximately 5 miles, through a forest trail, a low mountain ridge and a small section of road walking at the start.

It takes in the site of an Iron Age Hillfort, just off the Lordenshaw car-park, breathtaking views all around and possible sightings of Red Squirrels, Goldcrest and Crossbill in the forest.

Sheep can be found on the moorland.

The Walk

Leave the car-park and turn right to follow the track back over a cattle grid to the Lordenshaw car park, just less than a mile away on the left. Turn left through the car-park and proceed up the path and turn left up a grassy track to the Iron Age hillfort.

Views down to Rothbury and in the opposite direction, the main ridge leading to Dove Crag and Simonside. This is the next objective.

Return back to the car-park, and cross the track and follow the well-worn path up to a wall, turn right behind the wall and follow it up to the Beacon, a windbreak is here. Continue up the path, where it leads to a ladder stile over a fence, cross this stile and walk until the path forks left and right, half way up. The right path is waymarked 'Red', take the left path up to Dove Crag, where the path now skirts the crags facing North. Good views of Rothbury are to be had here.

The next section up to Simonside can be a little boggy, adequate footwear is essential for this short section. This leads to the summit of Simonside, where the River Coquet can be seen meandering through the valley to North, and even further to the North West are the Cheviot Hills. This is the highest point of the walk.

Walk on, and almost immediately turn right down a steep but not difficult path which leads to a forest road. Turn right and follow this road as it bends left, another track leads off to the right crossing the Coe Burn over a small bridge.

A path soon leads off to the right, through the wood, signposted with a 'Red' waymarker, continue on this path through the wood and follow the red markers back to the car-park.

3. The Causey Arch Figure Eight Walk

The Northern Echo:

Start and Finish

The Causey Arch car park off the A6076 Sunniside/Stanley approx. two miles from Sunniside opposite the Causey Arch public house.

Description A short walk, approx two miles, around the Causey Gorge and crossing the Causey Arch - the world's oldest surviving railway bridge - through deciduous woodland and following part of the Tanfield Railway, with local history information boards detailing the history of the Arch and railway.

The Walk

From the car park, walk past the toilet building down into the woodland. After a short time, the path forks. Take the right fork and go down to the bottom of the gorge alongside the Causey Burn. Ignore the first footbridge and cross the next a few yards further, and follow the path through the wood, crossing the burn twice more over footbridges. In front of you now is the Causey Arch, the path leads up to and below it before ascending a considerable amount of steps up the right side of the Arch.

Once at the top, turn left and cross the Arch where you can appreciate the full height as you look down. Straight ahead is the railway platform. Veer right just before this and walk through a gate which crosses the railway track and up a few steps, which are almost inevitably quite muddy. The path now undulates along as it follows the course of the railway, though initially keeping well above the track. Across to the left is Beamish Open Air Museum which you can just see approx. ¾ mile away.

Follow the path as it drops to run alongside the track and soon crosses it to lead towards the Causey Burn. Cross the bridge over the burn and turn right (there is another information board a few paces to the left and if the trains are running, a small café serving refreshments is a further five-minutes-walk along this way) After crossing the bridge and turning right, follow the path which gently rises up through the woodland, passes a memorial seat and up a few steps. Turn right and cross the Arch again, this time veer left, signposted for the car-park and follow it back to the car-park.

This walk is enjoyable at any time of year but can become muddy in the winter or even during wet spells in the summer, but is at its best in summer under the dappled shade of the trees.

Wildlife to watch out for Grey Squirrels, Roe deer, Green Woodpeckers, Long Tailed Tits, Mallards, Jays, Kestrels

4. High Force and the Green Tro

The Northern Echo:

Start and Finish

Bowlees Visitor Centre car-park, a few miles up from Middleton in Teesdale on the B6277. Grid Reference NY 90773 28277 Description A classic walk in Teesdale with the tourist attraction of High Force along with the relative solitude of moorland walking. It can be boggy at times at places along the moor, depending on the time of year, but the stretch from Low Force to High Force is along a well-walked path, although it has a couple of high stiles which may prove tricky for the less agile dog. Before setting off, you may wish to follow the path up to Gibsons Cave which is only a short way from the car park.

The Walk

Leave the car park at the left side and cross the stream using the footbridge. Ascend the steps and go past the Bowlees Visitor Centre. Take the road down which leads to the main road (B6277), and at this road turn right. On the opposite side of the road, a few yards down, there is a public footpath leading down through a field.

Go through the kissing gate and follow the path down to a gap stile which leads to a piece of woodland that embraces Low Force. Good views of Low Force can be had if you turn right in the woodland and walk towards the River Tees.

Cross over the narrow Wynch Bridge (suspension bridge) and take the obvious path to the right. This path follows the River Tees upstream. Keep on this one and only path, crossing any stiles and gates as the come.

Eventually you will arrive at High Force, and no doubt will not be alone.

Continue on past High Force, again following the obvious path to the left of the River Tees, passing a quarry on the opposite bank. The path now changes from a stony track to a soft green grass path which still follows the path of the river.

Cross two footbridges over two small streams and ascend the stepped pathway as it goes over Bracken Rigg.

Go past an old, solitary shed and you will see two stone marker posts. The one on the left has an arrow on it pointing to the left, and is marked 'GT' for Green Trod. Take this path down to the corner of the field and go through the kissing gate. This part is usually wet but there are stones to stand on. Go through and follow the path which meets another path heading roughly east to west. The way right leads up and over Cronkley Fell, but our route goes the opposite way and down the Green Trod. At the time of writing (July 2006), this junction of paths is marked with an 'National Nature Reserve' information board.

Follow the Green Trod down, crossing a small stream (Noon Hill Spring). Keep on this path as it gets a little more stony and follows the wall to the left - this wall soon bears sharp left but our path is straight on towards a cairn. Keep on this obvious path as it goes between two shooting huts and head towards the next cairn. From this cairn, a gate further along the path can be seen. Go to this gate after crossing a high stile on the way. This section can be boggy in places This leads onto a vehicle track; turn left and go down this track.

Cross a stile or go through the smaller gate to the right. Keep on this track as it approaches Holwick Scar. There is a wide track leading down to a mansion, but ignore this and take the stile or gate which is guarded by two stone sheep statues.

Keep on the obvious path, which will soon fork. Take the left path and follow it down to a house on the right. Pass this house and go through the gate, taking the road which leads down the hillside. Follow this until just after a cattle grid on a bend in the road. There is a footpath on the right leading down through a meadow; take the path through first one gap stile and then another one in the bottom left corner of the field. This path now leads to the Wynch Bridge and all you have to do is retrace your route back to the car.

5. Derwenthaugh

The Northern Echo:

Start and Finish

A small car-park in Winlaton Mill, just off the traffic lights on the A694. Other car-parks are available on the same stretch of road and the route can easily be picked up from these.

Description A woodland and meadow walk, approximately four to five miles, along the banks of the River Derwent and through the reclaimed site of Derwenthaugh. Kingfishers, Dippers, Herons and other water birds can be seen here.

The Walk Leave the car-park in the opposite direction from the road, cross the stile and turn right to join the main track.

Follow this track as it runs adjacent to the River Derwent and where it bends right, break off to the left and cross a footbridge over the river. Go through the gate and turn left into a meadow.

The path now follows the River Derwent downstream.

After two meadows and two kissing gates have been traversed, the path veers to the right to a stile in the corner. Cross the stile and go up the steps, (57 if you are counting) to join the Derwent Walk cycle path, and turn right.

Continue along in this direction, past a sign marked 'Clockburn Lonnen' to the left and two further signs marked 'Hollinside Manor', also to the left.

This now leads you onto the Nine Arches Viaduct, the monument in Gibside grounds stands prominent in the sky to the West, continue to the end of the viaduct.

A path leads down to the left, signposted 'Lockhaugh Meadows' (horses can be grazing in these meadows during the summer months) and proceed to the riverbank.

Turn right along here, watching out for the blue flash of a kingfisher which regularly inhabits these banks, follow the river upstream until the path becomes tricky to negotiate. Leave the river and go up the bank into the meadow and follow this to the left where once again, it joins the riverbank path. Mallards and a heron may be spotted here if all is quiet.

Continue along until the path leaves the meadow, go through a stile, and follow the path uphill to skirt Lockhaugh Farm. Pass through the gate to the left of the farm, and follow the hedged farm access road past a bridge to the right, and turn right to re-join the Derwent Walk.

From here, turn right and follow the track down, heading back towards the viaduct. Just before the viaduct, a signposted path to 'Thornley Woodland Centre' leads off to the left, up a steep bank and on walking boards to the centre.

Here, wildlife and local information can be found, especially information on the local bats. Cross the viaduct, and turn left into Derwenthaugh, a reclaimed former cokeworks site. This is a prime example of what should be done with old industrial wastelands.

Follow either track down, the left skirting the Derwent or the right going through the middle of the site, cross the arched bridge spanning the river, go through the stile, turn right and immediately left to re-join the track back to the car-park.

6. Penshaw Monument

The Northern Echo:

Start and Finish

A car-park in Pattinson, at grid reference NZ325553, near Glebe House Farm and not far from the A195.

Description A short walk of about four miles through fields and woodland and along the River Wear. A short climb up towards the monument is unavoidable unless you are prepared to miss the fantastic views. Best Map-OS Explorer 308

The Walk

Leave the car-park and cross the footbridge over the Wear. Turn left and go along the road, past The Oddfellows Arms pub. Continue along, parallel to the river, over a small footbridge crossing a stream.

Ignore the steps leading up through the woods immediately after the bridge, and proceed along by the river. Take the next footpath up through the wood to the right (blue arrow), eventually skirting to the right of the golf course.

The path joins a country lane after leaving the grounds of the golf course, going over a bridge crossing an old railway line. Proceed up this lane. Where the roads bends to the left, a public footpath goes off straight ahead into a field. Go over the stile and into the field and take the right footpath into the woods.

Take the first left path after entering the wood and follow it as it meanders around and up towards Penshaw Monument. Soon, you leave the woodland and the monument is in front of you.

Go up to it and enjoy views all around, including the sea to the east and the moors to the west. Leave the monument at the opposite end of reaching it, down the steps and through a gate. Keep going down the path and follow this until you reach some houses.

This takes you next to a minor road - turn right, go around the corner and cross the stile onto the public footpath on the right.

Go through the fields and head down towards a minor road; cross this and join an old railway line track, then turn left along it. Keep going until you come alongside the still-intact railway line and continue towards the bridge overhead.

Go onto this bridge and turn right past the old station houses which are on the right. Opposite the last house, on the left, there is a public footpath going across the field; take this path and enter a Woodland Trust wood.

The path veers left and then right before meeting up with the path alongside the River Wear again, turn right along by the river.

Go under the Victoria Viaduct and follow the path until you meet the bridge at the start of the walk. Cross this and return to the car-park.

• To read more about Tony Hall’s passion for dog-walks, click here