Shipley and Great Woods

The Balder is an English river that rises on the eastern slope of Stainmore Common in the Pennine Chain and flows eastwards for about 23.4 kilometres (14.5 mi), before joining the River Tees at Cotherstone. The River Balder is in County Durham, but until 1974, it was in the North Riding of Yorkshire. The head of the valley is a bleak moorland, with hills around it exceeding 500 feet (150 m). the name is first recorded in the 13th century, and is thought to derive from an Old English personal name (B(e)aldhere), with possibly the river valley being named Baldersdale first, and the river being named later. For the first 4 kilometres (2.5 mi), the watercourse runs as Balder Beck, before meeting Black Beck and forming the River Balder proper at NY886173. The River Balder enters Balderhead Reservoir about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from the source, at 336 metres (1,102 ft) above sea level. It spills into two more reservoirs further down Baldersdale: Blackton Reservoir and Hury Reservoir. The scenery becomes gentler as it descends past Baldersdale Youth Hostel. The distinctive flat peak of Goldsborough to the south is passed before the valley begins to open out as the river enters Blackton Reservoir at 285 metres (935 ft). The course of the valley carries on at a virtually exactly east direction as the River Balder enters Hury Reservoir at about 260 m (850 ft), passing the village of Hury which lies to the north. The river now begins to twist and turn and is crossed by the grade II listed, nine-arched Balder Railway Viaduct, which was used by the Barnard Castle to Middleton-in-Teesdale railway line before it was closed. It finally joins the River Tees at Cotherstone, at a height of about 162 metres (531 ft).

Cotherstone is a village and civil parish in the district and county of Durham, England, historically in Yorkshire. Cotherstone cheese is a celebrated delicacy of the village, famed since at least 1858. Cotherstone railway station was between Barnard Castle and Middleton on the now-closed Middleton-in-Teesdale Branch Line. The railway line crossed the River Balder at the Balder Viaduct just north of Cotherstone.

Cotherstone Castle was in the village of Cotherstone by the River Tees some 3 miles (5 km) north-east of Barnard Castle in County Durham, England. This was a motte and bailey castle built around 1090. In 1200 the wooden building was replaced by a stone building, of which was licensed on 2 March 1201. The remains include an earth mound, a ruined wall fragment and traces of a probable fishpond. There is no public right of way onto the land the Castle occupied, which is now used for pasture.

Cotherstone railway station was situated on the Tees Valley Railway between Barnard Castle and Middleton-in-Teesdale. It served the village of Cotherstone. The station opened to passenger traffic on 13 May 1868, and closed on 30 November 1964. The station buildings remain intact as a private dwelling.

Balder Viaduct is a former railway bridge near to the village of Cotherstone, in County Durham, England. The viaduct was part of the Tees Valley Railway between Barnard Castle and Middleton-in-Teesdale. It was opened in 1868 and closed in 1965. When it was open as a railway, the viaduct was in the old North Riding of Yorkshire. The viaduct is now open to walkers as part of the Tees Valley Railway Walk.

Romaldkirk is a village in Teesdale, in the Pennines of England. The village lies within the historic boundaries of the North Riding of Yorkshire, but has been administered by County Durham since 1974. It is thought that the name might be derived from St. Rumwold (also spelt Romald or Rumbold), a little-known Saxon saint who is said to have preached the Gospel after his baptism as an infant; his resting place is recorded as being in Buckingham. The village was formerly served by Romaldkirk railway station. Thomas Page, the engineer, grew up in Romaldkirk. The architects Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew, and famous farmer Hannah Hauxwell are buried near the village church. The church is a Grade I listed building, containing surviving sections of Anglo-Saxon walls either side of the chancel arch, as well as a late medieval rood stair, a stone tomb effigy of Hugh Fitz Henry (who died on campaign with Edward I in 1305) in chain mail, a 12th-century font, and a pulpit (originally part of a three decker) from the early 18th century.

Eggleston is a village in County Durham, in England. The population of the civil parish taken at the 2011 Census was 448. It is in the Teesdale, a few miles north-west of Barnard Castle.

Romaldkirk railway station was situated on the Tees Valley Railway between Barnard Castle and Middleton-in-Teesdale. It served the village of Romaldkirk. The line opened to passenger traffic on 13 May 1868, but Romaldkirk station had not been completed by then. Construction was reported as being nearly completed in mid June 1869 The station was host to a LNER camping coach from 1936 to 1939 and possibly one for some of 1934. The line and station closed to passengers on 30 November 1964 and completely on 5 April 1965.

Baldersdale Woodlands is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in County Durham, England. It consists primarily of ancient, semi-natural woodland growing on steep valley slopes, including scree, on both banks of the River Balder over a stretch of some 3 km, upstream (i.e. west) of the village of Cotherstone. The site has a rich faunal assemblage and the woodland and associated stretch of the river is home to a variety of birds, including dipper and goosander. In part, the site derives its importance from the proximity of similarly protected sites in other valleys in the River Tees catchment area; the Shipley and Great Woods SSSI occupies a similar position in the valley of the Tees immediately north of Cotherstone. The condition of the site was last assessed by Natural England in September 2009, when it was mostly rated as "favourable"; a small area, just over 10 percent of the total area, is suffering from cattle grazing but was rated as "recovering".

Eggleston Hall is a privately owned 19th-century English country house in Eggleston, Teesdale, County Durham. It is a Grade II* listed building.

Hunderthwaite is a village and civil parish in Teesdale, in the Pennines of England. The population of the civil parish taken at the 2011 census was 114. It was historically located in the North Riding of Yorkshire but along with the rest of the former Startforth Rural District it was transferred to County Durham for administrative and ceremonial purposes on 1 April 1974, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972.Gok Wan, the British fashion consultant, author and television presenter of British Chinese heritage is a resident of Hunderthwaite. Etymologically speaking, Hunderthwaite is derived most plausibly from Old Norse Hunrothr-þveit, meaning 'Hunrothr's clearing'. The first element in the name could also be Old English hundred, a type of administrative division.

Lartington railway station was situated on the South Durham & Lancashire Union Railway between Barnard Castle and Kirkby Stephen East. It served the village of Lartington. The station opened to passenger traffic on 26 March 1861, and closed on 22 January 1962. The station and related buildings remain intact as a private dwelling. In 1910, Lartington station was the site of an accident in which 7 people were injured.