Clarghyll Section of Alston – Ninebanks Section of the Trail
One of the roughest, toughest and meanest sections on Isaac’s Tea Trail is below the A686 above Clarghyll towards Alston. It will be closed over the next 3 months and possibly longer to conduct repairs on the severely eroded byway.
Access to the trail can be gained in either direction on A696 from below Cargillhead (NY 736 498 )to the byway from the road towards Whitfield or along the road and turning down towards Clarghyll Hall. From the other end beyond the former Colliery Mine site (NY 729 498) take the byway back and round to the A696 past Clarghyll Hall. The diversion from either direction is about 1.5 miles. It will be closed for 3 months possibly longer. The map for the 2 diversion options are below:
Option 1
Option 2
Allendale Riverbank Footpath Work
Work is all complete. Enjoy this popular sectionof the trail.
Isaacs Well Conservation
An initiative is underway to conserve and restore the area around Isaacs Well in Allendale Town so that it is a fitting community space and an attractive start and end to Isaacs Tea Trail. Part of the planned work is to remove the tarmac space near the well and replace it with cobbles in keeping with its history. Significant funding for the work has been confirmed but additional funding, with an opportunity to sponsor a cobble, is still needed. For more information about the restoration, see the Allen Valleys local history website. To sponsor a cobble or three, see their Just Giving page.
Leadbank Gate to Birk Hott section in the West Allen valley
The public footpath on the definitive map has been made accessible following the building of a stile where there used to be a barbed wire fence. However the nearby route along the track is still open for walkers and avoids a farmyard, gardens and a stile.
Greener Miles – Ultra Event August 2025 / August 2026
The Greener Miles 2025 run is now past but there will be another one on 1st August 2026, again running the Tea Trail in reverse ie anti-clockwise. For all of the details and information about entering the event, see their website.
Tea Trail blog with Countrystride
Session from Countrystride with Roger Morris & Anne Leuchars rambling the section of the trail from Alston to Epiacum: Countrystride #83: ALSTON & Isaac’s Tea Trail
Nent Valley Interpretation Panel
Working with the Coal Authority, the trail is to be included on an interpretation panel near Lovelady Shield to help explain the Water Treatment Work in the Nent Valley.