Colliery Wood Way - Boldon Colliery

Length of walk

Distance: 2 miles

Time: 1 to 1.5 hours

Type of walk

Mainly level, gravel paths, some tarmac plus riverside grass/soil track with kissing gates.

Activity

Out of the list below, can you spot the four metal sculptures along the way?

  • Fish and a dragonfly
  • Leaf with a hedgehog and a snail
  • Beech leaf shape with a snake and bat etched upon it
  • Sycamore leaf with a Viking long boat and an axe etched on it
  • Squirrel and frog
  • Spider and fly

The sculptures were designed and created by local artist Jim Roberts with the help of pupils from Boldon Church of England School and East Boldon Junior School. Each sculpture looks like the trunk of a tree, with a steel leaf mounted on the top.

Where to start

Start at Boldon Community Association Sports Ground car park off Cotswold Lane (behind The Shack).

Regular bus services run from South Shields and Jarrow to the junction of New Road and Cotswold Lane at Asda, a five-minute walk away.

Step 1

Leave the car park onto main road and head right along the gravel path, continue straight ahead at crossroads following red markers on posts.

Step 2

At the next junction look out for the first sculpture on the right, take the left hand fork and head down path towards the River Don.

Step 3

Turn right just before the bridge and follow the riverside path, under railway bridge and through the metal kissing gate.

Continue along this path and through another two kissing gates, turning right after the second gate (do not cross the river).

At this junction you should spot the second sculpture.

Step 4

Continue along the path through the kissing gates and then go through the short tunnel, bear right up the slight slope and turn left onto gravel path (red marker and Bede's Way sign).

Step 5

Turn right at the next junction and you'll pass the pond, the third sculpture is on the right, near the pond. 

The pond holds a multitude of life, including frogs, dragonflies and great diving beetles.

Step 6

Continue on past the pond and along the path to the next junction, just before the junction you will find the fourth sculpture on your left.

Turn left at this corner where there are some large concrete spheres.

Step 7

Continue until you come to the corner of a field and turn right, signposted public footpath.

Step 8

Head along this path, taking the left hand fork (lower path) then turn right along the side of sports field. Carry on beyond the sports field and take the left hand turn.

You are now retracing your steps back towards the car park.

Map and map key

Colliery Wood Way - Boldon Colliery

  1. Car Park
  2. Sports Ground
  3. Boldon School
  4. Sculpture
  5. Sculpture
  6. Sculpture
  7. Sculpture