Distance Covered: 5 miles Time to Complete Walk 2 hours
Suitable for dog walking: Yes
Famous for appearing in the opening titles of the ever popular All Creatures Great And Small, Surrender Bridge is the starting point for this amazing walk which takes you to the remains of lead mining in the Dales in 18th and 19th centuries at Old Gang Mill. The setting is spectacular as you walk above the valley with plenty of Yorkshires rich lead mining history to visit along the way. Parking is above the bridge and is free. The walk is a there and back walk - so easy to follow.
General Safety Tips: Keep off the walls of the remains of the mill which may be unstable. The drive up High Lane at Heelaugh is on a very narrow road. Drive carefully.
The Surrender Bridge Walk
Getting There
From Middlesbrough follow the A66 to Darlington and join the A1 southbound. Leave the A1 at the Richmond turn off. Follow the B6271 through Richmond onto Reeth Road or the A6108. Join the B6270 and follow this through to Heelaugh. In Heelaugh look for a sharp right turn up High Lane. Follow this through a gate and the car park is on your right above Surrender Bridge.
Maps of the Surrender Bridge walk
The Walk
From the car park, turn right and head down to Surrender Bridge below.
Walk past the bridge and turn left onto a path which is above the valley.
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Soon you arrive at Old Gang Mill which is fascinating. There are plenty of buildings to explore.
When you have finished rejoin the path ahead and pass a building with seating attached to it - a great spot for a picnic.
Follow the path as it passes another bridge on your left.
Keep on the right hand path at a signpost to Level House Bridge.
Keep on the path alongside the stream.
Go through a gate and take the right hand fork in the path at Level House Bridge.
Go over a ford.
Looking around you can see evidence of the mining activity in the area. Once you arrive at a bridge on your right, turn back and follow the path back to Surrender Bridge.
Surrender Bridge
Why is it called Surrender Bridge? Well a couple of theories abound one that there was once a Surrender Mine there or that mine workers carrying wares had to surrender a toll before crossing. Either of these sound plausible.
Old Gang Smelting Mill
Interestingly, whilst the Old Gang mill was one of the largest in the area, a search of the archives has failed to reveal either when it was built or closed. Nevertheless, there are some clues. For example, the mill is shewn on the first edition of the O.S. 1/10560 sheet for the area, which was surveyed in 1854. Moreover, because the Old Gang mill’s flues unite before being led into the old flue via the New mill’s southern hearth, the Old Gang mill could be built without interrupting smelting. The New mill would have to stop working, however, when the connection was made and any openings were sealed up. The only detectable break in smelting was between February and April in 1846 which, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, is the date proposed for the transfer of smelting to the Old Gang mill.
As with many similar ventures, the mill was not suddenly closed but it limped on for around fifteen years. Dr Raistrick wrote that it had stopped serious smelting by 1885, which is reasonable, but gave no date of closure. Clough, on the other hand, noted that, according to Mr Hannam Place, “the last ore was smelted in 1898, but for several years prior to this date very little work had been done”. The Government mineral statistics show that the Old Gang mines ore yielded about 74 per cent lead until 1888 and it was only 54 per cent thereafter. This change coincided with the demise of the Old Gang Mining Company and the start of the Old Gang Mining Company Ltd, which also sold parcels of its ore to outside smelters. Nevertheless, the mill smelted in small way until at least October 1899, and possibly until 1903. By 1913, however, the mill had closed and the mine was selling its ore to John Walton & Co. at Castleside.
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