Ebchester

Ebchester is a village in County Durham, England. It is situated to the north of Consett and Shotley Bridge. It also sits to the south east of Whittonstall and the hamlet of Newlands. Running north east to south west along the A694, Ebchester consists of Low Westwood, Ebchester itself and East Law. The village proper sits at the intersection of the A694, which runs from Consett to Swalwell, and the B6309, which connects the A696 north of Belsay and runs through Whittonstall and Newlands, across the River Derwent (forming a border between County Durham and Northumberland), up Chare Bank then through Ebchester itself then past Medomsley into the A691 immediately south of the village of Leadgate. Chopwell and Blackhall Mill lie to the north, on the opposite side of the River Derwent. To the north east of Ebchester lies Derwentcote Steel Furnace. The River Derwent runs along the north west edge of the village. Ebchester Rowing Club is based on the banks of the Derwent adjacent to the B6309 at the bottom of Chare Bank, using a section of river behind a weir across the Derwent for practice. The small St. Ebba's Pond (Google Maps), a man-made creation, can be found approximately 400 metres along a public footpath into the woods behind the rowing club, this footpath joining the A694 just to the north east of East Law. The former Chelmsford pub can be found near the junction of the B6309 and A694, which is undergoing conversion to a house. The Derwent Walk Inn can be found up the bank from Ebchester on the B6309. This second pub is adjacent the Derwent Walk (national cycle route 14) running north east to south west to the south east of Ebchester and parallel to the A694, also running between Consett and Swawell. The Derwent Walk, a spur of the C2C cycle route, follows the route of the former Derwent Valley Railway and Ebchester railway station used to stand just to the north of the Derwent Walk Inn.