Causey Arch Picnic Area, Tea Room & Walk

Disclosure: I visited Causey Arch recently as part of another campaign . This blog post was not part of the campaign & I have not been paid / asked to share this specific post. We covered our own costs. 

We have visited Causey Arch a few times as a stop off when enjoying the Tanfield Railway. We always just stop off for a quick picnic though and have never really fully explored the area - until now. 

First of all, there are over 40 free parking spaces. We visited on a warm weekday afternoon in July and as you can see, there was ample parking. Use postcode NE16 5EJ and follow the brown tourist picnic signs as you approach. 

In the car park, there are lots of picnic tables on the grass if you wish to bring your own. Or you can order a bite to eat / slice of cake / drinks from Causey House Tea Room which is located in the car park and currently open Thurs-Sun 10am-3pm. Check out their FB page for up to date info. 

At time of publishing, the tea room serves takeaway or you can dine in, it is cash only (or bank transfer) and their loos are open for customer use. We bought 3 sausage sandwiches and 4 drinks for £15.  Here is a peek at what you can expect: 

As well as the main picnic tables in the car park, there is one outdoor table directly outside of the tearoom. It is super cute and surrounded by nature. Lovely. 

Just some of the outdoor picnic spots.....

If you have your back to the tea room, turn right, and follow the path. At the end of the car park you will see this sign and there are two routes to follow (oh this sounds like a follow your own adventure book). I will share more info on the step-free route at the end of this post but first, we will walk down to the gauge. Follow the grey sign to Causey Arch. 

If you follow this route, there is a gentle sloping hill half way down and then it switches to some fairly steep steps - probably 25 in total. It is quite a walk down but perfectly manageable. I found it to be just fine both on the way down and up and I am not exactly the fittest. 

It is worth the walk down though. It is so peaceful down here. There is a stream with direct access in parts where you can paddle, several bridges (with steps) to cross/play pooh sticks and beautiful scenery. You can walk along the river bank or through the woods in several directions. 

It was a little muddy on the day of our visit so I would recommend packing wellies - especially if little ones wish to jump in the stream (obviously supervise young children). 
  

Back up the steps and back to the car park. There is a little seat at the top of the steps if you need a minute to get your breath back. 

Now we will take the step-free route to Causey Arch. Follow the white sign under the bridge and once under, turn immediately right. 

Once under the bridge / tunnel, follow the yellow accessible route signs. 

The path is wide / tarmac / mostly flat and runs adjacent to the Tanfield Railway train tracks (with a fence as a barrier). It isn't too long of a walk and I would say 10-15 minutes from the car park to Causey Arch. Maybe even less. 

One exciting aspect of this walk is that you get to cross the train tracks. Steam / Diesel trains from Tanfield Railway travel along this line. They won't be travelling at any speed but it is still obviously important to look both ways. Please only cross at the designated crossing points and do not play on the train tracks. Even if there is no public service running that day, sometimes the Tanfield volunteers may run trains as they work on them. 

Once you have crossed the railway line, you are almost within reach of Causey Arch. Continue along the path and admire the nature that surrounds you. 

You will then reach Causey Arch. This is where the Tanfield Railway trains stop. Please remember to supervise children and do not allow them to play on the train tracks here. There is plenty of grass and a few seats / picnic tables here and it is a nice place to stop for a snack or drink if you have brought one. 

Little ones love the train carriages here.....

At this spot, you can access a viewing point to see the Causey Arch - the oldest single arch railway bridge in the world. It is gorgeous! 

You can also walk over the bridge and look down at the gauge. On the other side of the bridge there is another route down to the gauge and woodland to walk through if you wish to stay on higher ground. 

You can continue the accessible walking route beyond Causey Arch too - simply cross the track at the other designated crossing area at the end of the path and continue to follow the yellow signs. 

This is the view from the bridge.....

We re-traced our steps back to the car park. We spent a couple of hours at Causey Arch, it is a fab place to visit with little ones who will love the train element and splashing in the stream / playing pooh sticks at the various bridges. You do need to supervise little ones near the water and train tracks and remain vigilant but it is pretty easy to do this - high-speed trains do not travel along this route. 

We did spot other families on this walk but it was not busy at all. A few people had their dogs with them (off lead) who were enjoying the woodland and water. 

Causey Arch FAQs 

Can I have the car park postcode? 

NE16 5EJ (40+ spaces - free parking)

Can you visit via public transport? 

Go North East x30 and x31 (no Sunday service). Bus stops at the site entrance. Also served by Tanfield Railway trails. 

Are there toilets? 

No public toilets. Customers can use the facilities at Causey House Tea Room when open or South Causey Inn / Black Hall Beamish are a 3 minute drive away if you wish to combine your day out with a drink (and loo stop). Both pubs have lots of outdoor seating. 

Is there a cafe? 

Yes, Causey House Tea Room in the car park is currently open Thurs-Sun 10am-3pm. Cash only. 

Is it suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs? 

Yes - there is an accessible route from the car park to Causey Arch, follow the yellow signs. You may struggle to access the gauge as it is quite steep. 

Is there disabled parking? 

Yes - four spots. 

Can you bring your dog? 

Yes, dogs under control are welcome. There are dog bins located around the site. 

What else is in the area? 

• Beamish (3 miles)
• Tanfield Railway (on-site)
• South Causey Inn (1 mile)
• Black Horse Beamish (1 mile)
• Birkheads Secret Garden (1.4 miles) 
• Birkheads Wild (1.4 miles) 

If you have enjoyed this post and found it useful, here are some ways you can say thanks and support North East Family Fun: 

1 - Click here to sign up to our FREE monthly guide to what's on. This monthly email will feature lots of ideas for things to do for the month ahead plus exclusive deals. 

2 - Join our  Days Out Facebook Group here which includes lots of ideas for things to do - you can post your own recommendations too. 

3 - Click here to buy me a coffee 

4 - Share this post with your friends 

5 - Follow North East Family Fun on the following platforms :

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

Thank you for your support as always. 

Please follow social distancing rules & Government guidelines , respect the local area. leave no trace, take litter home, park responsibly and if somewhere is busy on arrival, please consider leaving and returning at a later date. 

Always check updated opening hours / protocols with venues direct before setting off as things may have changed since this post was published. 

Pin Me