County Durham Rambles - A misty morning wander around Cassop vale
Cassop is a former mining town situated approximately five miles south east of Durham City on the B6291, although after the subsequent population decline as a result of the mine closures it is now classified as a village. Cassop Vale is to the north west of the village and is a designated site of scientific interest owing to the fact that it sits on top of a layer of magnesium limestone, something which is rare in England and is mainly only found in and around South East Tyneside and County Durham (ref wikepedia). As with most of County Durham coal used to be King, and the area was extensively mined, Cassop Colliery being a major source of income for many during the nineteenth Century. The Colliery opened in 1840 and worked until 1868 with work continuing until 1877 in Vale pit, details of which can be found on the excellent Durham Mining Museums website @ http://w.dmm.org.uk/ (warning can be addictive). As part of my mission to walk every public right of way on the OS Exp
