Lambton Worm Circular (National Trust)

StartEnd South Hylton Metro
1. Can you spot the top of Lambton Castle sticking out from a large area of trees? This is where our story starts when a young boy called John Lambton missed church to go fishing on the Wear.
2. After a day of not catching any fish John was about to give up, when he got a bite. He fought for ages to land his catch but rather than a fish, all he had caught was an ugly little worm, no bigger than his thumb. Can you spot and fishermen today? What do you think they will catch?
3. John was about to throw the worm back when an old man appeared. He warned him not to throw it back or he would suffer a terrible fate. So John set off for home with the worm. On the way he passed a well and decided it might be a good place to get rid of the worm. Can you spot the well?
4. As the years passed by the worm grew and grew, until it was too big for the well. It had geet big teeth, a geet big gob and geet big googly eyes! it left the well and went to live in the river. Can you spot a good lair for the worm?
5. Soon the local people noticed lamb and calves and even little children going missing. Once they discovered the giant worm they realised where they had gone. They sent all their bravest men to try and kill it, but the worm gobbled them up. As you walk up towards Penshaw Hill can you spot and lambs or calves? If not it might be because they've been eaten!
6. By now John had become a brave knight. On hearing of the terrible trouble he had caused he hurried back home. On the way he met a witch in the woods who told him the only way to defeat the worm was to make a suit of armour covered in spikes and fight the beast in the river so when he chopped it into bits all the pieces would float away. Are there any witches in the woods today?
7. Sir John took the witches advice and slayed the worm. Finally the lambs, calves and children were safe. At the bottom look back behind you. The worm could wrap itself 10x round the hill. Can you see the marks it left?

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