Left Behind – A Quiet Day Among the Abandoned in Muggleswick, Healeyfield & Castleside

If there’s one word that sums up today, it’s “abandoned.” Not just in the buildings I set out to capture, but in the slower, more reflective pace of the day itself. Feeling a little under the weather, it wasn’t the right time for a full-on hike or long-distance explore—but that turned out to be no bad thing. Instead, I used the day to focus on a few lesser-known, overlooked locations—the kind of places I often pass by on bigger trips, but never quite stop to photograph. And more often than not, it’s these forgotten corners that surprise you most.

I headed out towards Muggleswick, Healeyfield and Castleside, all tucked close together on the edge of the Durham moors. Scattered across the hills and fields here are the remains of abandoned farmhouses, slowly falling into the landscape, but each with its own presence and story. Some are roofless, their walls crumbling under the weight of time; others are eerily intact, as if someone just stepped out and never came back. There’s something strangely peaceful about photographing these places—no noise, no movement, just stone, sky and memory. A quieter day than usual, but one that turned out to be full of atmosphere and character.

Combfield House – Abandoned Stillness with a Touch of Hollywood (and a Zombie or Two)

Combfield House lies quietly in the rolling countryside near Muggleswick, its solid form and largely intact roofmaking it stand out from many of the other abandoned farmsteads scattered across the area. Though long since left behind, it remains in remarkably good condition, with its boarded-up windows and weather-worn render giving it a strangely timeless feel. Once a typical working farm, it’s now finding a second life—most recently as a filming location for the upcoming post-apocalyptic epic ‘28 Years Later’, which is bringing a touch of Hollywood to the Durham hills.

From above, the house looks almost too perfect in its decay—a front-facing façade, surrounded by scattered trees, collapsed outbuildings, and overgrown remnants of a life once lived. The drone captured the isolated, cinematic qualityof the scene perfectly, and it's no wonder the filmmakers chose it to help tell their story. And while I didn’t film at this exact spot, I did make my own appearance in the film… as a zombie! So keep your eyes peeled when it hits the big screen—you might just spot me shambling through the apocalypse. Not your usual day in the Dales, but certainly one I won’t forget in a hurry!

Watergate Farm – Crumbling Walls and Quiet Fields in Castleside

Tucked away in the green hills near Castleside, the abandoned remains of Watergate Farm lie scattered across the landscape—a once-busy upland holding now slowly returning to earth. From what’s left, it’s clear this was once a substantial working farm, with multiple stone-built structures, field boundaries and outbuildings. The buildings are now in various stages of collapse—walls still standing defiantly, chimneys without roofs, and one section of the farmhouse just about holding together under a rusted patchwork of corrugated iron. It's a classic example of how rural life in the North Pennines has shifted, with many small farms like this simply left behind as the decades passed.

The aerial view of Watergate Farm is breathtaking in its honesty—a mixture of stone, shadow and structure surrounded by rolling pasture and spring sunshine. The layout of the farmstead is still easy to follow from above: old doorways, enclosures and paths all visible, like the ghost of a once-thriving home. The drone captured the peaceful emptiness of the site beautifully—the buildings slowly crumbling but still full of character. There’s a quiet dignity to places like this, where every wall and window seems to hold onto a story, even as nature gently takes over.

Healeyfield Farm Building – Solitary and Stoic in the Open Fields

This abandoned farm building near Healeyfield is the definition of rural isolation—standing alone in the middle of wide, open pasture, with nothing but sheep and rolling hills for company. Though modest in size, the building still stands firm, with its stone walls intact and even the external stone stairway still visible. The roof is beginning to give way in places, and the windows are long since empty, but there’s a sturdy stillness to it, as if it’s quietly watching the landscape change around it.

The aerial view really emphasises the loneliness and resilience of this little building. The drone captured it perfectly—surrounded by green fields, hedgerows framing the edges, and the distant hills rising gently behind. Its footprint is neat and defined, but it’s the sense of space that really stands out here. No other structures nearby, no paths leading to a front door—just one small stone house, left behind, but still holding its ground in the Durham countryside. Simple, stark, and oddly beautiful.

Wrapping Up the Day

Today might not have been about epic hikes or dramatic landmarks, but it turned out to be one of those quietly rewarding days that remind you just how much character the countryside holds—even in its forgotten corners. Feeling a bit under the weather meant keeping things local and low-key, but that slower pace led to some brilliant finds, with a focus on the abandoned, the overlooked, and the left-behind.

From the post-apocalyptic stillness of Combfield House (with its big-screen moment in 28 Years Later), to the crumbled remains of Watergate Farm, the lonely shell at Healeyfield, and everything in between—each place told its own subtle story of time, change, and retreat. These aren’t places that shout for attention, but they whisper a kind of beauty you only get when you stop and really look. A day of faded walls, quiet fields, and drone views that bring it all back to life.