NORTH PENNINES NEWS. Autumn & Winter 2009/10

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1 NORTH PENNINES NEWS Autumn & Winter 2009/10 INSIDE Peatlands get 500,000 boost 3 Brass gets on track 7 Soay sheep bracken bonanza 8 Northern Rocks report 10 Alston Moor reveals its past 12 All about bonny bits 16

2 A letter from the Chairman Natural England/Charlie Hedley 2 Dear Readers, It s been another busy summer for the AONB team and our many partners across the North Pennines and further afield. Though rain has been a frequent visitor, the sun did shine on two of our major areas of work recently. Firstly, a year-long bidding process over several rounds has resulted in our Peatscapes project winning a national competition from Biffaward to secure 500,000 for the continuation of our work to conserve and celebrate our peatlands. Also, our work as Britain s first European Geopark and a founding member of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network has been further boosted by 101,000 award from the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund through Natural England. This money will enable us, amongst other things, to extend the life of our popular Rock Detectives children s geology clubs, continue our evening classes on local geology and carry out more work to make our geological heritage fun and accessible to a wider audience. Through our Living North Pennines project we ve been creating some excellent events, conserving wildlife and historic buildings and winning awards for our educational work (through an excellent collaboration with Middleton-in-Teesdale Primary School). We re also proud of the award we have won this summer from the Durham Biodiversity Partnership, which recognises the excellence in partnership working exemplified by our Peatscapes, Hay Time and Living North Pennines projects; this award reflects on our many collaborators, not just on the AONB team. Other work this summer has included our first steps into providing Farm Environment Plans, development work on a new community archaeology project, new publications and much more. The new Management Plan has been launched and the team and partners are busy working to complete the actions and meet the objectives within it. There is a lot of hard work to be done over the coming five years, but as always there is great expertise and enthusiasm to make things happen. I hope you ll enjoy reading about just some of those activities in this edition of North Pennines News. Kind regards Raising a glass at the AONB s 21st anniversary are, from left, Chris Woodley-Stewart, North Pennines AONB Director and Geopark Manager, Bob Pendlebury, former Partnership Chairman, Cllr Richard Turner, current Chairman and Jim Hick of Allendale Brewery NPAP/Shane Harris We can provide the information contained in this publication in large print, different formats and other languages on request. Please call for details. Chairman, North Pennines AONB Partnership After you have finished with this publication please give it to someone else to read, or recycle it. North Pennines News is produced by the: North Pennines AONB Partnership Weardale Business Centre The Old Co-op Building, 1 Martin Street Stanhope, County Durham DL13 2UY T: E: info@northpenninesaonb.org.uk W: The North Pennines AONB Partnership holds a Gold GTBS Award for its corporate office and tourism activities. This publication has been supported by: and the area s five Local Authorities North Pennines News is printed on Revive 75 Silk 75% recycled fibre content, FSC Mixed Sources certification. North Pennines News is designed by Mosaic (Teesdale) Ltd and edited by Elfie Waren (North Pennines AONB Partnership Staff Unit). Front cover image: Upper Teesdale North Pennines AONB Partnership/Shane Harris 10/09/17k

3 500,000 AWARD PUTS PEAT ON CLIMATE CHANGE AGENDA Pioneering work to restore peatlands in the North Pennines AONB has been recognised for its innovative contribution to climate change adaptation. A National Flagship grant from Biffaward of 500,000 has been awarded to CDENT County Durham Environmental Trust, to be devolved to the AONB Partnership. It will enable the North Pennines AONB Partnership to deliver ambitious plans to block up the drainage ditches which criss-cross the peatlands and brings total investment in this restoration project to 1.5m. Biffaward is one of the leading landfill communities funding schemes. The peatlands to benefit covers an area the size of a small city 4,000 hectares of blanket bog in the North Pennines AONB. Drainage ditches or grips as they re known were cut into the peat 50 years ago to increase farmland. They cause the peat to dry out and erode, which in turn contributes to carbon emissions and climate change, and increased flood risk. John Wearmouth, CDENT Chairman, said: This is wonderful news! We thank Biffaward for this substantial grant award which will now enable the AONB Partnership to follow up on the successful pilot project we ve funded over the last 18 months, to benefit a huge swathe of bog in the North Pennines. Chris Woodley-Stewart, Director of the AONB Partnership, said: We are committed to restoring and conserving peatlands in the North Pennines AONB. The Biffaward grant will allow us to restore these internationally important habitats at a landscape scale. It also presents a unique opportunity for us to raise awareness about the role of peatlands in reducing national and international carbon dioxide levels. Gillian French, Programme Manager for Biffaward, said: Biffaward is delighted to support this ambitious and innovative project to ensure our wonderful peatland heritage is treasured and restored so that current and future generations can benefit. We are pleased that many local people will enjoy the results of this project, as well as walkers from further afield and indeed the wider world through the benefits for work to tackle climate change. Local and global benefits Healthy peatlands are important for climate change adaptation Drying peat releases huge amounts of carbon - as much as 11 per cent of the world s annual output. By restoring North Pennines peatlands, this project is stopping the release of carbon. Just two months before the Copenhagen Climate Change negotiations, pressure is mounting on governments to ensure that peatland carbon emissions are part of each nation s land-based carbon calculations. Peat is potentially twice as important as rainforests in helping the world to limit carbon emissions. Rare plants and wildlife habitats will improve Biodiversity will flourish as the degradation caused by gripping is reversed. Jobs in rural areas will be created and sustained This is especially welcome in areas which have been hardest hit by the recession recent studies show that market towns have seen unemployment rise by a third more than urban areas. Debra Steadman of R.S. Contracting Ltd in Alston said: Peatland restoration within the AONB Partnership has allowed us to grow the business and invest locally in equipment, in jobs and training. Other benefits of the conservation work will be reductions in flood risks and improvements in water quality. From this Peatscapes Manager Paul Leadbitter shows how dry and eroded some areas of the North Pennines blanket bog have become due to drainage grips. NPAP/Nick Mason To this Healthy, wet peat supports a diverse range of plants and animals and locks in carbon, which, when mixed with air becomes carbon dioxide, one of the gases responsible for climate change. Restoring peatlands by blocking grips means the bog can revegetate. NPAP/Nick Mason 3 The 500,000 from Biffaward means the AONB Partnership s Peatscapes project can continue with its work of blocking North Pennines grips. NPAP/Charlie Hedley Find out what the AONB Partnership is finding out about peat pages 4 and 5

4 PEAT: USE IT OR LOSE IT! Just how important are the North Pennines peatlands? The AONB Partnership s Peatscapes project is gathering the evidence up on the hills and down in the dales to strengthen the case for conservation GROUNDBREAKING WORK BY VOLUNTEERS 4 Volunteers have been taking a stand against climate change by helping to find out how deep the peat is on the North Pennines moors. The North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Partnership organised the How Deep Is Our Peat? event at Geltsdale RSPB Reserve and participants had an active role to play as they walked all over the moor, wedging poles into the earth to measure the peat depths. Huge amounts of carbon dioxide one of the greenhouse gases responsible for Volunteers measure and record the depth of an area of peat at Geltsdale Bryony Nicholson climate change - are stored as carbon in the North Pennines peatlands. However 50 years ago, grips, or drainage channels, began to be dug into the peat to drain it, with the idea of making the soil more productive. It is now important to block the grips so that the peatlands can soak up rainfall once again and play their vital role in carbon storage and flood reduction. To find out just how much peat there is and how much carbon is stored in it the AONB Partnership has embarked on a three-year project to measure the depth of the peat. When a series of readings have been taken over an area, the amount of carbon stored in the peat can be calculated. This information will ensure people understand the threats posed by the release of trapped carbon and they will be better informed to make decisions on the maintenance of peat in the future. The Geltsdale RSPB Reserve in Anyone interested in getting involved in helping the AONB s research into North Pennines peat depth can contact Paul on , or paulpeatscapes@ northpenninesaonb.org.uk Bryony Nicholson is an 18-year-old A Level student at Queen Elizabeth High School in Hexham. She recently spent two days at the North Pennines AONB Partnership s base in Stanhope finding out how the Partnership gets across its messages of conservation and enhancement to the wider public. This is Bryony s account of the day she joined a group of volunteers to measure the depth of peat and why it s important to know! NPAP/Elfie Waren Cumbria covers 12,000 acres, the majority of which is blanket bog with heather and mossy vegetation. Moss stores water well, and as Government scientists become more concerned about the increased risk of frequent flooding, healthy wet peatlands are vital in absorbing rainfall. A team of 10 trekked up the moor to begin recording measurements. The AONB Partnership s Peatscapes Project Manager, Paul Leadbitter, was pleased with the outcome: This is the first time we ve undertaken peat depth measurement work in the Geltsdale area. The day went really well and we managed to take more than 50 readings, which will provide a valuable basis for further research. We are extremely grateful to everyone involved, particularly the volunteers who gave up their time to help. AONB PARTNERSHIP SCOOPS AWARD The North Pennines AONB Partnership received a prestigious award recently as part of Durham Biodiversity Partnership s tenth anniversary celebrations. The award - in the Partnership category - is for the significant contribution the AONB Partnership has made towards delivering the Durham Biodiversity Action Plan in the uplands. Stuart Pudney, Chair of the Durham Biodiversity Partnership, said: Through its projects like Peatscapes, Hay Time and Living North Pennines, the North Pennines AONB Partnership has made a real difference to the wildlife and habitats of the uplands in the western part of County Durham. This award recognises that immensely valuable contribution to conservation. The 10 Year Anniversary Awards were given out as part of a day of celebrations to honour a decade of action for wildlife. They were presented by Dr Peter Samsom (right), the AONB Partnership s Deputy Director, receives the award from Dr Phil Gates Phil Gates, Senior Lecturer in the School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Durham University and a past Chair of the Durham Biodiversity Partnership.

5 ENSURING YOUR DRINKING WATER IS A CLEAR WINNER What does moorland restoration have to do with the water that comes out of your tap? Claire Lorenc, Catchment Co-ordinator at Northumbrian Water, explains Rain falling on the high moors of the North Pennines finds its way into local reservoirs and rivers, where some of it is abstracted and treated for drinking water supply. The provision of drinking water is a key ecosystem service provided by our uplands over one million people in the Northumbrian Water area receive their drinking water from the uplands of the North Pennines. Over the last 30 years Northumbrian Water has noticed that the colour of this water has been steadily increasing. The colour is due to dissolved peat in the water, giving it a transparent brownish tinge. Removing colour is expensive and a chemical- and energy-intensive part of the water treatment process. There are many things that affect the quality of the water draining off moorland and scientists have different ideas about why water colour is increasing. A well supported view is that increasing water colour is a response of moorland peat to reduced acidic deposition from the atmosphere in recent years. Other ideas relate to changes to the character of the peat following episodes of drought. Scientists are also investigating how both of these background drivers for increased colour are affected by how the moorland is managed, in terms of artificial drainage, grazing and heather burning. For the last five years, Northumbrian Water has been working on a pilot project with moorland managers in Teesdale, to block artificial moorland drains (grips) and monitor any changes in water quality, water quantity and vegetation cover that occur. The premise of the project is that it may be more cost effective, and give more environmental and societal benefits in total, to try to reduce the water colour at source in the moorland catchments, than to continually increase the level of chemically intensive treatment to remove it Coloured water abstracted from the River Tees in October 2005 (left) and the same water following treatment (right) Northumbrian Water Ltd downstream, when the water is abstracted. In terms of results from the project, it is still early days; results from the first year of post-blocking data indicate that total colour export from the blocked areas has decreased, but that this is related to a decrease in total water export from the sites, rather than a reduction in the colour of the water itself. The monitoring of water quality and vegetation in the gripblocked areas will continue until 2013 to see whether this changes over the longer term as the restoration takes effect and the A moorland grip in Teesdale two months after blocking, in March The role of the peat dams in holding water back on the moorland and eventually allowing the old drain areas to revegetate with mosses and other plants is clearly evident Northumbrian Water Ltd moorland recovers. In the mean time Northumbrian Water is continuing to support the work of the North Pennines AONB Partnership s Peatscapes project in their peatland restoration work. LIGHTS AMNESTY A REALLY BRIGHT IDEA AChristmas Tree Lights amnesty is planned for Saturday 12 December at Hamsterley Forest, where people will be able to exchange up to two sets of their old Christmas lights for new low energy LED lights for free! The festive lights swap follows on from an event in October, when people living in and around the AONB were invited to brighten up the dark days of winter with free low energy light bulbs, in exchange for any conventional bulbs they might have in their homes. The light bulb amnesty, in partnership with Durham County Council, was timed to coincide with the clocks going back at the end of the month. Simon Wilson, a Project Development Officer with the AONB Partnership said: Traditional light bulbs are being phased out as a result of recent changes in EU legislation and we ve been giving people a head start by offering a free exchange for their old bulbs. Installing a single low energy bulb can save up to 9 per year and helps in reducing carbon emissions due to reduced energy consumption. For more information on the Hamsterley Christmas Tree Lights swap, contact the North Pennines AONB Partnership on: Tel , info@northpenninesaonb.org.uk or visit our website, Lights fantastic the AONB Partnership s Simon Wilson will be swapping old-style Christmas lights with low energy LEDs NPAP/Elfie Waren 5

6 YOUNGSTERS TAKE A LEAP INTO LEARNING 6 Darlington youngsters have been getting a taste for adventure in the outdoors in a series of exciting challenges set by the North Pennines AONB Partnership. LEAP Learning and Excitement Across the North Pennines is an eightsession activity programme for young people of mixed abilities and from a range of social backgrounds. Run in partnership with Darlington Education Village s Outdoor Education department, LEAP is part of Learning in the North Pennines, one of the six strands which make up the Living North Pennines project. The aim is to get children and young people out of the classroom and into the North Pennines to explore the diverse range of outdoor activities on offer in the AONB. Activities over the eight weekly sessions for the 18 young people aged For more information on LEAP, contact the North Pennines AONB Partnership Education Officer on or info@northpenninesaonb.org.uk Shane faces a climbing challenge NPAP/Emma Boor between 11 and 17 included gorge walking, canoeing, climbing and abseiling. Richard Bulmer of Darlington Education Village said: Outdoor education provides an enjoyable, rich learning opportunity by placing students in surroundings and circumstances which are challenging and inspiring and often unpredictable. While building on knowledge, skills and positive attitudes, learning in the outdoors also develops respect for self, others and the environment. Ivor Crowther, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in the North East said: Programmes like LEAP are great ways to get young people out into our beautiful countryside and learn about why it is so important to sustain these wonderful landscapes. It gives them the chance to make friends, be challenged and have fun. The HLF is dedicated to funding projects such as these and by working with the AONB Partnership and taking part in these sessions the young people can leave with tangible skills and experiences to use in the future. The youngsters experiences have been filmed to make a video which will promote to teachers the North Pennines as an excellent outdoor resource. Darlington youngsters Charlie (top) and Ryan (below) learning to kayak NPAP/Emma Boor WOOD YOU BELIEVE IT! MIDDLETON SCHOOL S FORESTRY AWARD The pupils of Middleton School in Teesdale are celebrating their tree-mendous success after learning that they ve won a top award for their work with the North Pennines AONB Partnership. The school has won the Royal Forestry Society s Excellence in Forestry Schools Award for their year-long Woodland Myth and Magic project, devised and run by the AONB Partnership as part of its Living North Pennines programme. Over the year, the children saw the many different aspects of woodland life, including its wildlife and flora, the myths and folklore that have grown around woodland, and how woods and forests are sustainably managed. They grew their own oak trees from acorns they d collected themselves and they rounded off their year s work at Whistle Crag, Middleton, where they planted native broadleaf trees such as rowan, ash and birch which they ll be able to watch growing as they themselves grow up. Emma Boor, the North Pennines AONB Partnership s Education Officer said she was delighted that Middleton School had won the award: The children and their teachers have had so much enthusiasm for the project and have put so much work into it. They thoroughly deserve the recognition of the RFS award and I m very proud that we ve been involved in their success. RFS judges Susannah Podmore and Hugh Mathieson said in the Award citation: We particularly liked the Middleton project as it Middleton School pupils collect their prize at the Great Yorkshire Show: pictured left to right are Sir Jack Whitaker of Teaching Trees, Middleton School Head Teacher Steve Vallack, Higher Level Teaching Assistant Glenda Calvert and Emma Boor, Education Officer, North Pennines AONB Partnership. told the whole story from Seed to Saw and allowed the children to learn about the importance of trees as a sustainable resource, as well as the fun activities that woodland landscapes offer. As winners of the Schools Award, a group of Middleton School pupils travelled down to the Great Yorkshire Show in July to receive their 1,000 prize. The money will go towards the creation of their very own totem pole for the school grounds which will serve as a permanent reminder of their exciting year among the trees of Teesdale.

7 ALL ABOARD FOR COMMUNITY MUSIC AND FILM! One of the most enjoyable events this summer took place at South Tynedale Railway in Alston, where local brass quintet We re Brass played aboard the Thomas Edmondson steam train. The Alston Sheep Show had unfortunately been cancelled that day due to rain and a waterlogged show ground, but a little bit of music chased the rain clouds away and the sun came out not long after lunch. The two performances began with Ticket to ride and were part of the AONB Partnership s Living North Pennines project Ear to Ground, Eye to Sky, which aims to write a piece of music and create accompanying films, both inspired by the landscape and heritage of the AONB. This particular performance was the first of a series designed to get as much Choo-choo tuba We re Brass play tunes on the train NPAP/Abi Wylde community involvement as possible in the composition of the music and films. Local digital artist Rachel Clarke and community composer Andy Jackson joined Abi Wylde, AONB Partnership Community Interpretation Officer, on the train. As the band played, Abi, Rachel and Andy travelled up and down the carriages talking to people about their impressions of the AONB - but it was done through colours! Rachel now has a pallet to work with to create a film of the special qualities of the AONB. Andy was also inspired by people s perceptions of the colours of the AONB and through chatting to them he collected ideas of the different aspects people would like to see represented. Thanks to We re Brass for playing in one of the strangest venues and to the South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society for making it possible. WOODLAND MAGIC AND MYSTERY DAY Robin Hood and his arch-ery enemy the Sheriff of Nottingham were celebrating the woodlands of the North Pennines during a full day of family fun at the Bowlees Visitor Centre in Teesdale in July. It was the second Woodland Magic and Mystery day organised by the North Pennines AONB Partnership and Middleton Plus Development Trust as part of the Partnership s Living North Pennines project. The theme of the day was Robin Hood: heroes and villains of the woods, and people were able to dress up and have their photographs taken as the wellknown woodland characters. Other activities included archery, crafts, green North Pennines AONB Partnership s project focus Pages 6, 7, 8 and 9 woodworking, guided walks, face painting and an orien-tree-ing trail. A big grin from Jack, who enjoyed the Magic and Mystery day with his mum NPAP/Elfie Waren What colour does it remind you of? Community Interpretation Officer Abi Wylde collects impressions of the North Pennines from a train passenger. NPAP IN ON THE ACT! The North Pennines AONB Partnership s Living North Pennines project is all about involving the people of the AONB in conserving and enhancing the things that make the area so special. One way Abi Wylde, Community Interpretation Officer, has been involving local communities is through training events within the Our North Pennines Stories strand of the project. Abi s role is to help support people in telling their own stories, so this summer there have been a number of workshops to help people do just that. Working with the Northumberland Collections Services team, two workshops were run in Alston. The first, in May, was an introduction to oral history, in which the living memories and feelings of all kinds of people were recorded, creating a more vivid picture of our past. It was a very successful workshop; participants felt they d learned a lot and a network of oral historians was created! The next workshop took place in July and was an introduction to researching local and family histories, and another network of people with similar interests was created. More training opportunities exist within the project, including the writing workshops taking place as part of the Penning the Pennines project. To find out more, contact Abi on or her at abi@northpenninesaonb.org.uk 7

8 SOAYS GET CRACKIN ON THE BRACKEN! With fronds like these the Soays get to work on the bracken NPAP/Andy Lees 8 Rare plants near the Derwent Reservoir in County Durham have been fighting a losing battle against the unremitting spread of bracken but now they have an unusual ally which plans to nibble its way to victory! Fen and heath habitats which once graced the slopes above Derwent Reservoir at Pow Hill Country Park have, over the years, been disappearing under a sea of bracken. The Swaledale sheep that are native to the hills and farms of the North Pennines steer clear of bracken but the small flock of Soays that has been drafted in to wage the war against the fiendish fronds just love to feed on the bracken s stalks. Soays are descended from a population of feral sheep which live on Soay, in the Scottish Western Isles. Andy Lees, the North Pennines AONB Partnership s Conservation Officer, said: Fen and heath habitats such as the slopes above the Derwent Reservoir at Pow Hill are included in both the local and national Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP), supporting rare plants such as bog asphodel and lesser skullcap, as well as the foodplants of some rare butterflies. As well as being important habitats in their own right they have also, in the past, supported rare species of butterfly such as the green hairstreak and small pearlbordered fritillary (both national and local Rare plant bog asphodel BAP species). Green hairstreak caterpillars feed on bilberry, which still survives below the bracken, and small pearl-bordered fritillary caterpillars feed on marsh violets in the wet fen areas which are slowly drying out and being invaded by bracken. The North Pennines AONB Partnership s Living North Pennines project is funding work on Northumbrian Water s land to restore some of these slopes to their former state by removing some bracken and re-introducing grazing. Bracken is hard to control; normal methods - such as a chemical application or trampling by cattle - have been ruled out on water quality and safety grounds. Andy said: Our plan is to slowly reduce the area of bracken which A past visitor to Pow Hill the green hairstreak dominates the slopes, with a combination of annual cutting by tractor-mounted topper and the introduction of Soay sheep. Sheep and cattle do not eat bracken as it is poisonous to them, however Soay sheep are known to chew the base of the bracken stalk for some unknown reason, and this helps keep the plants at bay. Fencing has been erected right down into the reservoir to keep grazing animals in, and contractors started the long-term work of bracken control by undertaking the first year cut this August. Very few sheep will be introduced at first, but as the bracken reduces in extent and other palatable plants recover, more sheep will be able to graze the site. The sheep are being provided by Flexigraze, the North East conservation grazing project, and will be looked after by staff from the project and from Northumbrian Water Ltd. For more information, contact the AONB Partnership s Conservation Officer Andy Lees on , or andy@northpenninesaonb.org.uk

9 HAULING LOGS IS A BREEZE FOR HURRICANE HORSE Ouragan the heavy horse has been at work at Pow Hill Country Park near Edmundbyers, County Durham so that mature coniferous trees can make way for the glorious seasonal colours of native broadleaf woodland. The AONB Partnership has joined forces with the SITA Trust and Durham County Council to fell mature plantation on the one hectare of land which falls within the Pow Hill Bog Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and replace it with broadleaf trees such as birch, ash, rowan and oak. Specialist woodsman Chris Wadsworth was working his French Percheron heavy horse, Ouragan, extracting timber over the site s rough terrain while ensuring the damage to surrounding plantlife is kept to a minimum. Chris said: Ouragan is still a young horse, but he works very sweetly despite his name, which means hurricane in French! The AONB Partnership s Woodland Ouragan in action NPAP/Lis Airey Officer Lis Airey said: The removal of fallen timber will provide the opportunity to restructure the remaining Scots pine groups, creating areas for planting with native broadleaved species later in the year. I am a great advocate of the use of forestry horses for this specialist work; the result is always high quality, low impact. A whole range of improvements are taking place at Pow Hill as part of the Partnership s Living North Pennines project, including the installation of a 3km multi-user path between the Country Park and the Derwent Reservoir car park with information panels on the wildlife and history of the area. Get involved! If you would like to get involved in helping to enhance the area around Pow Hill and the Derwent Reservoir now s your chance! We re looking for volunteers to help replant the woodland with a mix of native broadleaf trees. Anyone who would like to get involved should contact Lis Airey on , or her on lis@northpenninesaonb.org.uk CHAPELS TOUR IS JUST THE TICKET 9 Aclassic bus tour was just one of a number of novel events taking place in September as part of Heritage Open Days, the weekend once a year when hundreds of buildings across the country throw open their doors to the public for free. As part of its Living North Pennines project, the North Pennines AONB Partnership was supporting Heritage Open Days events at Middleton-in-Teesdale in County Durham, Alston in Cumbria and Blanchland in Northumberland. Twenty-four expectant passengers some who d really dressed for the occasion boarded the 1946 Leyland Tiger at Middleton on a sunny Saturday morning to tour around the beautiful Methodist chapels of Teesdale and Weardale. Local history experts Peter Ryder and Ian Forbes were on the bus to explain each chapel s special history. The passengers were welcomed at chapels along the way by enthusiastic volunteers June Luckhurst at Newbiggin and David Hetherington at High House in Ireshopeburn. Passenger Liz Smith said: "I've been on several Heritage Open Days events but this was the best by far! We thoroughly appreciated having the experts on the bus and meeting the wonderful hosts at the different chapels. The vintage bus was the Cumbria Classic Coaches driver Anthony Haymer welcomes passengers aboard the 1946 Leyland Tiger bus NPAP/Abi Wylde icing on the cake! Another classic bus tour took place on the Sunday, when 35 people enjoyed a Day in the Dales stopping at as many Heritage Open Days venues as possible and eating a delicious picnic lunch of breads, ham, home-grown veg and freshly baked cakes washed down with lashings of tea of course!

10 SIXTH NORTHERN ROCKS A GREAT SUCCESS Northern Rocks the North Pennines Festival of Geology and Landscape was a great success earlier this year. This year s festival, the AONB Partnership s sixth, took place over two weeks in late May and early June and was packed with around 40 events and activities across the North Pennines AONB. The festival celebrates the unique geological heritage of the North Pennines and its status as a UNESCO European Geopark. It is timed to coincide with European Geoparks Week a pan- European festival celebrating the special geology and landscapes of all 35 European Geoparks. Events were spread throughout the North Pennines, across Cumbria, Northumberland and County Durham. Elizabeth Pickett, Geodiversity Officer with the AONB Partnership said: Northern Rocks is all about the outstanding geology and landscape of the North Pennines and making it accessible and fun. From guided walks, underground mine tours and dry stone walling, to rock-climbing, pony trekking and feltmaking, there was something for everyone. The festival is run with the close co-operation of many organisations and individuals, including many volunteers and is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Natural England. We are very grateful for everyone s enthusiasm and commitment, said Chris Woodley-Stewart, Director of the AONB Partnership. We couldn t do it without you! 10 Having a go at dry stone walling near Slaggyford. NPAP/Jon Charlton SOUNDS LIKE KILLHOPE... BY JANE FOALE Planning for Northern Rocks 2010 (22 May 6 June) is now underway. For more information or to get on the mailing list for Northern Rocks 2010 please contact the North Pennines AONB Partnership on or send an to info@northpennninesaonb.org.uk For the second year running, Killhope, the North of England Lead Mining Museum hosted a three day workshop to give students the opportunity to escape the school environment and explore interpretative art in a new and exciting setting. The workshop is a partnership between the museum, students from Wolsingham School and the museum s visiting artist Jane Foale, supported by the North Pennines AONB Partnership. Elizabeth Pickett, Geodiversity Officer with the AONB Partnership, introduced the geological processes that have shaped the North Pennine landscape using examples of her own illustrative artwork. The event was documented by photographer Alex Sawyer who works at Killhope and local sound artist Phil Ogg. Together they have created a stunning audio visual piece which will be used in a variety of ways in the area and beyond. Steven Kelly, one of last year s students, came back to work with Phil before going on to study animation at university this autumn. A painting inspired by the landscape around Killhope. NPAP/Elizabeth Pickett This year s students were Sarah Wilkinson, Sophie Stockdale and Danny Carter. Arwen Frankish, an art teacher at Wolsingham, joined the group and Jane Dalton, from last year also returned. Jane Foale said: It was brilliant having other professionals for the students to work with, and a real pleasure to meet the new students and see some of last year s students coming back with their plans for the future. Ian Forbes, Manager of Killhope, said: The project seems exactly right in so many ways. Pupils get a rare chance to work with professional artists in a stimulating environment, they enjoy collaborating with young people, museum staff get the opportunity to participate in a different kind of interpretation, and the students produce interesting work inspired by the landscape and heritage of the North Pennines." Funding for the workshop came from the AONB Partnership, using funds from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Natural England. Students working in the Buddle House. NPAP/Elizabeth Pickett

11 GEOLOGY A PIECE OF CAKE FOR NORTH PENNINES CHAMPIONS More than 200 children from County Durham, Northumberland and Cumbria were cooking up their own rock recipes at a fun-filled education event in July. Held at Bowlees Visitor Centre near Middleton-in-Teesdale, Ready Steady Rock! played host to nine schools over two days as part of the Northern Rocks Festival. The schools are signed up to the North Pennines Champions scheme, set up by the AONB Partnership as part of its three-year Living North Pennines project. The scheme offers schools travel grants to enable children to get out of the classroom and into the North Pennines, to learn at first hand about the environment they live in and be inspired by the landscapes, wildlife and plants they see around them. At Ready Steady Rock!, the theme for the day combined baking and geology, with the four- to 11-year-old Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils dividing into rock groups such as Sandstone, Limestone and Shale. The groups then took part in a series of varied activities, including concocting recipes to make different kinds of rocks and visiting Gibson s Cave, where they could ask puppets about the layered rock cake of the landscape. They also met a 1950s quarryman to find out what he was eating for lunch, and made their own fossils to take away. Thirty-three schools across the North Pennines and beyond Pupils of Woodland Primary School near Bishop Auckland cooking up a rock recipe Louise Taylor have now signed up to become North Pennines Champions, which entitles them to travel grants of up to 300 to visit and learn in the AONB. All teachers need to do is sign up to the scheme and supply lesson plans. The AONB Partnership is now inviting applications for grants for To join the North Pennines Champions Scheme, contact Claire Parker on or claire@northpenninesaonb.org.uk HEXHAM CHILDREN TRACK DOWN STORY IN STONE 11 Children from Hexham Middle School went on the trail of the story of stone as part of this year s Northern Rocks Festival. The 44 Year 7 children started their day at Ladycross Quarry near Slaley, where AONB Partnership geologist Elizabeth Pickett explained how the sandstone formed more than 300 million years ago, from sand deposited as thin, level layers in vast river deltas. Quarry Manager and owner Robin Turner said these flat slabs of sandstone were now quarried by hand to supply paving stones, roofing slates and cladding for some of the finest buildings in the country. Ian Hancock of the Friends of Ladycross Quarry was also on hand to tell the children about the work that had taken place to encourage wildlife such as birds, butterflies and dragonflies to make their homes on the site. Then the 11- and 12-year-olds set off on a 2.5-mile hike down to Blanchland, taking the route of an ancient drove road past Pennypie House and Shildon Engine House, where the AONB Partnership s Community Interpretation Officer Abi Wylde described how lead mining Hexham Middle School pupils looking at fluorspar with North Pennines AONB Partnership geologist Elizabeth Pickett NPAP/Elfie Waren families would have lived and worked at Shildon 150 years ago. Finally at Blanchland, the children saw the rooftops that had been constructed using stone from Ladycross Quarry around 250 years ago, and Blanchland vicar Jim Lynch explained how monks had settled there centuries earlier and the shape of the village was based on the abbey they had founded. Teacher Jacqui Cameron said the event had been invaluable in enabling the children to see at first hand how rock formed millions of years ago had influenced people s lives and the landscapes around them. She said: It really helps the children put science, geography and history into context when they can see the stone being quarried, actually hold the fossils and minerals, and hear the stories of the buildings and how children their age lived in generations gone by. Ladycross quarryman John Davison showing the children how he cuts roof tiles NPAP/Elfie Waren

12 ALSTON MOOR NEW RESEARCH ON AN ANCIENT LANDSCAPE BY STEWART AINSWORTH AND PAUL FRODSHAM Stewart Ainsworth is Project Manager and Senior Investigator in the Landscape Investigation Team, English Heritage Research Department Paul Frodsham is Historic Environment Officer with the North Pennines AONB Partnership 12 Archaeologists specialising in studying the landscape have embarked on a five-year English Heritage project called Miner-Farmer Landscapes of the North Pennines AONB. They aim to use the landscape around Alston to help understand how local communities have developed from prehistoric times through to the present day. The landscapes of the North Pennines are renowned for their geology and wild natural beauty, but much of what we see today has been shaped by past generations of lead-miners and farmers who have lived and worked here. To date, only a few, scattered earthworks and finds provide glimpses of the landscape and its inhabitants before the industrial-scale lead mining of the 18th and 19th centuries, but there is much potential for the study of earlier periods. The extensive remnants of The area around Garrigill mapped using an airborne radar system known as LiDAR (Light Detecting and Ranging) English Heritage The Roman Fort at Whitley Castle English Heritage the lead industry represent a key aspect of North Pennines heritage, but we know that the landscape was being settled and exploited for thousands of years even before the Roman invaders built their magnificent fort at Whitley Castle near Alston. During the summer of 2009, specially equipped aircraft mapped Alston Moor Manor an area of some 300 square kilometres using hi-tech digital imaging techniques including LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) which provides 3-dimensional mapping of all features in the landscape. Archaeologists will be using this data to help discover and interpret features such as low earthworks that indicate the presence of previously unknown archaeological sites, often lying largely buried within the ground. Other digital imaging and recording techniques will be used to help understand the impact that past land-use has had on particular sites and on the landscape in general. In addition to the archaeologists, a team of architectural specialists will be studying buildings throughout Alston Moor to see how building styles and settlement forms have evolved over the centuries. Other specialists will be looking at vegetation and soils for further evidence of change through time. One of the first studies conducted as part of the project was a detailed ground survey of the remote Roman fort at

13 Whitley Castle, at 330 metres above sea level the highest stone-built Roman fort in Britain. This has some of the best preserved earthwork defences from the whole of Roman Britain, and the recent survey has revealed that they were in the process of being further strengthened when the work was abandoned for some reason we know where the Romans stopped work, but may never know why. In Roman altar from Whitley Castle, now on display in the Great North Museum in Newcastle upon Tyne NPAP/Paul Frodsham addition to the visually impressive aboveground remains at Whitley Castle, a recent geophysical survey by Archaeological Services at the University of Durham has demonstrated that much more lies buried within the ground, both within the fort and in the surrounding landscape. Local farmer and landowner, Elaine Edgar, is now working with experts from Natural England, English Heritage and the AONB Partnership to study the results of the recent survey work and develop plans for the long-term management of the site, including its interpretation for visitors. As a first stage, the field walls that cross the site are to be removed and realigned on the foundations of older walls that do not pass over the fort; this will make it much easier for visitors to appreciate the scale of the fort and understand the layout of the Roman buildings within it The recent survey work has generated much academic interest in Whitley Castle, leading to a visit by an international congress of more than 300 Roman specialists in August probably the largest gathering on the site since the Romans themselves departed more than sixteen centuries ago! The work at Whitley Castle is fascinating in its own right, but the Miner-Farmer Project will also enable this important site to be understood within its wider landscape context. For example, archaeologists think that the fort was probably built to control lead mining, but we currently have no clear evidence of Roman lead working in the North Pennines; if such evidence does survive, in any form, then the project will hopefully find it. By the time the project is finished, we will have a much better understanding of Visitors to Whitley Castle will be able to discover the secrets of its past for themselves with a new self-guided trail leaflet from the North Pennines AONB Partnership. Community Interpretation Officer Abi Wylde and Historic Environment Officer Paul Frodsham have worked with local historian Alastair Robertson and Elaine Edgar at Castle Nook Farm to produce the leaflet. Abi said: Over the last few months much survey work has been carried out to learn more about the Roman fort at Whitley Castle. Over the winter, I will be helping to produce some on-site interpretation so that visitors to the fort will be able to experience some of the stories of the area that have been uncovered. The walk starts at the South Tynedale Railway in Alston and heads up to the development of Alston Moor s rich historic environment, from prehistory to present. This will enable residents and visitors alike to better appreciate and enjoy the area, while also helping farmers and land managers conserve and enhance the landscape for the benefit of current and future generations. Come digging! YOUR chance to get involved in North Pennines archaeology! The AONB Partnership plans to launch an exciting new community archaeology project in Spring This will give local people the opportunity to take an active part in various archaeological research projects throughout the North Pennines, including working alongside English Heritage professionals on the Alston Moor Miner-Farmer Project. The project will be open to all, regardless of previous knowledge or experience; all you need to take part is enthusiasm to find out more about local archaeology! Training will be offered in techniques such as ground survey, geophysical survey, fieldwalking, excavation, historic building survey, finds analysis, working with aerial photographs and documentary research, and local groups will be encouraged to undertake new research projects utilising their newly acquired skills. If you think you might be interested in taking part then please contact the AONB Partnership s Historic Environment Officer, Paul Frodsham, (pfrodsham@northpenninesaonb.org.uk. Tel ). DISCOVER WHITLEY CASTLE Epiacum, as Whitley Castle was known in Roman times. The leaflet is a brief introduction to the fort, as there are many stories to be told. It invites people up to the fort, tells them some stories of other significant historical features along the way and suggests a ride back to Alston on the train - with a cup of tea on board! The leaflet can be picked up at tourist information centres throughout the AONB and by contacting the AONB Partnership office on Alternatively you can download a PDF from 13

14 MEADOW SURVEYS MR HAYRAKE LOOKS TO ESTABLISH SITES OF SPECIAL CHILDHOOD INTEREST 14 Field work: AONB Partnership Botanist Fiona Corby carries out a meadow survey NPAP/Ian Craft Despite unpredictable weather yet again this summer, the North Pennines AONB Partnership s Hay Time officers Fiona Corby and Ian Craft have been hard at work out in the meadows. Working with partners, the AONB Partnership has developed the Hay Time project to conserve and enhance the hay meadows of the North Pennines and to increase public awareness, enjoyment and understanding of this internationally important habitat. In June Fiona and Ian carried out botanical surveys in 151 hay meadows across the AONB. In addition, 10 meadows, where seed has been spread in previous years, were surveyed as part of an on-going monitoring programme. A further two meadows were comprehensively surveyed as part of our detailed scientific monitoring programme. Following on from the survey work, suitable sites were identified where we could harvest seed using our special machinery. This seed was then spread on meadows at six different sites, totalling 20.5ha. Of these receptor meadows two were in Teesdale, and others were in Allendale, the Nent Valley, Weardale and near Kirkby Stephen. Over the course of the autumn the data from the surveys will be entered onto the Hay Time database and reports, with management recommendations, will be sent to all the farmers and land managers. What exactly is hay? What are hay meadows? Why are our hay meadows so important? And what on earth is an SSCI? These and other questions were investigated with children at a number of schools throughout the North Pennines as part of a series of Hay Time Discovery Days this summer. For the activities Neil Diment, the AONB Partnership s Hay Time Community Officer, donned 1950s-style clothing for the summer and, with traditional hay rake and other props in hand, led the investigations. The activities involved children visiting a species-rich hay meadow and looking closely at the very special flowers to be found growing there. Children also enjoyed viewing a recently produced History of Hay Time DVD with images of how hay used to be gathered and hearing at first hand some of the voices of those who remembered the task in the pre-mechanisation days following the second world war. Some schools also were able to follow up with a visit to Beamish Museum where our partners had laid on a variety of hayrelated activities. And SSCIs? Some readers may be more familiar with SSSIs or Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Botanist David Bellamy, fearful that children today are missing out for all sorts of reasons on opportunities to get close to nature, and experience the wonderful hay meadow and other habitats he so strongly recalls from his younger days, believes that we should be concentrating more on what he calls Sites of Special Childhood Interest. The Hay Time project aims, among other things, to give children in the North Pennines a chance to experience (in all senses of the word) a traditional hay Making half cocks. Young farmers from Allendale First School rake up the hay at Beamish Museum as part of their Hay Time History visit. meadow and all its associated sights, sounds and smells. This work aims to give children a sense that these habitats are somehow precious, to be treasured and long remembered as sites of childhood interest. For more information on the AONB Partnership s Hay Time project community activities, contact Neil Diment on , or neil@northpenninesaonb.org.uk Hay Rake apprentices at Forest-of-Teesdale school with Neil Mr Hayrake Diment Ready to Grow On? Teacher Irene Stoddart with children and colleagues from Forest-of-Teesdale School inspect their trays of hay flower seedlings

15 A HUNDRED YEARS OF RUNNING WATER The picturesque Cumbrian village of Castle Carrock recently celebrated the centenary of the opening of its reservoir, writes local resident Paul Bassindale. The roots of Castle Carrock can be traced back to the 13th century, when it was part of Scotland, being returned to English rule during the reign of Edward I. Another, more recent landmark in the village s history, was the building of the reservoir and waterworks. The scheme was needed in order to ensure that Carlisle had fresh, clean drinking water, and years of planning and consideration had taken place before work finally got underway. The reservoir was officially opened on 22nd July 1909, amidst great pomp and ceremony, by the Mayor of Carlisle of the time, Mr W B Maxwell. The building of the reservoir and waterworks, and the subsequent supply of water to Carlisle and the surrounding area, was a major feat of engineering for its time. The reservoir is unusual in that the water has its source in the neighbouring Gelt valley at about 725 feet above sea level. It travels to the reservoir through a three-mile long, 20 diameter pipe at about The dam under construction, with the drawing off tower behind SPECIAL ALE MARKS RESERVOIR S 100 YEARS 450 feet above sea level, then it is treated at the waterworks to ensure it is suitable for human consumption. Another 16 diameter pipe was also laid from Castle Carrock to Cumwhinton where a five million gallon covered service reservoir was built. The construction of the whole scheme began in 1904, the Geltsdale intakes, the pipeline and the waterworks filter beds being completed in A further three years would pass before construction of the reservoir was completed. In the 1901 census, before construction work began, the village was home to 285 people much the same as today. However, during the building process, the population was swollen by the presence of some 700 men housed in a temporary camp around the site. Today, the very same 20 iron pipe that was laid over 100 years ago still carries water from the intakes in Geltsdale to the reservoir at Castle Carrock. The slow sand filter works that were built in 1906 were replaced by a modern works in 1992 and this present water treatment works serves an area mainly to the north and east of Carlisle up to the Scottish border. It also Kuroki, one of the engines used in the construction of the dam To mark Castle Carrock s centenary a special commemorative beer was produced by Geltsdale Brewery in Brampton. And a lot of people clearly wanted to join in the celebrations, as the ale s all gone! The motif used by the brewery on all of its labels is the drawing off tower of Castle Carrock reservoir. Fiona Deal established Geltsdale Brewery in 2006 in a small unit housed within the Old Brewery building in Brampton, Cumbria. Using traditional brewing methods, Geltsdale Brewery now produces a range of beers and lager, all named after prominent landmarks or parts of the local area, to reflect the nature of the area around the Geltsdale Brewery and to suit all tastes. For more information visit the brewery website at The bridge from the reservoir dam to the drawing off tower provides an additional source of water for Cumwhinton Water Treatment Works, which supplies Carlisle and Caldbeck area. In total, the Castle Carrock Water Treatment Works is capable of producing 15 million litres of drinking water per day. Apart from supplying clean drinking water, the reservoir at Castle Carrock provides the ideal habitat for numerous species of plants and animals. The trees around the perimeter provide cover for many of the mammals that inhabit the surrounding area. It is also the perfect environment for species of wild flowers, fungi and insects. The reservoir s centenary was marked in July with a week of events supported by United Utilities and Carlisle City Council. The success and popularity of the centenary celebrations is testament to the close-knit and friendly community spirit present in the village. Article written with the assistance of material from Tom Speight. All archive pictures of Castle Carrock Carlisle Library. A guided nature and geology walk around and above the reservoir, as part of the centenary celebrations NPAP/Elizabeth Pickett 15

16 A BONNY BIT OF FLUORITE BY BRIAN YOUNG 16 Amongst the many and varied geological features which have earned the North Pennines AONB its status as a Global Geopark, are the mineral deposits that supported centuries of mining for ores of lead, iron, zinc, and copper, as well as the spar minerals fluorspar, barytes and witherite. Raw materials for industry though these are, such is the beauty of many of these that examples figure prominently in most of the world s major museums. The AONB is also remarkable for the abundance of several minerals, first found here, but which, for reasons not yet understood, remain great rarities elsewhere in the world. As might be expected, the area s geology and mineral deposits have long been, and continue to be, the subject of research which has produced a vast technical literature. Now, in a recently published book, Minerals of Northern England, the writer and his co-author Bob Symes, formerly Keeper of Mineralogy at London s Natural History Museum, offer an easily accessible non-specialist outline of the minerals of both of the North Pennines and Lake District. To give a flavour of these riches, we will look very briefly here at perhaps the most iconic of North Pennines minerals. Although one of the world s commoner minerals, this area is famous as the source of some of the world s finest examples of fluorite. Still commonly known here as fluorspar, or sometimes simply spar, its correct scientific name is fluorite. The term fluorspar is today reserved for the commercial product used in industry. Known since classical times, by a variety of names, including flusse, fluores, fluss, flusspat, flussaures, fluor etc, all derive from fluere to flow, a reference to its easy melting in a furnace, a property which gave rise to one of its earliest industrial uses as a flux. Fluorite is naturally occurring calcium fluoride (CaF 2 ). In this area it typically forms perfect cubic crystals which often appear to grow through each other, forming highly distinctive penetration twinned crystals. Exceptional crystals over 30 cm across have been found, though most are much smaller. Many are clear and transparent, though cloudy crystals are more common. Whereas open cavities, known by the miners as vugs or lough holes within the mineral veins, yielded the finest crystals, most of our fluorite is massive and lacks any obvious crystal form. Although pure fluorite is colourless, most North Pennine fluorite is coloured. Shades of purple are most common, though pale to deep green, sometimes with a curious bluish or purplish cast, bright yellow, white and golden brown tints are also found. When exposed to ultra violet radiation, which is invisible to the human eye, most North Pennine fluorite glows with a brilliant bright bluish white light. This property, known as fluorescence, takes its name from fluorite. The fluorescence and colour are the result of minute traces of rare chemical elements such as europium, yttrium, lanthanum, cerium etc, within the fluorite. Fluorite is one of the so-called gangue minerals that comprise the bulk of many of the area s lead veins. For centuries it was discarded as a waste product during ore dressing, though finely crystallised specimens of fluorite and its associated minerals, known by the miners as bonny bits, were collected, to build spar boxes, as household or garden ornaments, or to sell to mineral dealers, collectors and museums. Late in the 19th century its value as a flux in iron smelting gave birth to the fluorspar mining industry. Coinciding closely with the collapse of lead mining, this new industry was to be the area s main mining activity throughout much of the 20th century, as fluorspar became an increasingly essential raw material. Today Deep purple intergrown cubic crystals, up to 4cm across, some with white cloudy centres. Like so many fine old museum specimens of fluorite, the label with this merely states Weardale, Co. Durham. Natural History Museum Specimen No. BM 1968, 480 The Natural History Museum, London

17 fluorspar is the main source of fluorinebearing products employed in non-stick surfaces, aerosol propellants, refrigerator gases, toothpaste, aluminium making and many other uses. For many years Weardale was one of the world s major sources of high quality fluorspar. However, by the 1990s, British fluorspar could not compete with cheaper fluorspar, principally from China, and the last major North Pennine fluorspar mine, at Groverake, closed in A small mine at Rogerley Quarry, near Frosterley, is still worked but solely for fine fluorite specimens for collectors and museums. There are, however, good reasons to suppose that large reserves of high quality fluorspar remain here and, as world demand for this essential mineral continues to increase, there is still hope that fluorspar mining may yet return to the North Pennines. With the demise of mining, the many superb examples of fluorite and other North Pennine minerals assume a greater interest and value, amongst collectors, museums and scientists. Minerals of Northern England is unique in bringing together the geological context of the area s mineral deposits, the long and varied history of mining and the important role of collectors and dealers, as an essential backdrop to a celebration of the minerals themselves as portrayed in stunning colour photographs of some of the finest specimens in the collections of the Natural History Museum, London, and other major collections. Minerals of Northern England by R.F.Symes and B.Young is published by the National Museums Scotland in association with the Natural History Museum, London. ISBN , cost Clear deep green cubic crystals, up to 3cm across, showing natural purple fluorescence, from White s Level, Middlehope Burn, Weardale. Natural History Museum Specimen No. BM 1964, R 1524 The Natural History Museum, London ROCKS OF COURSE! Please note that the views expressed by the author in this article are not necessarily those of the North Pennines AONB Partnership. Earlier this year local people found out all about the fascinating rocks, minerals and landscapes of the North Pennines in an eight-week study programme of talks and field visits led by local geologist Brian Young. Under Brian s expert guidance, the 21 budding geologists from across the North Pennines and beyond - including quarrymen, a dry stone waller, botanists and a photographer - explored the way in which the North Pennines has been shaped over millions of years by tropical seas, rainforests, molten rock and ice sheets. They found out about the dramatic Whin Sill, the area s worldfamous minerals and mining heritage, and discovered how the rocks have influenced human activity over thousands of years. Enjoyed every minute! said one enthusiastic participant, and another commented: Both the night classes and field trips were very informative and extremely enjoyable. Funding for the course came from the AONB Partnership, using funds from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Natural England. The AONB Partnership is hoping to run a similar course with Brian next year. Course dates and location are yet to be decided but if you are interested please call Elizabeth Pickett at the Brian Young with course participants exploring geology and landscape around Bowlees in Upper Teesdale. NPAP/Elizabeth Pickett Partnership Staff Unit on and we ll send you more information when it is available.

18 SLOWLY BUT SURELY FOR RESERVOIR WOODLAND SCHEME 18 Work begins this autumn to gradually transform the regimented plantations around Burnhope Reservoir, Upper Weardale into the naturally flowing lines of a beautiful oak woodland while taking care not to affect the reservoir s water quality. Northumbrian Water s Burnhope Reservoir is surrounded by conifer plantations made up mostly of sitka spruce and smaller quantities of Norway spruce, larch and Scots pine. Following Northumbrian Water s land ownership boundaries, the plantations form artificial straight lines across the semi-natural landscape of Upper Weardale. As the trees mature, pockets of windblown trees are now developing throughout the plantations, and if left unattended it is likely that most of the trees will eventually blow over. Experts from Northumbrian Water have been considering how best to manage these plantations, bearing in mind that the reservoir itself provides a direct supply of water to the treatment works directly below the dam. It s extremely important that any forestry work does not affect the quality of water in the reservoir. Stuart Pudney, an ecologist with Northumbrian Water, said that today the company s guiding policy on conifer plantations is to gradually replace them wherever possible with native broadleaf trees to encourage a variety of wildlife and plants in the area. He said: Over the next five to 10 years, sections of plantation will be cleared at Burnhope and re-planted to create upland oak woodland, an important and biodiverse habitat. The main difference to a normal commercial forestry operation will be in the phasing and the areas affected, said Stuart. Starting from this autumn, linear buffer strips will be created adjacent to the reservoir by hand-felling rows of conifers. These strips will be left for a year to green over before clearing the remaining section. This approach will ensure that any disturbed sediment is captured in the buffer strip. We ll be monitoring the sediment in the reservoir carefully to determine how well this works. Ultimately the landscape around the reservoir, though radically different to that which visitors see today, will be greatly improved for both people and wildlife, with a footpath around the whole reservoir providing opportunities to see iconic species like the black grouse. Burnhope Reservoir Northumbrian Water Ltd. For more information on Burnhope Reservoir contact Stuart Pudney on FOUNDATIONS OF THE LANDSCAPE If you ve ever looked at a North Pennine landscape and wondered why the fells and dales are shaped the way they are or how the underlying rocks formed then this is the leaflet for you! This new publication from the North Pennines AONB Partnership was produced by Geodiversity Officer Elizabeth Pickett and tells the story of the geological highlights of the North Pennines, taking the reader on a whistle-stop tour through 500 million years of Earth history. Starting with a deep ocean nearly 500 million years ago, the story moves on to the tropical Carboniferous Period when most North Pennine rocks and fossils were formed. Next comes the Whin Sill, once a vast underground sheet of molten rock, and now impressive cliffs and crags. Find out how the area s world-famous mineral deposits formed from hot water underground, and led to a centuries-old mining heritage. From baking desert climates to thick ice sheets the North Pennines has seen it all! But the North Pennine landscape we know today is as much a human landscape as it is a natural one. Its foundation is in geology and natural processes, but it has also been shaped by millennia of human activity. People through the ages have left their mark in settlements, farms, mines and quarries to create a rich and intricate landscape which reflects the way people have influenced and been influenced by the land. And it is still evolving For a copy of the free leaflet contact the AONB Partnership on or download a PDF from

19 ANOTHER SUMMER S DIG ON BOLLIHOPE COMMON BY ROB YOUNG AND JANE WEBSTER Further excavations took place on Bollihope Common this summer and thankfully the weather was fairly kind to us! Again, the excavation formed part of the fieldwork training for students from Newcastle University, but we also maintained a strong local interest with visits from pupils from Stanhope Barrington School and the Newcastle branch of the Council for British Archaeology s Young Archaeologists Club. We also attracted a wide range of interested individuals some from as far afield as Darlington! The work was a great success and we finished the excavation of the enclosure which we began in This time we examined the south-east corner of the site and found a substantial entrance way and gained a better insight into the way the enclosure wall had been constructed. Unfortunately no buildings or structures were recorded, but we did identify several post holes and lengths of gully within the enclosure. General view of the site under excavation Rob Young and Jane Webster activity. The enclosure had also been constructed up against a substantial, stone built, round house on the north western corner and this structure had seen at least two phases of occupation. We can now suggest that the enclosure may have been important for both ironworking and agricultural activity in the second century AD. This dating is confirmed by the presence of both native, hand-built, pottery and some wheel-thrown vessels, Roman glass, some of which may have been of quite high status, in the form of multi-coloured bangles, and other personal ornaments. Other finds include substantial amounts of iron slag, lead slag and prehistoric flint work. One major discovery from this summer s work was a fragment from a bronze and enamel Roman brooch of dragonesque type it looks like a mythical beast. Again this is a high status find and seems somewhat out of place on a small site in a remote location. We now have to produce a final report on what has been several years of incredibly interesting work and there are lots of questions still to think about. We would like to thank Bollihope Estate, the Bollihope Common Graziers, Natural England and the AONB Partnership staff for their continued support for the project, and we are particularly pleased that the community side of the project has continued to develop. Our thanks go to everyone who helped to make this years work such a success. We ll be back! 19 Excavation of deposits inside the enclosure to the west of the enclosure wall Rob Young and Jane Webster The enclosure itself was of dry stone construction with the walls measuring some 1-1.5m wide. In places there was a clear outer and inner face and a well constructed rubble core. In other sections less care seems to have been taken in the wall s construction. This mirrored the situation over the rest of the enclosure. Our work from 2005 to 2007 has revealed that the site had been used for significant industrial activity; we recorded a second century AD ironworking furnace and a related charcoal production pit on the western side and also a flagged area with an internal wall that was, again, probably related to the metalworking The enclosure under excavation Rob Young and Jane Webster

20 SCHOOL POINTS TO A ZERO CARBON FUTURE Aschool in the Northumberland part of the AONB has become one of the first to reduce its carbon emissions to zero. Whitfield Church of England First School got the go-ahead in April for a 436,000 redevelopment which uses cutting-edge renewable technology that will slice the school s running costs and take it firmly into the 21st century. Looking to the future pupils at Whitfield First School enjoying their new wind turbine. Whitfield s scheme includes solar panels and a wind turbine which will generate up to 12,000 kilowatts of electricity every year. A ground source heat pump will convert low level heat extracted from deep below ground into a more efficient means of space heating. Heat losses will be reduced by insulating the building to a high standard and best use of natural light will be used throughout. A new extension will feature a deep timber frame with recycled newsprint insulation and a living green roof. Experts estimate the school will save around 12.7 tonnes of carbon a year. Headteacher Liz Baker said: This is a hugely exciting project for the school and builds upon our success under the internationally recognised Eco Schools award programme. The project won financial support from the government s Low Carbon Buildings Programme, the Big Lottery s Community Sustainable Energy Programme and LCVAP the Local Authority Coordinated Voluntary Aided Programme which committed 303,000 to the scheme following a recommendation for approval from the Diocese of Newcastle. Joan Lumley, Chair of the Board of Governors said: This will not only deliver real environmental benefits, but also transform our teaching space, cut our running costs and put the school firmly on the map. 20 NEWS IN BRIEF High Cup runneth over! The North Pennines may be famous for many things, but a full-bodied red is not one of them. But that may all change if Ron and Angela Barker keep tending the vines they ve planted on a south-facing slope of their farm. High Cup Winery named after the celebrated valley cut into the North Pennines nearby not only produces wines from fruit such as elderberry and damson, but also, when the climate allows, from grapes grown on the farm. Of course Ron and Angela realised that the North Pennines climate would not be Ron Barker providing a wine tasting for thirsty walkers at the end of a Northern Rocks Festival event. NPAP/Chris Woodley-Stewart perfect for vines so they planned to make fruit wines as well. This summer s vintage will be ready for sale in April 2010, and will include elderflower and apple, rhubarb, raspberry, elderberry and damson. For more information call or visit Get creative with poetry workshop There s a chance for budding poets to get involved in the AONB Partnership s Living North Pennines project at two events taking place in Teesdale. Penning the Pennines poetry readings and follow-up workshops run by Darlington-based Vane Women writers collective will be held at Romaldkirk Reading Rooms. The initial poetry reading event takes place on Thursday 19 November, pm, where members of Vane Women will read their own favourite poems about the landscapes and heritage of the area. The workshop, which will encourage participants to produce their own creative writing inspired by the North Pennines, will run on Saturday 5 December from 11am-3pm. The AONB Partnership s Community Interpretation Officer Abi Wylde said: We d love it if people attending the session want to bring along some of their own material they ve written already to share with the group. But even if people have no writing experience at all that doesn t matter; the main thing is to just enjoy listening to the readings and see what discussion they spark off. To find out more, contact Abi on or her at abi@northpenninesaonb.org.uk Durham City of Culture A new website supporting Durham s bid to become the first UK City of Culture has recently been launched - to the site can back the bid online, leave messages, follow the bid on Twitter and find out more about the positive benefits the bid will bring with spectacular events, festivals and activities in Durham City and throughout the entire county.