June 2011 June to waymark Gateshead’s surprising countryside. surprising Gateshead’s waymark to the Ways project and carries on today - continuing to use artworks artworks use to continuing - today on carries and project Ways the interest and delight. This work first started in 1991 with the Marking Marking the with 1991 in started first work This delight. and interest the great outdoors of south and central Gateshead. central and south of outdoors great the over a 20 year history of placing sculptures in the landscape to add add to landscape the in sculptures placing of history year 20 a over 0191 433 3524, www.gateshead.gov.uk/countryside 3524, 433 0191 Explore the art, history and wildlife in wildlife and history art, the Explore In addition this area, in the shadow of the Angel of the North, has has North, the of Angel the of shadow the in area, this addition In Countryside Rangers. Rangers. Countryside about Gateshead’s countryside then why not join Gateshead Volunteer Volunteer Gateshead join not why then countryside Gateshead’s about which also runs a varied event programme throughout the year. year. the throughout programme event varied a runs also which If you are over 18 and would like to have fun caring for and learning learning and for caring fun have to like would and 18 over are you If Many of these sites are owned and managed by Gateshead Council Council Gateshead by managed and owned are sites these of Many from ancient woodlands to newly created wetlands and meadows. meadows. and wetlands created newly to woodlands ancient from Get Involved! Get wildlife and offers a wide range of accessible places to visit ranging ranging visit to places accessible of range wide a offers and wildlife look at the map in the centre of this leaflet. this of centre the in map the at look email [email protected] [email protected] email This area of Gateshead is also a surprisingly fantastic place to see see to place fantastic surprisingly a also is Gateshead of area This To find out where you can see all of the Marking The Ways sculptures sculptures Ways The Marking the of all see can you where out find To Council NE8 1HH, 0191 433 3443 3443 433 0191 1HH, NE8 Council the world’s oldest operating railway. operating oldest world’s the Development and Enterprise, Civic Centre, Regent Street, Gateshead Gateshead Street, Regent Centre, Civic Enterprise, and Development sculptures which had naturally come to the end of their lives. lives. their of end the to come naturally had which sculptures celebrating our industrial past can be visited in the area including including area the in visited be can past industrial our celebrating This leaflet was produced by the Natural Environment Team Team Environment Natural the by produced was leaflet This paths to replace some of the original Marking the Ways timber timber Ways the Marking original the of some replace to paths development of the first railways. A number of sites and attractions attractions and sites of number A railways. first the of development at Watergate Forest Park, to Hedley Hall Wood and along the railway railway the along and Wood Hall Hedley to Park, Forest Watergate at (Newcastle) important place in the world for the production of coal and the the and coal of production the for world the in place important In 2009 a further series of sculptures were added to existing works works existing to added were sculptures of series further a 2009 In OS Maps - Explorer Maps 308 (Durham and Sunderland) and 318 318 and Sunderland) and (Durham 308 Maps Explorer - Maps OS a glimpse of our industrial past and a time when it was the most most the was it when time a and past industrial our of glimpse a Whilst this area has seen enormous landscape change it still offers offers still it change landscape enormous seen has area this Whilst commissioned artworks were installed in and around the Centre. Centre. the around and in installed were artworks commissioned 0191 433 3082 433 0191 Kibblesworth Village Millennium Centre in 2000 a series of specially specially of series a 2000 in Centre Millennium Village Kibblesworth For information on cycling see www.cycle-routes.org/cycle-gateshead see cycling on information For surprising sculptures and escape from the stresses of modern life. life. modern of stresses the from escape and sculptures surprising When a derelict school in Kibblesworth was converted to the the to converted was Kibblesworth in school derelict a When wildlife, look out for the signs of our industrial heritage, marvel at at marvel heritage, industrial our of signs the for out look wildlife, countryside a short bus ride from Gateshead Town Centre, you can walk, watch watch walk, can you Centre, Town Gateshead from ride bus short a of Visual Arts. Arts. Visual of For information on walking and wildlife see www.gateshead.gov.uk/ see wildlife and walking on information For access including woodlands, parks and nature reserves. Here, in just just in Here, reserves. nature and parks woodlands, including access Sculptors to the area to produce new artworks as part of the Year Year the of part as artworks new produce to area the to Sculptors Traveline Northeast - 0870 608 2608 www.traveline.info 2608 608 0870 - Northeast Traveline There are a surprisingly wide range of outdoor facilities with open open with facilities outdoor of range wide surprisingly a are There In 1996 ‘The Four Seasons’ brought four well known European European known well four brought Seasons’ Four ‘The 1996 In For public transport information contact contact information transport public For here is now an attractive and fascinating place to visit. visit. to place fascinating and attractive an now is here to produce the original Marking the Ways sculptures. Ways the Marking original the produce to 0191 478 422 or email [email protected] [email protected] email or 422 478 0191 and the development of the world’s first railways the countryside countryside the railways first world’s the of development the and The programme began in Kibblesworth and worked with local people people local with worked and Kibblesworth in began programme The Discover Gateshead at www.gateshead.gov.uk www.gateshead.gov.uk at Gateshead Discover area’s best kept secrets. Once a landscape dominated by coal mining mining coal by dominated landscape a Once secrets. kept best area’s to encourage visitors to the countryside of south Gateshead. Gateshead. south of countryside the to visitors encourage to For tourist, events and public art information see see information art public and events tourist, For The countryside around central and south Gateshead is one of the the of one is Gateshead south and central around countryside The Marking the Ways - an art project first launched in 1991 aims aims 1991 in launched first project art an - Ways the Marking Art Useful Information Information Useful Introduction Marking the Ways the Marking In 1855 John Bowes and Charles Palmer, frustrated with the service from the private Brandling Railway Company, built their own line direct to the Staithes at Jarrow. This ‘Pontop and Jarrow Railway’ ran along what is now the Bowes Railway Path. Coal production reached its peak in 1923 when 7 million tonnes of cargo left Dunston every year making the small village the third largest port in the UK! With the decline of the coal industry from the end of Walking and cycling History the Second World War the seven collieries served by the Tanfield Way Wildlife began to close. When Watergate Colliery closed in 1964 most of the Tanfield Way had ceased to operate and was reclaimed as a recreational path. In 1971 a group of local enthusiast began working towards the Many of the sculptures can be seen on a 6 mile walk from Watergate The Oldest Railway preservation of part of the Tanfield Way into what is now the Tanfield Over recent years the area of central and south Gateshead has become Forest Park to Kibblesworth along the Bowes and Tanfield Railway Railway. a surprisingly good area to see wildlife and especially for bird watchers, Paths. Whilst a linear walk the public transport links to and from Coal has been mined from the Whickham area since at least the 12th with a wide range of different nature reserves to visit. century, originally from a large number of Bell Pits like those discovered Gateshead Town Centre are good and there is also the possibility of Even the Railway Paths which link these various nature reserves cycling the whole route or of walking sections and visiting the many at Lottie’s Wood. Mining was so profitable that in 1582 Queen Elizabeth I purchased the the ‘Whickham Grand Lease’ from the Church before Tanfield Railway together are important wildlife corridors. This includes part of the ‘nature reserves’ as part of a shorter visit. Bowes Railway Path along the former Birkhead’s Mineral line which passing it on to her favorite Lord Dudley. With an unparalleled history dating back to 1725, spectacular scenery Whilst walking the Bowes and Tanfield Railway Paths you can expect is designated as a Local Wildlife Site because it reminds us of how The coal was transported by packhorse to the River Tyne at Dunston and a truly unique atmosphere, Tanfield Railway is the North East’s the area looked before industrialisation and the intensification of to experience easy to use and to follow surfaced paths. There are some largest and most popular steam railway. gradients on these Railway Paths reflecting the old railway inclines.