Nenthead Mines Nenthead www.skyimage.co.uk Printed on 150gsm Cacoon 100% recycled Silk recycled 100% Cacoon 150gsm on Printed
08/18/8K
and Bentyfield mines) and Brian Young (geological consultant). consultant). (geological Young Brian and mines) Bentyfield and
Thanks to Jane Norris and Valdis Stals (lead volunteers for Whitesike Whitesike for volunteers (lead Stals Valdis and Norris Jane to Thanks
from from www.northpennines.org.uk
All of our walks leaflets are available as downloadable pdfs pdfs downloadable as available are leaflets walks our of All
little reward. little
of the scale of industry that eventually yielded relatively relatively yielded eventually that industry of scale the of
buildings are in poor repair but you can get some sense sense some get can you but repair poor in are buildings
fascinating yet little-known site. The remains of mine mine of remains The site. little-known yet fascinating
A walk leaflet is available to help you explore this this explore you help to available is leaflet walk A
Brandon Walls near Rookhope near Walls Brandon
for more information. more for www.nentheadmines.com
experienced volunteers. Go to to Go volunteers. experienced
Lots to see and do – mine tours and open days led by by led days open and tours mine – do and see to Lots
Nenthead Mines Nenthead
Other OREsome project sites you can visit: can you sites project OREsome Other
to local people and visitors. and people local to
was to communicate the stories associated with the sites sites the with associated stories the communicate to was
conserve upland ore mining landscapes. One objective objective One landscapes. mining ore upland conserve
[email protected] northpennaonb enthuse, engage and enable local communities to help help to communities local enable and engage enthuse,
+44 (0)1388 528801 (0)1388 +44 Lottery-funded project ‘OREsome’. The project aimed to to aimed project The ‘OREsome’. project Lottery-funded northpennines
Pennines AONB Partnership’s two-year-long Heritage Heritage two-year-long Partnership’s AONB Pennines www.northpennines.org.uk @NorthPennAONB
This walk leaflet was devised as part of the North North the of part as devised was leaflet walk This North Pennines AONB Partnership AONB Pennines North NorthPenninesAONB
OREsome North Pennines North OREsome
information visit visit information www.unesco.org/geoparks
between the South Tyne and Nent valleys. Nent and Tyne South the between
education, interpretation and nature tourism. For more more For tourism. nature and interpretation education,
Whitesyke and Bentyfield mines and up onto the fell the onto up and mines Bentyfield and Whitesyke
sustainable development, through conservation, conservation, through development, sustainable
An interesting and varied 3½-mile (5.5km) walk through walk (5.5km) 3½-mile varied and interesting An
where outstanding geological heritage is used to support support to used is heritage geological outstanding where
The area is also a UNESCO Global Geopark - a place place a - Geopark Global UNESCO a also is area The
visit visit www.landscapesforlife.org.uk
UNESCO Global Geopark. Global UNESCO
Walk through a lead mining landscape mining lead a through Walk
England and Wales. For more information on AONBs, AONBs, on information more For Wales. and England
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). It is also a also is It (AONB). Beauty Natural Outstanding of Area
, it is the second largest of the 38 AONBs in in AONBs 38 the of largest second the is it , at 2,000km at
2
Bentyfield mines Bentyfield natural beauty. In recognition of this it is designated as an as designated is it this of recognition In beauty. natural Cumbria (with a very small part of North Yorkshire), and and Yorkshire), North of part small very a (with Cumbria
parts of the counties of Durham, Northumberland and and Northumberland Durham, of counties the of parts a peaceful, unspoilt landscape with a rich history and vibrant vibrant and history rich a with landscape unspoilt peaceful, a
Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1988. It includes includes It 1988. in (AONB) Beauty Natural Outstanding
The North Pennines is one of England’s most special places – – places special most England’s of one is Pennines North The Whitesike & & Whitesike
The North Pennines was designated as an Area of of Area an as designated was Pennines North The
(AONB) and UNESCO Global Geopark Global UNESCO and (AONB) North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Beauty Natural Outstanding of Area Pennines North
Welcome to Whitesike & Bentyfield mines Rock garden Water – friend and foe Shaped by millions of years of natural processes The areas of spoil around the washing floor are Water was used by miners to drive machinery via and centuries of industry. particularly excellent for plants known as waterwheels – you can see the remains of wheel ‘metallophytes’. These are tolerant of soils pits at Whitesike and Bentyfield mines. Water This varied walk takes you through an upland containing high levels of heavy metals and so are was also essential for the washing process, to landscape that has been shaped by centuries of able to colonise ground that would otherwise be separate the valuable lead ore from worthless industrial activity. The rocks and minerals that overtaken by moorland grasses. waste rock. When material brought out from the make up the North Pennine fells have long been Early miners recognised these lead-tolerant plants mine was shaken in water, the heavier lead ore quarried and mined for rock and valuable minerals. settled to the bottom. Lead mining in particular has influenced this as important indicators of the presence of precious landscape, leaving a legacy of shafts, spoil heaps, mineral veins. Whitesike is typical of many washing floors in that old buildings and special plants. In early summer there are also carpets of other the natural course of the stream was culverted to flowering plants that enjoy the wet, marshy run alongside and beneath the washing floor. In conditions, including water avens, forget-me-not the archive image below from around 1900 you Walk length/time: 5.5 km and self-heal. can see the launder (a raised wooden channel) (3½ miles) with 190 m Hexham taking water to feed the waterwheel, as well as The area’s metallophyte flora is nationally of ascent, taking about hotching tubs on the washing floor and the burn 2 – 2½ hours important and has been designated as a Site of Alston to the left. The forked wooden levers on the Start/finish: Layby on Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Stanhope hotching tubs raised and lowered large sieves B6277 near Garrigill Walk start suspended in water, to separate the lead ore from GR: NY 750 424. There Middleton- rock and other minerals. is a large surfaced area in-Teesdale Spring sandwort Water also brought with it challenges. The main to the west side of the (Minuartia verna) is road and space for a problem was the flooding of shafts, which then North Pennines nationally quite rare, needed to be drained. Water continues to shape couple of vehicles to AONB & UNESCO but is commonly seen the east. Take care not Global Geopark the landscape and affect mine sites like this. Very to block any gateways. in old lead mining little remains of the original structures here, due areas such as here at Terrain: This route takes you onto open fell with in large part to more than a century’s worth of Whitesike. This small, stream erosion. indistinct paths. In bad weather or reduced visibility delicate plant is also route finding could be challenging. In addition the area is riddled with mine shafts – of great heritage known, appropriately, interest, but potentially hazardous in low cloud or as leadwort. fog. At any time of year some of the terrain is rough underfoot and boggy in places, so suitable walking shoes are recommended. Facilities: Garrigill has a pub (The George and Dragon). For opening times and food availability call There is an abundance 01434 381900. Garrigill also has a small shop and of thrift at Whitesike, post office, closed Tuesdays and Sunday afternoons. There are public toilets at the village hall. Nenthead which, as its scientific has a pub, shop and public toilets. Alston has public name Armeria toilets and a range of pubs and shops. maritima suggests, is more commonly Useful maps: associated with Ordnance Survey 1:50 000 Landranger 86 Haltwhistle & Brampton coastal areas. 1:25 000 Explorer OL31 North Pennines British Geological Survey 1:50 000 Geological Sheet 25 Alston Image courtesy of Ian Forbes
Nenthead Mines Nenthead www.skyimage.co.uk Printed on 150gsm Cacoon 100% recycled Silk recycled 100% Cacoon 150gsm on Printed
08/18/8K
and Bentyfield mines) and Brian Young (geological consultant). consultant). (geological Young Brian and mines) Bentyfield and
Thanks to Jane Norris and Valdis Stals (lead volunteers for Whitesike Whitesike for volunteers (lead Stals Valdis and Norris Jane to Thanks
from from www.northpennines.org.uk
All of our walks leaflets are available as downloadable pdfs pdfs downloadable as available are leaflets walks our of All
little reward. little
of the scale of industry that eventually yielded relatively relatively yielded eventually that industry of scale the of
buildings are in poor repair but you can get some sense sense some get can you but repair poor in are buildings
fascinating yet little-known site. The remains of mine mine of remains The site. little-known yet fascinating
A walk leaflet is available to help you explore this this explore you help to available is leaflet walk A
Brandon Walls near Rookhope near Walls Brandon
for more information. more for www.nentheadmines.com
experienced volunteers. Go to to Go volunteers. experienced
Lots to see and do – mine tours and open days led by by led days open and tours mine – do and see to Lots
Nenthead Mines Nenthead
Other OREsome project sites you can visit: can you sites project OREsome Other
to local people and visitors. and people local to
was to communicate the stories associated with the sites sites the with associated stories the communicate to was
conserve upland ore mining landscapes. One objective objective One landscapes. mining ore upland conserve
[email protected] northpennaonb enthuse, engage and enable local communities to help help to communities local enable and engage enthuse,
+44 (0)1388 528801 (0)1388 +44 Lottery-funded project ‘OREsome’. The project aimed to to aimed project The ‘OREsome’. project Lottery-funded northpennines
Pennines AONB Partnership’s two-year-long Heritage Heritage two-year-long Partnership’s AONB Pennines www.northpennines.org.uk @NorthPennAONB
This walk leaflet was devised as part of the North North the of part as devised was leaflet walk This North Pennines AONB Partnership AONB Pennines North NorthPenninesAONB
OREsome North Pennines North OREsome
information visit visit information www.unesco.org/geoparks
between the South Tyne and Nent valleys. Nent and Tyne South the between
education, interpretation and nature tourism. For more more For tourism. nature and interpretation education,
Whitesyke and Bentyfield mines and up onto the fell the onto up and mines Bentyfield and Whitesyke
sustainable development, through conservation, conservation, through development, sustainable
An interesting and varied 3½-mile (5.5km) walk through walk (5.5km) 3½-mile varied and interesting An
where outstanding geological heritage is used to support support to used is heritage geological outstanding where
The area is also a UNESCO Global Geopark - a place place a - Geopark Global UNESCO a also is area The
visit visit www.landscapesforlife.org.uk
UNESCO Global Geopark. Global UNESCO
Walk through a lead mining landscape mining lead a through Walk
England and Wales. For more information on AONBs, AONBs, on information more For Wales. and England
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). It is also a also is It (AONB). Beauty Natural Outstanding of Area
, it is the second largest of the 38 AONBs in in AONBs 38 the of largest second the is it , at 2,000km at
2
Bentyfield mines Bentyfield natural beauty. In recognition of this it is designated as an as designated is it this of recognition In beauty. natural Cumbria (with a very small part of North Yorkshire), and and Yorkshire), North of part small very a (with Cumbria
parts of the counties of Durham, Northumberland and and Northumberland Durham, of counties the of parts a peaceful, unspoilt landscape with a rich history and vibrant vibrant and history rich a with landscape unspoilt peaceful, a
Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1988. It includes includes It 1988. in (AONB) Beauty Natural Outstanding
The North Pennines is one of England’s most special places – – places special most England’s of one is Pennines North The Whitesike & & Whitesike
The North Pennines was designated as an Area of of Area an as designated was Pennines North The
(AONB) and UNESCO Global Geopark Global UNESCO and (AONB) North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Beauty Natural Outstanding of Area Pennines North
Welcome to Whitesike & Bentyfield mines Rock garden Water – friend and foe Shaped by millions of years of natural processes The areas of spoil around the washing floor are Water was used by miners to drive machinery via and centuries of industry. particularly excellent for plants known as waterwheels – you can see the remains of wheel ‘metallophytes’. These are tolerant of soils pits at Whitesike and Bentyfield mines. Water This varied walk takes you through an upland containing high levels of heavy metals and so are was also essential for the washing process, to landscape that has been shaped by centuries of able to colonise ground that would otherwise be separate the valuable lead ore from worthless industrial activity. The rocks and minerals that overtaken by moorland grasses. waste rock. When material brought out from the make up the North Pennine fells have long been Early miners recognised these lead-tolerant plants mine was shaken in water, the heavier lead ore quarried and mined for rock and valuable minerals. settled to the bottom. Lead mining in particular has influenced this as important indicators of the presence of precious landscape, leaving a legacy of shafts, spoil heaps, mineral veins. Whitesike is typical of many washing floors in that old buildings and special plants. In early summer there are also carpets of other the natural course of the stream was culverted to flowering plants that enjoy the wet, marshy run alongside and beneath the washing floor. In conditions, including water avens, forget-me-not the archive image below from around 1900 you Walk length/time: 5.5 km and self-heal. can see the launder (a raised wooden channel) (3½ miles) with 190 m Hexham taking water to feed the waterwheel, as well as The area’s metallophyte flora is nationally of ascent, taking about hotching tubs on the washing floor and the burn 2 – 2½ hours important and has been designated as a Site of Alston to the left. The forked wooden levers on the Start/finish: Layby on Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Stanhope hotching tubs raised and lowered large sieves B6277 near Garrigill Walk start suspended in water, to separate the lead ore from GR: NY 750 424. There Middleton- rock and other minerals. is a large surfaced area in-Teesdale Spring sandwort Water also brought with it challenges. The main to the west side of the (Minuartia verna) is road and space for a problem was the flooding of shafts, which then North Pennines nationally quite rare, needed to be drained. Water continues to shape couple of vehicles to AONB & UNESCO but is commonly seen the east. Take care not Global Geopark the landscape and affect mine sites like this. Very to block any gateways. in old lead mining little remains of the original structures here, due areas such as here at Terrain: This route takes you onto open fell with in large part to more than a century’s worth of Whitesike. This small, stream erosion. indistinct paths. In bad weather or reduced visibility delicate plant is also route finding could be challenging. In addition the area is riddled with mine shafts – of great heritage known, appropriately, interest, but potentially hazardous in low cloud or as leadwort. fog. At any time of year some of the terrain is rough underfoot and boggy in places, so suitable walking shoes are recommended. Facilities: Garrigill has a pub (The George and Dragon). For opening times and food availability call There is an abundance 01434 381900. Garrigill also has a small shop and of thrift at Whitesike, post office, closed Tuesdays and Sunday afternoons. There are public toilets at the village hall. Nenthead which, as its scientific has a pub, shop and public toilets. Alston has public name Armeria toilets and a range of pubs and shops. maritima suggests, is more commonly Useful maps: associated with Ordnance Survey 1:50 000 Landranger 86 Haltwhistle & Brampton coastal areas. 1:25 000 Explorer OL31 North Pennines British Geological Survey 1:50 000 Geological Sheet 25 Alston Image courtesy of Ian Forbes A Whitesike Mine and washing floor C Bentyfield Mine F Greengill Hush This walk takes you through a landscape shaped by Further upstream you come In front of you is an area of heavily worked ground, part centuries of mining for lead ore in the mineral veins to the site of Bentyfield Mine, of a feature known as Greengill Hush. Hushes are that criss-cross the area (see the map for some of the where you can see another opencast workings along lead veins and date mainly main veins). You start at Whitesike Mine which was mine entrance and the from the 18th century. Miners excavated them using active during the 19th century. The flat stony area remains of a wheel pit (right). picks and shovels and periodically cleared loose material below you is all that remains of the washing floor, Mine spoil on the near bank by releasing water from dams on the hillsides above. where material from the mine was processed using contains pieces of lead ore Looking north-west across the Nent valley you can see water to separate the heavier lead ore from waste rock. (the mineral galena), as well how different layers of rock influence the landscape. Further along the path is a stone-walled shaft and an as fragments of pale quartz and Layers of hard limestone and sandstone stand out as information panel. You can see the remains of fluorite, known to the miners as terraces, whereas softer shales lie beneath the slopes ‘bouseteems’, (where unprocessed ore, known as ‘spar’ minerals. between the terraces. ‘bouse’, was stored before washing) and one of the Lead-grey galena mine entrances. The shaft is at least 40m deep, and is in a pebble thought to be a ventilation shaft. D A tough life This building is the Bentyfield mineshop, which housed B The Great Limestone a smithy on the ground floor and lodgings for miners Around 320 million years ago warm, shallow seas full above. This building and the other mine structures, of life covered this area. The remains of marine including the linings of tunnels and shafts, were all built creatures covered the sea floor, forming a limy ooze from locally quarried sandstone. which eventually hardened into limestone. In this old quarry you can see the Great Limestone, one of the E Shaft mounds thickest limestone layers in the North Pennines. The These distinctive doughnut-shaped earthworks, known rock was taken to a nearby limekiln along a tramway as shaft mounds, are spoil heaps from early shafts sunk (now a raised grassy track) where it was burnt to make along the lines of lead veins. They may be Elizabethan lime for improving upland soils. The ruined kiln is or even older. hidden in a clump of trees downstream.
You come to another wall with a squeeze stile next to a field gate. Don’t cross the stile but pause to look Follow the path to a Follow the narrow at the hush and view wall with a squeeze FF . Turn right to go Right: You can see fossils in grassy path to the stile. Keep half-right rocks alongside the burn, just right of a stream in a uphill, through a towards another Greengill Hush metal field gate, and upstream of the stone arch. gully. It’s worth wall. Go through a The bands of pale dots are pausing and turning follow the grassy metal gate in a track for 1km to road. colonies of a coral called back to admire the fence and keep F Siphonodendron. These view E . When you straight on with the creatures lived on a tropical are level with the top wall on your right. sea floor when this area lay Just after the of the plantation on near the equator. mineshop go left your right, head through a wicket towards a stile. Cross G Nenthead An information panel gate, turn right and the corner of the (1km) overlooking the site up to a stone step plantation to another gives an introduction stile in wall. Cross a stile and back onto marshy area via Map © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. to mining at Whitesike the fell. Durham County Council. LA100049055. 2018. ( ). To start the walk, some wooden Mineral veins based upon Geological Sheet sleepers then climb 25 (Alston), with the permission of the go through the wicket British Geological Survey. gate just north of the to a stile and onto Bentyfield Sun Vein 0 300 m layby, signed the open fell. H Dowgang Hush ‘Nenthead Grassfield’. Scale Follow the path up the Bentyfield Vein valley. N Old Groves Bentyfield Mine E Nunnery Hill Turn right and walk Cross Vein Alston B D uphill on the road, (5km) keeping a look out C I for any traffic. A Whitesike Mine Follow the road for 1.6km/1 mile. K J
Garrigill Burn Browngill Vein Flinty Fell
Garrigill G Nenthead – a mega mine Keep to the left of (1km) the main mound Browngill Sun Vein Nenthead Mines is the largest single lead mining site and on to a wooden in the North Pennines. The scale of the overground stile in fence. Cross operations can be seen from here, but the mine levels After the large plantation on your (tunnels) undergound stretch for hundreds of metres this and head down left the road bears right, then left. Middleton-in- the field to a stone under the hills. Check their website for times of mine At this point leave the road tours and open days: www.nentheadmines.com Teesdale (28km) stile and the layby following a footpath on your right where you started. signed ‘Whitesike Mine’. Follow the wall to a stone stile. Cross the J No stone unturned stile and keep on in the same As you walk down the road you’ll see the dozens of direction – the path here can be shaft mounds, remains of mine workings and spoil that quite indistinct. Head for the litter the landscape. It gives some impression of the large mound ahead. scale of industry that once went on here.
K Power from water Water was the most important source of power at H many North Pennine mines. Small reservoirs like this I Great Pennine fells Dowgang Hush one (now largely dried up) were built on the hillsides At the top of Nunnery Hill a superb panorama of Cross Across the road here is the deep, wooded ravine of above mines to store water. The water was carried Fell and Great and Little Dun fells comes into view Dowgang Hush. This is an impressive example of a along leats to waterwheels (such as the one at across the South Tyne valley. The flat summit plateau hush (see EF ). We know from an old document that this Bentyfield C ), which were used to drive mine pumps of Cross Fell is a resistant layer of sandstone. At 893m hush was in existence in 1773. Its depth suggests that and ore crushing machinery. it is the highest point in the whole Pennine chain. it was worked for many decades.
Great Dun Fell 848m Cross Fell 893m Little Dun Fell 842m