Whitesike & Bentyfield Mines
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
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.