North Pennines National Landscape

North Pennines National Landscape Taking action for nature and people in the North Pennines National Landscape & UNESCO Global Geopark

The North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is a stunning landscape of open heather moors, dramatic dales, tumbling upland rivers, wonderful woods, close-knit communities, glorious waterfalls, fantastic birds, colourful hay meadows, stone-built villages, intriguing imprints of a mining and industrial past, distinctive plants and much, much more. As well as being an AONB the North

Pennines is also a UNESCO Global Geopark. The North Pennines is a distinctive landscape of high moorland and broad upland dales in the North of England. It shares a boundary with the Yorkshire Dales National Park in the south and extends as far as the Tyne Valley, just south of Hadrian's Wall, in the north. Parts of the North Pennines are in the three English counties of Cumbria, Durham and Northumberland. The North Pennines was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) by the UK Government in 1988. It is the second largest of the 40 AONBs in England and Wales, covering an area of 1983km2.

Volunteer with us surveying for waxcaps on farms in the North Pennines National Landscape.Waxcap fungi are important bec...
07/09/2026

Volunteer with us surveying for waxcaps on farms in the North Pennines National Landscape.

Waxcap fungi are important because they are found in greater numbers on grasslands which have been managed in a traditional way, for a very long time. Many of them are scarce or in decline.

No prior experience is required. The sessions will be outside all day with walking across open fields. Dates are Wednesday 7, and Tuesdays 13, 20 and 27 October, from 10am to 3pm. Find out more and sign-up here: bit.ly/waxcapsurveys

This month’s guided walk through a historical landscape will be at Devil's Water and Dukesfield Arches. Join a small gro...
06/09/2026

This month’s guided walk through a historical landscape will be at Devil's Water and Dukesfield Arches. Join a small group of people taking in the surroundings, and learn about what shaped the landscape as well as the mining heritage.

Starting at 10.30am, the walk will be approximately three miles in length on mostly flat ground with rest breaks along the way, finishing at approximately 1pm. You are welcome to join us for free refreshments after the walk finishing by 2.30pm.

All ages are welcome (children must be accompanied by an adult and must be able to walk or be carried as the paths may not be suitable for pushchairs). Well-behaved dogs on a short lead are welcome.
Optional donation – suggested amount £3.

Book a place: northpennines.org.uk/event/saturday-stroll-september-2026/

Earlier this year, Botcherby Community Centre hosted a series of ceramics workshop, as part of the Access to Eden projec...
06/09/2026

Earlier this year, Botcherby Community Centre hosted a series of ceramics workshop, as part of the Access to Eden project, with KAH Ceramics and the North Pennines National Landscape team.

Members of the community created nature-inspired ceramic pieces, returning for a second session to let their colour palettes run wild and decorate their designs. The final pieces form a ceramics installation in the garden for all to enjoy: northpennines.org.uk/blooming-botcherby/

The workshops were organised and delivered by the North Pennines National Landscape team as part of the Access to Eden: breaking barriers, building bridges - a partnership project led by Eden Rivers Trust with a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund - which aims to remove barriers to accessing the natural heritage of East Cumbria.

Start October half term with an astronomical weekend at Star Camp - great for adults and children (6+ years) and novice ...
05/09/2026

Start October half term with an astronomical weekend at Star Camp - great for adults and children (6+ years) and novice astronomers.

There will be astronomy-themed talks, solar observing, and a bottle rocket competition. Telescopes will be provided along with expert guidance. During the weekend Saturn will be looking amazing, along with a big moon.

Friday 23, 7pm, to Sunday 25 October, 10am, at Doe Park Caravan Site in Teesdale. Book direct with Doe Park - doepark.co.uk / 01833 650302 / [email protected]



📷 (c) Richard Darn

Join us for a practical outdoor volunteer day learning how to monitor and record the condition of historic mining sites ...
04/09/2026

Join us for a practical outdoor volunteer day learning how to monitor and record the condition of historic mining sites in the North Pennines.

Located in the Allenheads Heritage Centre on Thursday 15 October, 10am to 3pm, the day will combine condition and photographic recording that can be repeated over time to monitor changes in the condition of historic mining sites.

No previous experience is required, suitable for 18+ only. Sign-up here: northpennines.org.uk/event/recording-the-mining-landscape-outdoor-day/

Congratulations to Durham Fell Runners who completed the first-ever continuous relay of the Roof of England Walk route o...
03/09/2026

Congratulations to Durham Fell Runners who completed the first-ever continuous relay of the Roof of England Walk route over the August bank holiday weekend.

The first group of runners set off from St John's Chapel at 6am on Saturday 29 August. The 14 legs of the route took the relay teams, and their mascot Tiny TWSMRT Ted, south as far as the Tan Hill Inn, then to Dufton in Cumbria, over Cross Fell to Alston, east towards Edmundbyers, before heading south into Weardale again.

They are raising money for Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team - you can make a here: justgiving.com/page/dfr-run-the-roof

Try your hand at blacksmithing at Harehope Quarry, near Frosterley on Saturday 31 October, 9.30am to 4.30pm. You will tr...
03/09/2026

Try your hand at blacksmithing at Harehope Quarry, near Frosterley on Saturday 31 October, 9.30am to 4.30pm.

You will try your hand at the techniques used when hitting red hot metal with hammers and shaping it into useful everyday items on a hand-cranked charcoal forge. All tools, materials and safety equipment is provided but, please note, you will get dirty.

Book a place: northpennines.org.uk/event/blacksmith-workshop/

The Nenthead Big Dig took place from 1 to 11 August with members of the community digging test pits in gardens and on la...
02/09/2026

The Nenthead Big Dig took place from 1 to 11 August with members of the community digging test pits in gardens and on land in and around the village.

It was a fantastic experience for all our volunteers who had a great time, and uncovered a variety of objects from many different eras.

Pictured:
- pieces of orange pot, probably 20th/21st century garden pot
- iron nails, hard to date, probably 20th century
- hand-painted blue and white pottery, probably mid to late 19th century
- a coin, with the letters 'VIC' on it possibly spelling Victoria
- a mule hoof altered to be a case for the needles which appear to be crafted from canine teeth

Other finds included
- flint ‘debitage’ - the bits of stone that get removed from flint when making a stone tool - which will be Stone Age (prehistoric) and, most likely, Neolithic
- medieval slipware pottery
- a very small, probably Stone Age (prehistoric) bead
- a padlock by the company Union, has a Greco-Roman decorative design on it, possibly early 20th century
- Victorian pottery

The North Pennines National Landscape team are working with Elder Archaeology, CIC on community archaeology activities. This is part of the Land of Lead and Silver project which is led by the North Pennines National Landscape and funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England.

Delve into the historic archive left behind by Nenthead’s most eccentric Edwardian, Caldwell Harpur, at Alston Town Hall...
31/08/2026

Delve into the historic archive left behind by Nenthead’s most eccentric Edwardian, Caldwell Harpur, at Alston Town Hall on Wednesday 16 September, 1pm to 4pm.

Meet other volunteers working on decoding the secret diaries he kept in his self-invented language of “Lennish” and discover photographs of the people and places Caldwell mentions in his diaries and letters from Nenthead. Suitable for ages 18+, book a place here: northpennines.org.uk/event/diaries-of-a-crank-research-day-alston/

This volunteer research is part of the Land of Lead and Silver project, led by the North Pennines National Landscape team and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players, and Historic England.

Catch a live outdoor performance at Bollihope on Sunday 13 September at 1pm and 3.30pm, when three artists take to the h...
30/08/2026

Catch a live outdoor performance at Bollihope on Sunday 13 September at 1pm and 3.30pm, when three artists take to the hills to uncover stories buried in this unique man-made landscape.

Bring a blanket or camping chair and a pair of binoculars to catch the artists, Esther Huss, Claudia Sacher, and Jeremy Bradfield, reveal a curious alchemy of music, dance, image, and the pull of the wind itself.

Book tickets here: bit.ly/withoutgalena

This commission was awarded a grant by North Pennines National Landscape team as part of the Land of Lead and Silver project, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England.

Photo (c) Luke Waddington

Address

Weardale Business Centre, The Old Co-op Building, 1 Martin Street, Stanhope
Bishop Auckland
DL132UY

Telephone

+441388528801

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