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England’s far north-eastern counties of Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear offer magnificent scenery, with wide open stretches of unspoilt moorland and upland pasture, and a long and dramatic coastline, arguably one of the finest in Britain.
Yorkshire is world renowned for the beauty and scale of its scenery and many of the county’s most outstanding stretches of coast and countryside are in the care of the National Trust.
County Durham
In the south of the area, near Horden, lie two denes, Warren House Gill and Foxholes Dene. Connected by a narrow coastal strip, this piece of coast marks the 500th mile acquired through the Trust’s Neptune Coastline Campaign. Just north of Easington is Beacon Hill, the highest point on the Durham coast and famed for its spectacular views; access is via Hawthorn Dene.
Inland are beautiful woodland walks along the River Wear at Moorhouse Woods, just north of Durham City, and along the banks of the Derwent at the village of Ebchester. Penshaw Monument, an unroofed Doric temple, was built in 1844 to commemorate the 1st Earl of Durham, and is visible for miles around.
Northumberland and Tyne & Wear
The spectacular coastline continues north to the dramatic Souter Lighthouse, the famous seabird colony on Marsden Rock and on to Druridge Bay, where the Trust owns a mile of coast backed by golden sand dunes and grassland.
From Craster, Trust ownership runs for five miles, including the brooding ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle, Embleton Links and Low Newton-by-Sea, where Newton Pool provides a habitat for many water birds.
There are 18th-century lime kilns at Beadnell Harbour, from where the road hugs the coast north to Bamburgh, passing St Aidan’s Dunes, rich in dune grassland plants. There is a Trust information centre and shop at Seahouses, from where boats cross to the Farne Islands.
Northumberland’s hinterland is as stunning as its coastline. There are magnificent walks around Allen Banks and Staward Gorge, and the nearby Bellister Estate. Both Ros Castle and the Hadrian’s Wall Estate offer breathtaking views.
Ancient history abounds here – some of England’s best preserved Roman remains can be seen at Housesteads Fort, and in the Kyloe Hills is St Cuthbert’s Cave, in which the saint’s body is said to have rested on its way from Lindisfarne to Durham. Also closely associated with Northumberland is St Ninian, who is linked with Lady’s Well on the edge of the Cheviot Hills.
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Yorkshire
The Malham Tarn Estate and Upper Wharfedale protect some of the finest upland landscapes in the Yorkshire Dales, with limestone pavements, waterfalls, and flower-rich hay meadows criss-crossed with stone walls and studded with traditional field barns. This is magnificent walking country with dramatic and varied scenery.
At the gateway to Swaledale, on the edge of Richmond, lie Hudswell Woods, an area of semi-natural ancient woodland adjacent to the River Swale, reputedly England’s fastest flowing river.
There is further wild and open country due east at Scarthwood Moor, from where there are fine views over the Pennines. Further east is the delightful valley of Farndale, famed for its dramatic springtime display of wild daffodils.
The Trust also owns Bridestones, Crosscliff and Blakey Topping, within the North York Moors National Park, as well as the bent pinnacle of Roseberry Topping, used as a beacon station at the time of the Armada and again when Napoleon threatened invasion.
The spine of the Pennine chain runs through the south west of the area, and at Hardcastle Crags, near Hebden Bridge, there are waymarked trails and a rich variety of birdlife.
Near Huddersfield lies the Marsden Moor Estate, with many interesting archaeological remains and much wildlife interest, including significant numbers of breeding moorland birds. This whole area rewards exploration on foot.
There are also good walking opportunities at the strange and fantastic geological formations of Brimham Rocks near Pateley Bridge, set in open moorland overlooking Nidderdale.
The Trust cares for 12 miles of Yorkshire’s wild and rugged coastline, including Newbiggin Cliffs, where razorbills and guillemots nest, and Cayton Bay and Hayburn Wyke near Scarborough. These areas of wooded valley and cliffs are notable for their abundance of wild flowers.
Further north, Trust land at Runswick and Port Mulgrave is best viewed from the Cleveland Way long-distance footpath. At the Old Coastguard Station in Robin Hood’s Bay and the Trust’s Coastal Centre, Ravenscar there are fascinating insights into the local wildlife and geology, while the Peak Alum Works explain the alum industry and history of this early industrial site.
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Highlights for visitors with disabilities
Newton Pool has a boarded walkway and adapted bird hide. Cragside has a lift to the first floor for visitors in wheelchairs. Wallington offers a leaflet showing the gradients of all its paths. Souter Lighthouse has a closed-circuit television and remote camera so that people unable to climb the lighthouse stairs can still enjoy the view from the top.
Special arrangements can be made at Malham Tarn and Brimham Rocks for visitors with disabilities (telephone the properties for details).
Highlights for families
There are miles of beautiful beaches along the Northumberland coast. At Souter Lighthouse children can handle flags, have a go at morse code and use the CCTV remote camera. Inland at Wallington young visitors can enjoy the adventure playground in the West Woods. Cragside too has an adventure playground and Nelly’s labyrinth, a wild maze to explore.
The Old Coastguard Station and Coastal Centre at Ravenscar have rockpool aquariums. Townhead Barn at Malham has hands-on displays for children.
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