← Back✦ Historic site

old lead mine workings

90 ha

WildlifeFungiBirds

Dogs welcome90 ha

Getting here

54.70620, -2.11289

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
🍄Mushroom foraging is at its best in summer here
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
🍄Mushroom foraging is at its best in summer here
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

Good to know

🐕Dogs welcome

Best for

5 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals, Reptiles; Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals, Reptiles

Free

Mushroom foraging

Strong match

Fungi — Meadow Waxcap, Blackening Waxcap, Snowy Waxcap +85 more · last seen 2023; Fungi — Meadow Waxcap, Blackening Waxcap, Snowy Waxcap +85 more · last seen 2023

Varies

Bird watching

Strong match

Birds — Meadow Pipit, Red Grouse (scotica), Curlew +22 more · last seen 2025; Blanket bog — golden plover, curlew, dunlin and merlin

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Seasonal nature

Good match

Plants — Hard Rush / Soft Rush / Compact Rush, Mat-grass, Tormentil +4 more · last seen 2025; Plants — Hard Rush / Soft Rush / Compact Rush, Mat-grass, Tormentil +4 more · last seen 2025

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

3 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Weardale WayWalking route124 km

Named routeLength 124 kmRegional walking route

Mineral Valleys Walk: St. John's ChapelWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

Slitt Wood and West Rigg GeotrailWalking route4.8 km

Named routeLength 4.8 kmRound tripLocal walking route

🚴

Cycling

2 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Route C2CCycling route

C2C Stanhope on-road braid

Named routeRef C2CRegional cycle route

National Byway (County Durham and Northumberland)Cycling route

The National Byway route through County Durham and Northumberland

Named routeRef NBRegional cycle route

Wildlife to spot

311 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

311 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds2 species

winterspringsummer

2025

Spotted Flycatcher · Pied Wagtail

Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba

🦌

Mammals3 species

autumn

2018

Stoat · Brown Hare · Rabbit

StoatMustela erminea
Brown HareLepus europaeus
RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus

🍄

Fungi68 species

spring

2023

Lepraria incana s. lat. · Pertusaria leioplaca · Glue Crust · Naevia punctiformis · Ramularia interstitialis +63

Lepraria incana s. lat.Lepraria incana s. lat.
Pertusaria leioplacaPertusaria leioplaca
Glue CrustHydnoporia corrugata
Naevia punctiformisNaevia punctiformis
Ramularia interstitialisRamularia interstitialis
Pale BrittlestemPsathyrella candolleana
Crimped GillPlicatura crispa
Aspicilia cinerea s. lat.Aspicilia cinerea s. lat.
Milesina dietelianaMilesina dieteliana
Variospora flavescensVariospora flavescens
Synchytrium mercurialisSynchytrium mercurialis
Oak MossEvernia prunastri
Glaucomaria carpineaGlaucomaria carpinea
Rhizocarpon petraeumRhizocarpon petraeum
Leafy BrainPhaeotremella foliacea
Rhizocarpon reductumRhizocarpon reductum
Flavoplaca citrina s. lat.Flavoplaca citrina s. lat.
Arthonia radiataArthonia radiata
Violella fucataViolella fucata
Ramalina fraxineaRamalina fraxinea
Ramularia lamiiRamularia lamii
Hazel WoodwartHypoxylon fuscum
Claussenomyces atrovirensClaussenomyces atrovirens
Lecidea lithophilaLecidea lithophila
Acarospora fuscataAcarospora fuscata
Candelariella aurellaCandelariella aurella
Phlyctis argenaPhlyctis argena
Puccinia tumidaPuccinia tumida
Crab's Eye LichenOchrolechia parella
Verrucaria nigrescens f. nigrescensVerrucaria nigrescens f. nigrescens
Peltigera rufescensPeltigera rufescens
Ramalina farinaceaRamalina farinacea
Lecanora orostheaLecanora orosthea
Buellia aethaleaBuellia aethalea
Melanelixia glabratulaMelanelixia glabratula
Graphis elegansGraphis elegans
Lepraria vouauxiiLepraria vouauxii
Common Orange LichenXanthoria parietina
Blastenia crenulariaBlastenia crenularia
Physcia tenellaPhyscia tenella
Physcia adscendensPhyscia adscendens
Ramularia septataRamularia septata
Slow-Growing LichenGlaucomaria rupicola var. rupicola
Lecanora chlarotera s. lat.Lecanora chlarotera s. lat.
Cladonia coniocraeaCladonia coniocraea
Dark CrottleHypogymnia physodes
Candlesnuff FungusXylaria hypoxylon
Usnea subfloridanaUsnea subfloridana
Enterographa zonataEnterographa zonata
Micarea lignariaMicarea lignaria
Porpidia tuberculosaPorpidia tuberculosa
Lecanora polytropaLecanora polytropa
Catillaria chalybeiaCatillaria chalybeia
Candelariella xanthostigmaCandelariella xanthostigma
Common Jelly SpotDacrymyces stillatus
Melanelixia fuliginosaMelanelixia fuliginosa
Arthonia didymaArthonia didyma
Lecanora campestrisLecanora campestris
Punctelia subrudecta s. lat.Punctelia subrudecta s. lat.
Bleeding Broadleaf CrustStereum rugosum
Lecanora soraliferaLecanora soralifera
Peltigera praetextataPeltigera praetextata
Netted Shield LichenParmelia sulcata
Yellow BrainTremella mesenterica
Tephromela atraTephromela atra
Lepra amaraLepra amara
Candelariella vitellinaCandelariella vitellina
Opegrapha niveoatraOpegrapha niveoatra

🌿

Plants91 species

summer

2025

Mat-grass · Tormentil · Hard Rush / Soft Rush / Compact Rush · Purple Moor-grass · Common Cottongrass +86

Mat-grassNardus stricta
TormentilPotentilla erecta
Hard Rush / Soft Rush / Compact RushJuncus inflexus/effusus/conglomeratus
Purple Moor-grassMolinia caerulea
Common CottongrassEriophorum angustifolium
White CloverTrifolium repens
Crested Dog's-tailCynosurus cristatus
Cock's-footDactylis glomerata
Heath RushJuncus squarrosus
Yorkshire-fogHolcus lanatus
Germander SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrys
Creeping ButtercupRanunculus repens
Wood Crane's-billGeranium sylvaticum
Sweet Vernal-grassAnthoxanthum odoratum
Ribwort PlantainPlantago lanceolata
PignutConopodium majus
Hare's-tail CottongrassEriophorum vaginatum
Sheep's-fescueFestuca ovina
Slender St John's-wortHypericum pulchrum
Common Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatus
Glaucous SedgeCarex flacca
YarrowAchillea millefolium
Wavy Hair-GrassAvenella flexuosa
Carnation SedgeCarex panicea
Field HorsetailEquisetum arvense
Heath BedstrawGalium saxatile
PrimrosePrimula vulgaris
Lady's BedstrawGalium verum
Soft-rushJuncus effusus
Quaking-grassBriza media
BugleAjuga reptans
BilberryVaccinium myrtillus
Mouse-ear-hawkweedPilosella officinarum
Dryopteris affinisDryopteris affinis
Wild StrawberryFragaria vesca
Downy OatAvenula pubescens
Red FescueFestuca rubra
Creeping Soft-grassHolcus mollis
Flea SedgeCarex pulicaris
Wood-sorrelOxalis acetosella
Heath SpeedwellVeronica officinalis
Heath Wood-rushLuzula multiflora
Hairy Wood-rushLuzula pilosa
SelfhealPrunella vulgaris
FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea
Common Dog-violetViola riviniana
Wild ThymeThymus drucei
Tufted Hair-grassDeschampsia cespitosa
Rough HawkbitLeontodon hispidus
Male-fernDryopteris filix-mas
Great Wood-rushLuzula sylvatica
Yellow PimpernelLysimachia nemorum
Lady's mantleAlchemilla
BrackenPteridium aquilinum
Bitter-vetchLathyrus linifolius
Fairy FlaxLinum catharticum
HeatherCalluna vulgaris
Marsh ThistleCirsium palustre
Hard-fernBlechnum spicant
Meadow VetchlingLathyrus pratensis2016
MeadowsweetFilipendula ulmaria2016
Greater PlantainPlantago major2016
Rosebay WillowherbChamaenerion angustifolium2016
Common ChickweedStellaria media2016
Sharp-flowered RushJuncus acutiflorus2016
Marsh ValerianValeriana dioica2016
Rhinanthus minor subsp. minorRhinanthus minor subsp. minor2016
Alchemilla filicaulis subsp. vestitaAlchemilla filicaulis subsp. vestita2016
Marsh-marigoldCaltha palustris2016
HogweedHeracleum sphondylium2016
DandelionTaraxacum2016
an EyebrightEuphrasia arctica2016
Perennial Rye-grassLolium perenne2016
Bush VetchVicia sepium2016
Monkeyflower SpeciesErythranthe2016
Water Forget-me-notMyosotis scorpioides2016
Common Soft-bromeBromus hordeaceus subsp. hordeaceus2016
Red CloverTrifolium pratense2016
Great BurnetSanguisorba officinalis2016
Common BentAgrostis capillaris2016
Meadow ButtercupRanunculus acris2016
False Oat-grassArrhenatherum elatius2016
PineappleweedMatricaria discoidea2016
Common SorrelRumex acetosa2016
Intermediate Lady's-mantleAlchemilla xanthochlora2016
Cow ParsleyAnthriscus sylvestris2016
Meadow FoxtailAlopecurus pratensis2016
Rough Meadow-grassPoa trivialis2016
Shepherd's-purseCapsella bursa-pastoris2016
Common Mouse-earCerastium fontanum2016
RedshankPersicaria maculosa2016

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

311 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds2 species

winterspringsummer

2025

Spotted Flycatcher · Pied Wagtail

Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba

🦌

Mammals3 species

autumn

2018

Stoat · Brown Hare · Rabbit

StoatMustela erminea
Brown HareLepus europaeus
RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus

🍄

Fungi68 species

spring

2023

Lepraria incana s. lat. · Pertusaria leioplaca · Glue Crust · Naevia punctiformis · Ramularia interstitialis +63

Lepraria incana s. lat.Lepraria incana s. lat.
Pertusaria leioplacaPertusaria leioplaca
Glue CrustHydnoporia corrugata
Naevia punctiformisNaevia punctiformis
Ramularia interstitialisRamularia interstitialis
Pale BrittlestemPsathyrella candolleana
Crimped GillPlicatura crispa
Aspicilia cinerea s. lat.Aspicilia cinerea s. lat.
Milesina dietelianaMilesina dieteliana
Variospora flavescensVariospora flavescens
Synchytrium mercurialisSynchytrium mercurialis
Oak MossEvernia prunastri
Glaucomaria carpineaGlaucomaria carpinea
Rhizocarpon petraeumRhizocarpon petraeum
Leafy BrainPhaeotremella foliacea
Rhizocarpon reductumRhizocarpon reductum
Flavoplaca citrina s. lat.Flavoplaca citrina s. lat.
Arthonia radiataArthonia radiata
Violella fucataViolella fucata
Ramalina fraxineaRamalina fraxinea
Ramularia lamiiRamularia lamii
Hazel WoodwartHypoxylon fuscum
Claussenomyces atrovirensClaussenomyces atrovirens
Lecidea lithophilaLecidea lithophila
Acarospora fuscataAcarospora fuscata
Candelariella aurellaCandelariella aurella
Phlyctis argenaPhlyctis argena
Puccinia tumidaPuccinia tumida
Crab's Eye LichenOchrolechia parella
Verrucaria nigrescens f. nigrescensVerrucaria nigrescens f. nigrescens
Peltigera rufescensPeltigera rufescens
Ramalina farinaceaRamalina farinacea
Lecanora orostheaLecanora orosthea
Buellia aethaleaBuellia aethalea
Melanelixia glabratulaMelanelixia glabratula
Graphis elegansGraphis elegans
Lepraria vouauxiiLepraria vouauxii
Common Orange LichenXanthoria parietina
Blastenia crenulariaBlastenia crenularia
Physcia tenellaPhyscia tenella
Physcia adscendensPhyscia adscendens
Ramularia septataRamularia septata
Slow-Growing LichenGlaucomaria rupicola var. rupicola
Lecanora chlarotera s. lat.Lecanora chlarotera s. lat.
Cladonia coniocraeaCladonia coniocraea
Dark CrottleHypogymnia physodes
Candlesnuff FungusXylaria hypoxylon
Usnea subfloridanaUsnea subfloridana
Enterographa zonataEnterographa zonata
Micarea lignariaMicarea lignaria
Porpidia tuberculosaPorpidia tuberculosa
Lecanora polytropaLecanora polytropa
Catillaria chalybeiaCatillaria chalybeia
Candelariella xanthostigmaCandelariella xanthostigma
Common Jelly SpotDacrymyces stillatus
Melanelixia fuliginosaMelanelixia fuliginosa
Arthonia didymaArthonia didyma
Lecanora campestrisLecanora campestris
Punctelia subrudecta s. lat.Punctelia subrudecta s. lat.
Bleeding Broadleaf CrustStereum rugosum
Lecanora soraliferaLecanora soralifera
Peltigera praetextataPeltigera praetextata
Netted Shield LichenParmelia sulcata
Yellow BrainTremella mesenterica
Tephromela atraTephromela atra
Lepra amaraLepra amara
Candelariella vitellinaCandelariella vitellina
Opegrapha niveoatraOpegrapha niveoatra

🌿

Plants91 species

summer

2025

Mat-grass · Tormentil · Hard Rush / Soft Rush / Compact Rush · Purple Moor-grass · Common Cottongrass +86

Mat-grassNardus stricta
TormentilPotentilla erecta
Hard Rush / Soft Rush / Compact RushJuncus inflexus/effusus/conglomeratus
Purple Moor-grassMolinia caerulea
Common CottongrassEriophorum angustifolium
White CloverTrifolium repens
Crested Dog's-tailCynosurus cristatus
Cock's-footDactylis glomerata
Heath RushJuncus squarrosus
Yorkshire-fogHolcus lanatus
Germander SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrys
Creeping ButtercupRanunculus repens
Wood Crane's-billGeranium sylvaticum
Sweet Vernal-grassAnthoxanthum odoratum
Ribwort PlantainPlantago lanceolata
PignutConopodium majus
Hare's-tail CottongrassEriophorum vaginatum
Sheep's-fescueFestuca ovina
Slender St John's-wortHypericum pulchrum
Common Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatus
Glaucous SedgeCarex flacca
YarrowAchillea millefolium
Wavy Hair-GrassAvenella flexuosa
Carnation SedgeCarex panicea
Field HorsetailEquisetum arvense
Heath BedstrawGalium saxatile
PrimrosePrimula vulgaris
Lady's BedstrawGalium verum
Soft-rushJuncus effusus
Quaking-grassBriza media
BugleAjuga reptans
BilberryVaccinium myrtillus
Mouse-ear-hawkweedPilosella officinarum
Dryopteris affinisDryopteris affinis
Wild StrawberryFragaria vesca
Downy OatAvenula pubescens
Red FescueFestuca rubra
Creeping Soft-grassHolcus mollis
Flea SedgeCarex pulicaris
Wood-sorrelOxalis acetosella
Heath SpeedwellVeronica officinalis
Heath Wood-rushLuzula multiflora
Hairy Wood-rushLuzula pilosa
SelfhealPrunella vulgaris
FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea
Common Dog-violetViola riviniana
Wild ThymeThymus drucei
Tufted Hair-grassDeschampsia cespitosa
Rough HawkbitLeontodon hispidus
Male-fernDryopteris filix-mas
Great Wood-rushLuzula sylvatica
Yellow PimpernelLysimachia nemorum
Lady's mantleAlchemilla
BrackenPteridium aquilinum
Bitter-vetchLathyrus linifolius
Fairy FlaxLinum catharticum
HeatherCalluna vulgaris
Marsh ThistleCirsium palustre
Hard-fernBlechnum spicant
Meadow VetchlingLathyrus pratensis2016
MeadowsweetFilipendula ulmaria2016
Greater PlantainPlantago major2016
Rosebay WillowherbChamaenerion angustifolium2016
Common ChickweedStellaria media2016
Sharp-flowered RushJuncus acutiflorus2016
Marsh ValerianValeriana dioica2016
Rhinanthus minor subsp. minorRhinanthus minor subsp. minor2016
Alchemilla filicaulis subsp. vestitaAlchemilla filicaulis subsp. vestita2016
Marsh-marigoldCaltha palustris2016
HogweedHeracleum sphondylium2016
DandelionTaraxacum2016
an EyebrightEuphrasia arctica2016
Perennial Rye-grassLolium perenne2016
Bush VetchVicia sepium2016
Monkeyflower SpeciesErythranthe2016
Water Forget-me-notMyosotis scorpioides2016
Common Soft-bromeBromus hordeaceus subsp. hordeaceus2016
Red CloverTrifolium pratense2016
Great BurnetSanguisorba officinalis2016
Common BentAgrostis capillaris2016
Meadow ButtercupRanunculus acris2016
False Oat-grassArrhenatherum elatius2016
PineappleweedMatricaria discoidea2016
Common SorrelRumex acetosa2016
Intermediate Lady's-mantleAlchemilla xanthochlora2016
Cow ParsleyAnthriscus sylvestris2016
Meadow FoxtailAlopecurus pratensis2016
Rough Meadow-grassPoa trivialis2016
Shepherd's-purseCapsella bursa-pastoris2016
Common Mouse-earCerastium fontanum2016
RedshankPersicaria maculosa2016

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Mike Quinn · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Ash Gill below former mine workings

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

✦Westgate CastleHistoric site4.2 km→✦old mine workingsHistoric site4.2 km→✦Pike Law lead mine workingsHistoric site4 km→⛪St Andrew's ChurchReligious grounds4.1 km→✦old mine workingsHistoric site2.7 km→✦old lead mine workingsHistoric site3.4 km→

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