Walking in the North Pennines. Paddy Dillon

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      The River Tees displays some of the finest and most powerful waterfalls in England (Walk 25)

Landscape

      Many visitors are drawn to the North Pennines to enjoy its extensive and apparently endless moorlands, while others are content to explore the gentler green dales. The scenery is remarkably varied, but the sheer scale of the open moorlands is amazing. Almost 30 per cent of England’s blanket bog is in the North Pennines. It is worth bearing in mind that the moors are entirely man-managed, grazed by sheep in grassy areas and burnt on a rotation basis to favour the growth of heather as food and shelter for red grouse. Left to nature, without sheep grazing and interference by man, most of the moorlands would revert to scrub woodland, with dense forests filling the dales. Open moorlands are splendid places to walk, with due care and attention – more cautious walkers may prefer to stay closer to the dales, within reach of habitation.

      The dales of the North Pennines are each quite different in character. Teesdale is famous for its powerful waterfalls, while Weardale offers more to those in search of industrial archaeology. Both dales are lush and green, grazed by sheep, with small woodlands and hedgerows providing varied habitats for wildlife. Forty per cent of England’s upland hay meadows are located in the upper dales. The northern dales are charming, but sparsely settled, except for South Tynedale, which is dominated by the remarkable little town of Alston, clinging to a steep slope.

      The East Fellside flank of the North Pennines is awe-inspiring, where the Vale of Eden gives way to a striking line of conical foothills, while the Pennine massif rises steep and unbroken beyond, maybe with its highest parts lost in the clouds.

      There are few forested areas in the North Pennines. Apart from the forests at Hamsterley and Slaley, which actually lie outside the AONB boundary, only small blocks of coniferous forest are found. The last remaining ‘wildwoods’ are around Allen Banks and Staward Gorge in the north, though there are many pleasant woodlands tucked away in all the dales.

      There are no large lakes in the North Pennines, but there are several big reservoirs, constructed to slake the thirst of distant towns, cities and industries. Apart from Cow Green Reservoir in the heart of the North Pennines, there is a reservoir at the head of Weardale, several around Lunedale and Baldersdale in the south, and the Derwent Reservoir and a couple of smaller reservoirs in the east.

      It is quite possible to choose routes in the North Pennines that stay exclusively on high moorlands without a break, day after day, but most of the routes in this guide include more variety. The long-distance Pennine Way passes through some of the highest and wildest parts of the region, but also includes visits to villages and has long stretches that stay low down in the dales.

Mining

      There are no longer any working mines in the North Pennines, but some of the old lead-mining sites have been preserved. The remains of former industry are best explored around the dale-heads at Killhope, Allenheads and Nenthead, but there are literally dozens of other interesting sites that are encountered throughout the region. The general rule, when faced with an opening to an old mine, is to keep out. These holes, and the buildings associated with them, are often in a poor state of repair and prone to collapse when disturbed. Only explore in the company of an expert.

      Some old mining sites have been transformed into heritage features, such as the Nenthead Mines (Walk 50)

      Coal mining developed through the centuries in these hills, with bell pits such as those observed near Tan Hill giving way to deeper shafts and levels. Mines in the North Pennines were small compared to the ‘super pits’ that were later opened to the east in County Durham. Some of the coal had to be used to service the steam engines, including locomotives and static winding engines, working the railways that served some of the larger mining sites.

Weather

      Some years ago, the North Pennines briefly featured a holiday experience with a difference, called ‘Blustery Breaks’. The idea was not to moan about the weather, but to capitalise on it, offering visitors a chance to understand why the North Pennines is associated with extreme weather conditions. It all comes down to the fact that the region is consistently high, with very few breaks that moving air masses can exploit. Put simply, all the wind and weather has to go ‘over the top’, which results in rapid cooling, leading to condensation, cloud cover, rainfall, and in the winter months, bitter cold and snowfall. There is a weather station on top of Great Dun Fell, the highest of its type in England, and naturally this has logged record-breaking conditions.

      The North Pennines are broad, bleak, remote and at times subject to wet and windy weather (Walk 8)

      The broad, bleak moorlands of the North Pennines offer little shelter from extreme weather, so anyone walking in the rain is going to get wet. Anyone walking in mist will find it featureless. Anyone walking in deep snow will find it truly debilitating. It’s important to check the weather forecast then dress accordingly. The extensive moorlands are mostly covered in thick blanket bog, great depths of peat that absorb and hold prodigious quantities of water. Sometimes, СКАЧАТЬ