Weardale

Weardale is a hidden gem in the North Pennines.  It is in County Durham and that might be why it has survived as a wild and remote spot.  People seem to drive past County Durham, perhaps thinking that it is still full of mines and dark pit waste.

Weardale is a farming valley, but farming here is hand to mouth.  It is some of the poorest land in the country.  There were mines here but none of these are still working.  It is possible to see the remains of the pits and the impact this had had on the landscape.

For six years we lived high on the hillside (on the money side of the valley rather than the sunny side).

We experienced all the weather could throw at us but it was always beautiful.

One of the most unusual things about the valley is the haymeadows in the summer.  Haymeadow is a very rare habitat now but many of the remaining fields in England can be found in Weardale.

Other links that are useful:

Killhope Lead Mine

Weardale Museum

High House Chapel

Weardale Ski Club

Weardale Gazette

Durham Mining Museum (Greenlaws mine)

Weardale Way

Weardale Railway

Weardale Eco Village Plans