Month: August 2020

North Northumberland Coastal Plain

Posted on by ian Payling

The North Northumberland Coastal Plain is a narrow, windswept strip that runs from the Anglo-Scottish border south to the mouth of the River Coquet, bounded by the sea to the east and the Northumberland Sandstone Hills to the west.
The gently undulating inland plain is dominated by arable farming, with large, regular fields bounded by gappy hedgerows and in some places grey sandstone walls, with some pasture for beef cattle and sheep. Woodland cover is sparse and predominantly confined to the river valleys that meander across the coastal plain and the estate woodlands around Howick.
The dramatic coastline is exceptionally varied, with rocky headlands and cliffs contrasting with long, sweeping sandy beaches backed by dunes, and extensive intertidal mudflats and salt marsh around Lindisfarne. The nationally important Whin Sill outcrops both inland and at the coast, supporting rare Whin grassland, and forming the distinctive rocky Farne Islands offshore.

Natural England Published 30 September 2014, NCA Profile: 01 North Northumberland Coastal Plain (NE516), https://www.gov.uk, accessed 7 December 2018, 
<http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/5236546013757440?category=587130>.

Northumberland Sandstone Hills

Posted on by ian Payling

The Northumberland Sandstone Hills curve across central Northumberland in a series of distinctive flat-topped ridges which provide panoramic views of the Cheviots and the coast.
The ridgetops and upper slopes are covered with heather and grass moorland broken by large geometric blocks of conifer. Below this is pasture with some arable cultivation on the lower and dip slopes, broadleaved woodland on scarp slopes and along watercourses and a few notable parklands. There is a long tradition of rearing hardy sheep and cattle in this area.
A number of major rivers flow east to the coast: the Wansbeck and Font arise in the Sandstone Hills while the Aln and Coquet break through from the Cheviot Fringe. The Till meanders through the lowlands of the northwest corner of the National Character Area (NCA). The Till and Coquet are designated for their biodiversity value and are important game fisheries.
The Sandstone Hills play an important role in the recharge of the Fell Sandstone Aquifer; the quality and availability of water in this NCA are important for the supply of water locally and to northern Northumberland, and there are opportunities to help to reduce flood risk in this and downstream NCAs.

Natural England Published 10 September 2013, NCA Profile: 02 Northumberland Sandstone Hills (NE480), https://www.gov.uk, accessed 19 December 2018, <http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/4600274240929792?category=587130>.

Cheviot Fringe

Posted on by ian Payling

The Cheviot Fringe National Character Area (NCA) is a tranquil, undulating, lowland landscape, framed by the Cheviots NCA to the west and the Northumberland Sandstone Hills NCA to the east. The western edge falls within the Northumberland National Park and encompasses the edge of the Cheviot Hills.
The importance of glacial processes in shaping this landscape is shown by the extensive array of glacial lake and fan deposits, sinuous ridges, eskers, kames and kettle holes. Weathering of the underlying bedrock combined with the widespread blanket of glacial and alluvial deposits have resulted in fertile soils that support the agriculture which dominates this area, and the river valleys provide much of the North East region’s sand and gravel resources.
The vales to the south are a patchwork of arable farmland, pasture and meadows with the regular field pattern still strong, delineated by hedgerows punctuated with trees. To the north, arable cultivation dominates and the fields are flatter and larger with fewer hedgerows. Conifer blocks and shelterbelts are prominent in the landscape with broadleaved woodland predominantly along watercourses.

Natural England Published 02 May 2013,NCA Profile: 03 Cheviot Fringe (NE438), https://www.gov.uk, accessed 19 December 2018, 
<http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/8760678?category=587130>.

Cheviots

Posted on by ian Payling

The distinctive, smooth, rounded hills of the Cheviots National Character Area (NCA) are part of the remote upland chain of the Northumberland moors which form the northern end of the Northumberland National Park. They rise steeply above the lowland belt of the Cheviot Fringe NCA to the north and east and the Border Moors and Forests NCA to the south. To the west, the rounded hills cascade into southern Scotland but the NCA is bounded by the Scottish border that follows a high natural ridgeline.
The distinct igneous geology has formed a sinuous cluster of rounded hills with tors on some hill tops, rocky outcrops and scree slopes on the northern flanks, and many other glacial and post-glacial features.
The wild, open upland landscape is dominated by rolling moorlands; there are extensive mosaics of heath, blanket bog and grassland, managed for sheep and cattle rearing and, grouse moors. Areas in the southern end of the NCA are also in use for military training. Large conifer plantations occur on some of the upper slopes, interrupting the smooth lines of the landscape.

Natural England Published 02 May 2013, NCA Profile: 04 Cheviots (NE457), https://www.gov.uk, accessed 19 December 2018, 
<http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/4820746454958080?category=587130>.

Border Moors and Forests

Posted on by ian Payling

The Border Moors and Forests National Character Area (NCA) consists of an extensive, sparsely populated upland plateau, with long-distance views and a strong sense of remoteness and tranquillity. The rivers North Tyne and Rede form wide valleys through the uplands, while the rivers Lyne and Irthing flow south-west to the Solway Firth. The underlying geology consists of Carboniferous deposits which have weathered differentially to form craggy outcrops, with subsequent glacial and fluvial deposition. The high altitude and climatic conditions led to the build-up of peat deposits and the formation of a large expanse of upland mire habitats, much of which is internationally designated as Border Mires, Kielder–Butterburn Special Area of Conservation. The extent of these habitats has been reduced by widespread conifer afforestation, particularly at Kielder Forest which occupies the slopes around Kielder Water, a large, winding reservoir at the head of the North Tyne Valley which also forms a prominent feature in the landscape. The uplands are drained by small rivers in enclosed valleys, with the larger valleys sheltering upland hay meadows, scattered farmsteads and copses of broadleaved woodland. Much of the south-eastern area lies within Northumberland National Park. Military training areas also occupy large tracts of land.

Natural England Published 09 July 2013, NCA Profile: 05 Border Moors and Forests (NE467), https://www.gov.uk, accessed 14 January 2019, 
<http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/4820746454958080?category=587130>.

Tyne Gap and Hadrian’s Wall

Posted on by ian Payling

This narrow, distinctive corridor centred on the River Tyne separates the uplands of the North Pennines National Character Area (NCA) from the Border Moors and Forests NCA. Westwards are views of pastoral landscapes of the Solway Basin and Eden Valley NCAs and eastwards a more urban character prevails with views of the conurbation of Newcastle in the Tyne and Wear Lowlands NCA.
The Tyne valley is underlain by sedimentary Carboniferous rocks comprising a repetitive succession of limestones, sandstones, shales and intrusion of horizontal, igneous rock dolerite. Also, the prominent, intruded igneous Whin Sill formation forms a dramatic escarpment on which Hadrian’s Wall is built. A mosaic of arable and pasture land, conifer plantations and well-wooded valley sides occur, along with the fertile lowland corridor of the river flood plain. Here, flat, arable fields contrast with the larger-scale upper slopes of valleys. In the west, cattle and sheep graze large areas of rough pasture, divided by walls and fences, merging to mixed and arable land in the east. A well-wooded mosaic of deciduous, mixed and coniferous woodland provides habitat for priority species – red squirrel and woodland birds. Broadleaved woodland on steeper slopes lines the rivers.

Natural England Published 30 September 2014, NCA Profile: 11 Tyne Gap and Hadrian’s Wall (NE533), https://www.gov.uk, accessed 14 January 2019, <http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/6734181715410944?category=587130>.

Mid Northumberland

Posted on by ian Payling

Mid Northumberland is an intermediate plateau of gently undulating farmland which forms a transitional area between the Northumberland Sandstone Hills to the west and the low-lying coastal plain to the east. A series of ridges and enclosed river valleys in the northern part of the area open out into a broader, flatter landscape in the south. Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site forms the southern border to the National Character Area (NCA).
The area is dissected by several small rivers which flow eastwards to the sea. The River Coquet flows down from the Cheviots, while the rivers Font, Wansbeck and Blyth and their tributaries wind down from the sandstone hills and upland pastures through wooded valleys and lowland arable areas. Within this predominantly farmed landscape there are many small woodlands and shelterbelts, and a few areas of open water, relatively infrequent within Northumberland.

Natural England Published 02 May 2013, NCA Profile: 12 Mid Northumberland (NE484), https://www.gov.uk, accessed 14 January 2019, 
<http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/4839052410880000?category=587130>.

South East Northumberland Coastal Plain

Posted on by ian Payling

The South East Northumberland Coastal Plain is a flat, low-lying strip along the coast of the North Sea, extending from north Tyneside in the south to Amble and the Coquet Estuary in the north. It is largely urbanised in the south and more rural to the north, with large fields, restored and active open cast coal mines and a coast of rocky headlands and wide, sandy bays. Rural areas support mixed farming, with fields divided by low, often gappy hedgerows and few trees. The underlying geology has had a significant effect on the character of the area. Its accessible seams of coal which have been mined from the 13th century to the present day are of great economic importance to the area.
The coast supports a wide diversity of habitats including sand dunes, maritime cliffs and slopes, coastal and flood plain grazing marsh and mudflats. Parts of the coast are of European importance for the bird populations (roseate and Arctic tern, purple sandpiper and turnstone) at Druridge Bay and Coquet Island, which are included in the Northumbria Coast Special Protection Area, and for its dune systems and their plant communities, which are part of the North Northumberland Dunes Special Area of Conservation. The area supports a diverse range of marine species and ecosystems as a consequence of its geological diversity and the natural variation in the sediment loading of the water. The rivers Blyth, Wansbeck, Coquet, Pont and Seaton Burn drain through the coastal plain from the uplands to the west into the North Sea to the east, often passing through incised valleys with fragments of ancient woodland. They support rich wildlife, including white-clawed crayfish, otter, water vole and salmonids, and are important for recreation (walking, fishing and wildlife watching), water abstraction and sense of place.

Natural England Published 11 November 2013, NCA Profile: 13 South East Northumberland Coastal Plain (NE498), https://www.gov.uk, accessed 14 January 2019, <http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/6175975133937664?category=587130>.