North Pennines National Landscape

North Pennines National Landscape Taking action for nature and people in the North Pennines National Landscape & UNESCO Global Geopark

The North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is a stunning landscape of open heather moors, dramatic dales, tumbling upland rivers, wonderful woods, close-knit communities, glorious waterfalls, fantastic birds, colourful hay meadows, stone-built villages, intriguing imprints of a mining and industrial past, distinctive plants and much, much more. As well as being an AONB the North

Pennines is also a UNESCO Global Geopark. The North Pennines is a distinctive landscape of high moorland and broad upland dales in the North of England. It shares a boundary with the Yorkshire Dales National Park in the south and extends as far as the Tyne Valley, just south of Hadrian's Wall, in the north. Parts of the North Pennines are in the three English counties of Cumbria, Durham and Northumberland. The North Pennines was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) by the UK Government in 1988. It is the second largest of the 40 AONBs in England and Wales, covering an area of 1983km2.

Due to unforeseen circumstances The Falls café at Bowlees is closed today, Monday 15 June. The Visitor Centre is open, 1...
15/06/2026

Due to unforeseen circumstances The Falls café at Bowlees is closed today, Monday 15 June. The Visitor Centre is open, 10am to 5pm.

Would you like to contribute to the conservation of adders in the North Pennines National Landscape? We are offering fre...
14/06/2026

Would you like to contribute to the conservation of adders in the North Pennines National Landscape? We are offering free in-person training for new volunteers to conduct adder surveys for the North Pennines National Landscape team.

The training dates are 25 and 26 June, also 16 and 17 July, from 9am to 12.30pm. The sessions are aimed at people who haven’t joined a previous adder survey training session. You will learn how to survey for adders and other reptiles and amphibians in the North Pennines, and training will cover survey techniques, animal identification, adder ecology and safety.

The session is suitable for adults, and children over the age of 12 who are supervised. Unsuitable for wheelchairs, dogs and young children. Find out more and book: bit.ly/AdderSurveyTraining

The Whin Sill formed underground but erosion has left this layer of hard rock visible in some places forming dramatic cr...
13/06/2026

The Whin Sill formed underground but erosion has left this layer of hard rock visible in some places forming dramatic crags, columns and .

Some of the best places to see this iconic feature of the North Pennines National Landscape and UNESCO Global Geopark are High Force waterfall, Holwick, High Cup Nick and Cauldron Snout.

As part of her work experience with the North Pennines National Landscape team, Naomi had the opportunity to take part i...
12/06/2026

As part of her work experience with the North Pennines National Landscape team, Naomi had the opportunity to take part in the High Helbeck guided walk, as part of .

During the walk, she saw many of the recent projects to restore natural habitats that have taken place including peatland restoration, shrubland recovery, and different tree planting strategies.

Along the way, many plant and flower species were spotted and identified, and wading birds including curlew and lapwing (both red-listed species at risk of extinction) were observed. Read more in Naomi's blog: northpennines.org.uk/high-helbeck-guided-walk/ ‎

Are you a youth group leader who would like to deliver more activities outdoors? Join one of our free workshops with mou...
11/06/2026

Are you a youth group leader who would like to deliver more activities outdoors? Join one of our free workshops with mountain leader, Rachel Tweddle.

The sessions will take you through the process of leading outdoor experiences for groups, including planning and risk assessments with examples of venues, activities and good practice. The workshop aims to help increase your confidence as a youth leader to deliver sessions in the outdoors for a broader range of groups.

There is an online workshop on Monday 29 June, 6pm to 8pm, and two in-person workshops on 6 July, 11am to 2pm and 5pm to 8pm. Find out more and book: bit.ly/NPennyouthleadertraining

Emerging between May and August is the time when we start to notice significant hatches of adult up-wing (Ephemeroptera)...
10/06/2026

Emerging between May and August is the time when we start to notice significant hatches of adult up-wing (Ephemeroptera) flies, more generally referred to as mayflies.

There are over 50 different species of up-wing flies in the UK and the rivers, streams, becks and burns of the North Pennines are home to significant populations.

Read more, about these fascinating flies in a blog by Programmes Manager, Simon Wilson. https://northpennines.org.uk/fascinating-flies/

The exhibition ‘Adder’ at Bowlees Visitor Centre is a celebration of adders in the North Pennines: northpennines.org.uk/...
10/06/2026

The exhibition ‘Adder’ at Bowlees Visitor Centre is a celebration of adders in the North Pennines: northpennines.org.uk/adder/

Open from 10am to 5pm daily until 8 July 2026, it is a mixed media exhibition which delves into themes such as vanishing vipers, exploring the serpentine, and adders in the landscape.

All the artwork was produced in or around the , and the exhibition recognises the work of the Adders Up project, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Northumbrian Water’s Branch Out Fund.

Volunteer with us for citizen science moth trapping sessions on 13, 17 and 23 June in different locations in the North P...
09/06/2026

Volunteer with us for citizen science moth trapping sessions on 13, 17 and 23 June in different locations in the North Pennines.

Moth trapping is a fantastic way to measure changes in biodiversity and we will be working with, and testing out, new technology developed by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - UKCEH.

Suitable for adults and children (under 16s must be accompanied by an adult). Find out more and sign-up: bit.ly/volunteermothtrapping

Learn about Nenthead’s most eccentric Edwardian, Caldwell Harpur, who left behind 20 volumes of personal diaries, all en...
08/06/2026

Learn about Nenthead’s most eccentric Edwardian, Caldwell Harpur, who left behind 20 volumes of personal diaries, all encrypted in his self-invented alphabet.

This event, at The Hive in Nenthead on Wednesday 24 June, 6pm to 8pm, launches a new volunteer project to decode the diaries. There will be an illustrated talk exploring Caldwell's life and you can have a try at deciphering his code.

Suitable for ages 14+. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Book a place here: bit.ly/diariesofacrank

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Weardale Business Centre, The Old Co-op Building, 1 Martin Street, Stanhope
Bishop Auckland
DL132UY

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+441388528801

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