The North Pennines

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The North Pennines
Well well well it's been a while and I must say I was glad to get out and about again. Even though it was for educational purposes. This time I was off to Northern England to one of the biggest Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the UK. An AONB is an area recognised for its beauty with an aim to conserve and enhance it naturally, economically and socially. I had an excellent time doing this as part of my degree course working with the AONB partnership staff unit. They are the people who co-ordinate all the efforts to carry out the work done in the area in association with the AONB designation. The area is also a UNESCO geopark so has amazing geological features. I had alot of fun and gotta go touring mines, touring nature reserves, walked some of the Pennine Way, hiked to all the great waterfalls in the area, wildlife spotting, ancient wood remain hunting, worked at a lead mining museum and met lots of interesting people at all the great hostels in the area. Anyway I won't bore you with the details but here are some of my favourite pictures from the area - I must apologise that they're all scenery almost but I was on my own and often enough there was nothing to lean my camera on to take a shot with me in it. Anyways its beautiful; so appreciate the pics. Lovin you all, Julie

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Photos

Greenson at Hamsterley Forest
There were three of these sculptures in Hamsterley forest Greenson, Greenman and Greendad. I liked greenson the best he was very cute!

Hamsterley Forest and me
Yet another piece of my handywork, me on an over turned tree at Hamsterley forest. I counted the rings and this tree was 40 years old at least!

Cauldron Snout
Cool waterfall that gradually drops about 40m through the Whin Sill

Cauldron Snout again
This on was taken at the bottom and shows how powerful it was not to mention noisy

Gibsons Cave
A cool little waterfall flowing over a cave in Bowlees Nature reserve

High Force
Looking down over high force - Englands highest waterfall

Low Force
High Force's sibling slightly smaller but as impressive - almost!

Me at Hadrians wall
As I spent alot of the time independantely exploring heres one of the few shots with me in it - I took it myself too!

Hadrians wall
Looking to the West along a section of Hadrians wall - my car was parked on top of the furthest away hill in the background

Source of the South Tyne
This sculpture marks the source of the South Tyne high up on Alston Moor in the West of the North Pennines.

Langdon Beck YH
I stayed at Langdon Beck Youth Hostel which is one of the most environmentally friendly in the UK. It has its own turbine seen here in the spectacular sunset.

Probably the best gate in the world
This gate cracked me up. If you can't see the small sign it says - please close the gate!

Danger Danger!!
Walking over Moorhouse nature reserve towards Cauldron Snout there were several of these abandoned mineshafts. Infact the whole North Pennines are covered with remnants of the mining industry.

Entering Tyne Bottom
Here's the very low and wet entrance to Tyne Bottom mine. The water was no less than 30cm deep and wet wellies were unavoidable. At one point lead would have been mined here along with Flourospar and other minerals.

Iron formation in Tyne Bottom mine
I was lucky enogh to do some mine exploring and saw loads of formations like this - this was the most amazing though.

Stalagmites in Tyne Bottom
Here are some blue and white stalagmites beginning to form on the roof of the mine where various chemicals and elements are deposited out of the groundwater seeping through