The least-populated northeast county of Northumberland is actually a whole national park in itself. Best known for its wide sandy beaches overlooked by stunning castles, it’s quiet, windy and very cold!
However, another aspect of this beautiful county is its ‘night skies’. This county is King of the Night Sky, as it has less light pollution, than anywhere else in England. This is good news for birds and wildlife, who can navigate by the stars, rather than artificially-lit supermarkets, billboards and football stadiums.
Low light pollution is also good to help stop birds flying into windows. Switching lights out when not in use (and using bird tape and screens over those tiny decals, are good solutions). Use task lights and blinds, and motion-sensored outdoor lights, to help reduce light pollution. Read more on how to prevent bird strike (most common in brightly-lit areas with glass buildings).
The Resilience of Sycamore Gap
A recent heart-breaking story is that Northumberland’s famous Sycamore Gap tree (which stood in a dip next to Hadrian’s Wall) was recently cut down in an act of eco-vandalism. Situated in the wonderfully-named village of Once Brewed, many people would propose here, or scatter ashes of loved ones.
The stump remains, with locals and ecologists dumbfounded, why anyone would do such a thing. But the hopeful news is that eight new shoots have started to grow. Could this beautiful tree come back to life? Let’s hope so. The National Trust is also trying to regrow the tree into saplings, from dispersed seeds.
Did you know that sycamore trees are toxic to horses?
The court case is ongoing, though it must be said that the defendants deny all charges (which include damaging Hadrian’s Wall, due to the tree falling on it). One defendant said in an interview ‘Anger is so great, that whoever has done it, is going to get 10 years’.
Theories on why this beautiful tree was destroyed with a chainsaw are mystifying. From grudges to social media pranks. Experts say the culprit must have been a tree expert, as he or she knew that 83mph winds of Storm Agnes would have disguised the sound of the chainsaw.
Where (and what) is Hadrian’s Wall?
Hadrian’s Wall was built over 6 years, named after the Roman emperor who ordered its construction, to form a barrier. It stretches from Cumbria in northwest England to Northumberland, and took 15,000 men to build.
Archaeologists have found many human skeletons here, including two bodies under a tavern floor. One had a dagger between his ribs, leading to one of the most famed unsolved murder mysteries.
Today Hadrian’s Wall is a popular tourist walk, offering panoramic views of the countryside. Although there is a 23 mile hilly bit (between Chollerford to Birdoswald), Hadrian’s Wall Path is considered the least taxing of England’s National Trails. It’s very muddy, so best walked in summer.
The 84-mile long walk begins in Wallsend (a Tyneside town near Newcastle) and ends in the village of Bowness-on-Solway at Solway Estuary. This pretty town is popular with bird-watchers due to Bowness Sands being home to oystercatchers, plovers, curlews, turnstones and lots more feathered friends. Like all areas of this stretch of coast, keep away from sand dunes, due to sinking mud.
The Haunting Beauty of Northumberland’s Coast
Northumberland is England’s least-populated county, and sits on the northeast coast, just under Scotland (the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed is England’s most northerly town, and even has its own tweed, as it has swapped sides from England to Scotland many times).
The coast is something else. Miles of wide sandy beaches overlooked by ancient castles. There are no big towns here, but the small ones stand alone. And the Farne Islands is the favourite domestic wildlife-watching spot of Sir David Attenborough.
The seaside villages of Beadnell and Bamburgh are stunning. The latter known for its majestic castle that looks over one of the most stunning beaches (likely on earth. Northumberland sits on the same latitude as Scandinavia, so bring an extra jumper! You used to be able to sail to Sweden from nearby. But lack of interest (and stronger environmental laws in Sweden) means that’s no longer the case for personal passengers.
The other must-see here is Lindisfarne, otherwise known as Holy Island. This is where all the religious hermits (like St Cuthbert from Durham) would spend years in meditation. Today it’s more known for scatty motorists not looking at the tide times, and getting stranded on the tidal causeway.
Home to Many of England’s Seals
Seal pups can’t swim when born so never disturb seals or their pups. This could spook them into the sea, to drown. Pups are often hidden by their mums in sand dunes, so keep dogs on leads and avoid walking near seals, in breeding season.
Keep at least 100 metres away (the same as a football pitch size). If a seal is looking at you, you’re too close. Seals can also give nasty bites that need medical attention.
It’s illegal to harm seals. Some fishers get annoyed when seals eat fish (but this is the only food they have). Read more on how to help our native seals.
Puffins: Sea Parrots of Northumberland!
Puffins are stars of the show on the Farne Islands, just over the water from the busy port of Seahouses. Native to Iceland, they spend most time at sea, coming ashore to raise ‘pufflings’ who live in burrows underground. They dive for around 30 seconds a time, using their wings to ‘fly through the water’.
Although you can see thousands congregating in colonies, these ‘sea parrots’ (whose beaks only turn orange during breeding season) are in peril, due to over-fishing of sandeels (the silvery fish you see in puffin photos – there are plans to ban sandeel fishing, to help numbers recover – other seabirds affected include gannets, kittiwakes, guillemots and razorbills).
Other risks to puffins are oil spills, sea pollution, freak storms and even rat invasions (affects chicks and eggs).
Why Red Squirrels Thrive in Northumberland
Interestingly, Northumberland has one of the best populations of endangered red squirrels (native to Scandinavia), proving that retaining native pine forests is the answer.
There are actually plenty of easy solutions to help endangered red squirrels, without culling grey squirrels. This includes moving them to islands (so they would be free from squirrelpox to which they have no immunity) and vaccinations.
But the idea most touted by ecologists is to rewild pine martens. Previously hunted almost to extinction, they are still more found in Scotland, yet hunt grey squirrels, to keep nature in balance. Read how to help both red and grey squirrels.