North Pennines facts for kids
Quick facts for kids North Pennines |
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Cauldron Snout in the North Pennines AONB
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Location of the North Pennines AONB in the UK
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| Location | County Durham, Northumberland, North Yorkshire & Cumbria counties, England |
| Max. elevation | Cross Fell 893 m (2,930 ft) |
| Designated | Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty |
The North Pennines is a beautiful area of hills in northern England. It's the northern part of the long Pennine hills range. This special place is found between the cities of Carlisle to the west and Darlington to the east. To the north, it's bordered by the Tyne Valley, and to the south, by the Stainmore Gap.
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Discovering the North Pennines
The North Pennines was named an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1988. This means it's a very special place with amazing landscapes. You'll see wide-open moorlands, which have been shaped by farming and lead-mining over hundreds of years. It's also a UNESCO Global Geopark, recognized for its important geology.
At almost 2,000 square kilometers, it's the second largest of the 49 AONBs in the United Kingdom. The North Pennines AONB features open heather moors, deep valleys (called dales), winding rivers, and old stone villages. Some villages still show signs of their mining past. People used to mine for minerals like lead, coal, and iron here.
How the Landscape Was Formed
The North Pennines landscape was created over millions of years. It's mostly made of sedimentary rocks, which are layers of mud and sand that hardened over time. Later, molten rock pushed its way up, and then huge glaciers shaped the land during the ice ages.
Very old mud and volcanic ash, from about 500 to 420 million years ago, were buried deep underground. They were then squeezed and folded, turning the mud into slaty rock. You can see these ancient rocks along the western edge of the area.
Deep beneath the surface, there's a huge blob of molten rock called the Weardale Granite. It pushed up about 400 million years ago. Because granite is lighter than other rocks, it actually "buoys up" the North Pennines, making it a high-up area. This raised area is known as the Alston Block.
Later, about 360 to 300 million years ago, the area was covered by shallow tropical seas. This led to layers of limestone, mud, and sandstone forming, sometimes with coal seams.
Around 295 million years ago, more molten rock pushed into these layers, forming the Whin Sill. This rock, called whinstone locally, heated the rocks around it, creating unique rocks like Sugar Limestone. As the Whin Sill cooled, it formed cool pillar-like shapes, which you can see at places like High Cup.
About 290 million years ago, hot, mineral-rich water flowed through the rocks. This created veins of minerals, which led to a big lead mining industry in the area, even back in Roman times.
Later, during the time of dinosaurs, the area was a desert. The red sands from this time can still be seen today. For a long time after that, the area was above sea level and slowly worn away by erosion.
Finally, during the recent ice ages, huge sheets of ice moved across the land. They left behind features like mounds of rock and carved out channels with melting water. Even today, rivers continue to shape this amazing landscape.
Local Economy
For many centuries, farming and mining have been very important to the North Pennines. In 2013, a Canadian mining company explored for zinc in the area. They believed there was a huge amount of zinc underground, enough for a new mine to produce a million tonnes of zinc ore each year!
Amazing Nature and Wildlife
The North Pennines is a haven for nature lovers! It has:
- 40% of the UK's upland hay meadows.
- 30% of England's upland heathland and 27% of its blanket bog.
- 80% of England's black grouse, plus breeding short-eared owls, ring ouzels, common snipes, and common redshanks.
- 36% of the AONB is protected as Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
- Red squirrels, otters, and rare arctic alpine plants.
- 22,000 pairs of breeding waders (birds that feed in shallow water).
- One of England's biggest waterfalls – High Force.
The area is famous for its rare plants and animals, including wild alpine plants found nowhere else in Britain. It's also home to red squirrels and many different birds of prey.
The stunning landscape, from High Force on the River Tees to the wide valley of High Cup Gill, was formed over millions of years of geological processes. Because of its important geology, the North Pennines AONB became Britain's first European Geopark in 2003. A year later, it joined the UNESCO-supported Global Geopark family. Geoparks are special areas where geology is used to help the local community grow in a sustainable way.
Another unique thing about the North Pennines is that it's home to England's only named wind, the Helm Wind. This strong wind has surprised many walkers on the high plateaus around Cross Fell and in the valleys.
Fun Things to Do
The North Pennines is a great place for walking and exploring. One popular route is Isaac's Tea Trail, a 37-mile circular path that goes through places like Ninebanks, Allendale, Nenthead, and Alston.
A big part of the famous Pennine Way walking trail also goes through the AONB. This includes a very popular section through Teesdale, a beautiful valley with dramatic river scenery. Here, you can see the impressive waterfalls of High Force and Cauldron Snout.
Culture and Inspiration
The famous English poet W. H. Auden spent a lot of time in the North Pennines. He loved the area so much that about forty of his poems and two plays are set here. He first visited in 1919 and later wrote poems about Alston Moor and Allendale. Auden called the region his "Mutterland" (motherland) and his "great good place," even comparing it to his idea of Eden. Many places in the Pennines, like Cauldron Snout and Rookhope, appear in his writings.
Getting Here
By Air
- You can fly to Newcastle International Airport (NCL), which is about 20 miles from the North Pennines.
- Carlisle Lake District Airport is even closer, about 10 miles away.
By Train
- Penrith railway station will take you to Penrith, which is 9 miles from the North Pennines.
- Bishop Auckland railway station will take you to Bishop Auckland, about 14 miles away.
Visitor Centre
There's a small visitor centre at Bowlees. It's a great starting point to explore Upper Teesdale and the wider North Pennines AONB.
