The Council owns and manages a number of popular countryside recreation sites throughout the county.  These include:

• Bedlington Country Park along the banks of the river Blyth at Bedlington
• Blyth Links and foreshore between Seaton Sluice and Blyth
• Bolam Lake Country Park near Belsay 
• Druridge Bay Country Park near Amble
• Plessey Woods Country Park near Bedlington 
• QEII Country Park on the northern edge of Ashington
• Tyne Riverside Country Park near Prudhoe
• Tyne Green Country Park near Hexham, and
• Wansbeck Riverside Park along the banks of the river Wansbeck downstream of Sheepwash.
  

The Council also owns and manages a number of smaller countryside sites, picnic areas, and Local Nature Reserves as well as a number of woodlands on reclaimed pit land around south east Northumberland.

 

The country parks vary greatly in their size and character, and include open coast, valley woodlands, lakes, grassland and plantation woodland.  Each site provides for the recreational needs of local communities as well as drawing visitors from across the County and from farther a field.

The smaller countryside sites are also varied in their form and purpose. Several sites mark and interpret the locations of historic Northumberland battles and others offer managed parking and access to coastal beauty spots or roadside picnic sites and viewpoints.

The Council also owns and manages a major section of the former railway line between Alston and Haltwhistle. Now known as the South Tyne Trail, this provides a multi-use recreational route (for walkers, riders and cyclists) through some of the finest North Pennine scenery.

• Country Parks General Information Leaflet

 

Country Park Parking Permit

You can purchase an annual parking permit to park your car at the Council's country parks without needing purchase a daily ticket. For more information on country park parking permits click here.

 

Designating Local Nature Reserves

All district and county councils have powers to acquire, declare and manage LNRs. To qualify for LNR status, a site must be of importance for wildlife, geology, education or public enjoyment. Some are also nationally important Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

LNRs must be controlled by the local authority through ownership, lease or agreement with the owner. The main aim must be to care for the natural features which make the site special.

 

 

 

Local Nature Reserves in Northumberland

Northumberland the following sites have been declared as Local Nature Reserves.  To find out where they are and for more information about the reserves including links to location maps click here, or click on the individual sites listed below.

Amble Dunes Barrowburn Wood Bedlington Country Park Borough Woods Bracken Bank Carlisle Park Castle Island Castlefields Wood Choppington Community Woods Cresswell Dunes Davies Wood East Cramlington Grasslees Burn Woodland

Ha’penny Woods Heddon Common Holywell Dene Lanercost Paddock Wood QEII Country Park Scotch Gill Woods Ulgham Meadow Wansbeck Riverside Park Wylam Haughs

Other Countryside services