Parking doubled at popular tourist attraction
18 Mar 2025
Car parking at the popular Northumberland National Park attraction at Hareshaw Linn in Bellingham has doubled following the successful completion of a new car park.
As well as upgrading the existing carpark with a new configuration and two new EV charging posts with capacity to charge four electric cars, there is now an entirely new, additional 14 space car park, which has more than doubled parking capacity for the site from twelve car parking spaces to 25.There are also now two disabled parking bays and new bike racks with room for six bikes.
The works are part of Northumberland National Park’s Welcoming Park for All project funded by the North East Combined Authority as part of the Rural Asset Multiplier Pilot Programme (RAMP), which aims to enhance the features of sites which are popular with local communities and visitors in Northumberland National Park and make them more accessible for a wide range of people.
Councillor Glen Sanderson, North East CA's cabinet member for Rural, Coastal and Environment, said: "A key part of this project is making the area more accessible - not just with disabled parking bays, but with new facilities for electric vehicles and those visiting by bike.
"There are so many special places in our region, but few are more peaceful than this and the work funded through RAMP has been carried out with great sensitivity.”
Hareshaw Linn, a woodland walk featuring a series of waterfalls, a site of special scientific interest and scheduled monument, is the first to be completed and open to the public.
Tony Gates, Chief Executive, Northumberland National Park Authority says: “Hareshaw Linn is a place in Northumberland National Park which is famous for its tranquil beauty, dramatic waterfalls, and rare plant life. It is a unique and special place where people can connect with nature, and it is wonderful to have this popular visitor attraction ready to welcome more visitors with spring just around the corner. The enhancements will also mean that residents experience less disruption on busy visitor days. We are incredibly grateful and thank the local community for their patience throughout the works being carried out.”
Access to Hareshaw Linn has been improved thanks to the RAMP, which secured funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UK SPF), Rural England Prosperity Fund
(REPF), and the programme is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with the North East Combined Authority as the lead authority.
County Councillor John Riddle, the local ward member for the area, added: "I know first-hand how popular this beautiful part of Northumberland is, but parking had previously been an issue.
"This has greatly improved access and should also make life easier for local residents and businesses on busy days."
The new car park is close to the site of the 19th century Hareshaw Ironworks, and a tile works was recorded on the site in 1866, but the business had disappeared from records by the 1890s. That is until work started on the site where remains of the foundations were discovered. These have now been recorded for posterity and will contribute to public understanding of the history of 19th century Bellingham.