© Haltwhistle Walking Festival

This was a special theme walk with guest leader, Janet Simkin.  Janet has amazing knowledge of the effects caused by mine effluent and spoil entering the Tyne river system over the last few hundred years.

Firstly the lead mining caused quite a high level of pollution. Then when lead mining became uneconomic and the demand for zinc, to galvanise tin cans in that newly formed industry, boomed, the valley vegetation was devastated and the flood plain lay naked.  As pollution controls have tightened over the last 150 years, the levels have dropped and plants that can tolerate high levels of lead and zinc have colonised the river gravel shoals.

This habitat is called calamanarian grassland and this was the main subject of the walk.  It is typically very short, with only common bent and sheep’s fescue growing as grasses but with other nationally scarce plants such as alpine penny-cress and spring sandwort growing happily with little competition.  We also studied the lichens, especially dog lichen, of which we found 3 species; one very scarce.  We looked at how to restore this habitat and the conflict between less polluted rivers making this habitat very scarce and the listing of this habitat as an European Biodiversity Action Plan habitat, putting a duty on government to ensure its restoration. You’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t.

We then became much less serious and visited Wydon Farm, where Lynda Ogle provided a sumptuous afternoon farm-house tea.  On our return to Haltwhistle we had permission to visit Bellister Castle, not only for the lichens but also the superb architecture.  We saw the remains of the Norman tower and Raymond related the history and told us of the ghost of the poor minstrel who escaped the hanging tree only to be hunted down by hounds.

We hastily made our way back before the darkness fell, much wiser and a little fatter.  

Harry Kay (walk leader)

Click here for photos of the walk

“From contamination to conservation”

Thursday 29th April, 2010