About our sites
Bakethin
Bakethin Reservoir, designated as a company nature reserve and Local Wildlife Site is located at the north western end of Kielder Water. It’s main purpose was to prevent the appearance of unsightly and dangerous mudflats that would otherwise occur during periods of low water. Controlled by Bakethin Weir, a relatively constant water level is maintained, regardless of the fluctuating water level in Kielder, and the reservoir functions like a natural lake, resulting in an ideal site for wildlife.
A skewed viaduct (now a public footpath), located at the top end of the reservoir where the River North Tyne flows into Bakethin provides an excellent viewpoint over the nature reserve.
The reserve itself has an excellent variety of plants including rarities like the Northern Spike Rush which grows along the margins of the reservoir. This unobtrusive plant is found at only a few sites and is one of our most notable species with every effort being made to conserve it.
Various conservation projects that have been carried out include the installation of a bird hide that allows the public close-up views of the reserve and the construction of artificial islands near the south bank of the reservoir to encourage nesting wildfowl and otters. Two ponds created near the viaduct also provide excellent habitat for amphibians and dragonflies.
You can find out more about the plants and animals at Bakethin by downloading the pdf file below.
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| Bakethin |  |
Balderhead
Balderhead Reservoir, situated within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is the most westerly of three reservoirs built in Baldersdale. It is fed by numerous small streams flowing off the adjacent peaty moorlands which results in nutrient poor and dystrophic (peat stained) water.
Unimproved acid grasslands, both wet and dry, forms the majority of the habitats around Balderhead. The dry acid grassland is dominated by wavy hair-grass, sheep's fescue and common bent, whilst heath rush characterises the wet grassland.
The steep sides of the gills, which are less intensively grazed, retain an element of moorland flora such as heather and bilberry, whilst flushes dominated by sharp-flowered rush and mosses occur in the gill bottoms.
Small pockets of broadleaves have been planted around the reservoir to enhance its value for wildlife, including juniper, planted along Hunder Beck to compliment the adjacent Site of Special Scientific Interest, designated as a juniper woodland.
The surrounding grassland forms important feeding areas (March-June) for waders such as curlew, redshank, golden plover and snipe, which breed on the surrounding moorland. Common sandpiper and oystercatcher breed along the reservoir margins and a small black grouse lek (display site) occurs in the fields on the north side of the reservoir.
Please download the attached pdf below for more information.
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| Balderhead | |
Blackton
Blackton Reservoir, nestled between Balderhead and Hury, has a nature reserve overlooked by a bird hide and there is a lovely walk around its margins. The Pennine Way long distance footpath crosses Blackton Bridge at the western end.
The best place to view the site is from the bird hide, located on the north bank below Birk Hat farm; the one time home of Hannah Hauxwell, a Teesdale lady made famous after the BBC documentary about the way she managed her traditional upland farm. The adjacent fields 'Hannah's Meadows' are now designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and are managed by Durham Wildlife Trust, which has converted a stone barn into a small interpretive centre.
Acid grassland is the main habitat around the reservoir although the grassland by Birk Hat farm is slightly neutral in character with meadow foxtail, crested dog’s-tail and sweet vernal-grass. Characteristic woodland herbs such as bluebell, wood anemone and wood sorrel are also scattered in this grassland, which is indicative of a former woodland cover. The surrounding upland hay meadows are characteristic of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and contain unusual plants such as globe flower, wood anemone, ragged robin, frog orchid and the rare adder's-tongue fern.
Semi-natural woodland is still present around the steep-sided gills with birch, rowan, goat willow and hawthorn the main species present.
Blackton is particularly important as a gathering area for pre and post-breeding wildfowl and waders that breed in the surrounding area. Small numbers of wildfowl also visit the reservoir during the winter months and in bad winters black grouse are known to come down to feed on the birch at the southern and western end of the reservoir.
Please download the attached pdf below for more information.
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| Blackton | |
Burnhope
Burnhope Reservoir sits at the top of the Wear Valley, lying at approximately 400 metres above sea level. It is largely surrounded by dense sitka spruce plantations but there are plans to gradually clear these conifer plantations and replace them with native broadleaved woodland.
The inundation community found at the western end of Burnhope is of particular note due to the presence of the nationally scarce thread rush and more common species such as marsh cudweed and sneezewort. A surfaced footpath provides good access along the northern shoreline to this western end.
Below the dam is a large area of poor semi-improved acid grassland dominated by crested dog’s-tail with some mat grass and fescues. The narrow boundary between the plantation and the reservoir is occupied by neutral grassland co-dominated by false oat grass and cock’s-foot.
A new wetland feature has been created on the site of the former water treatment works and this has been designed specifically to encourage expansion of the local population of water voles that live along the adjacent Burnhope Burn. There is a surfaced footpath and hide on this site so that visitors may be able to catch a glimpse of a water vole.
The pdf document provides further information.
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| Burnhope | |
Catcleugh
Catcleugh Reservoir, located near the Scottish border on the A68 Corbridge to Jedburgh road, has been designated as a Local Wildlife Site due to its wildlife interest. It is surrounded by a mixture of native and conifer woodlands; plantation woods to the north and south of the reservoir are predominantly Scots pine and Norway spruce with a mixture of beech and birch whilst new areas of broadleaves make up the remaining areas.
During the summer, the dam wall is extremely colourful due to variety of wildflowers including ox-eye daisy, orange hawkweed, ribwort plantain, lady’s mantle, lady’s bedstraw, herb robert, selfheal and thyme.
There are also vast areas of swamp vegetation growing in the meanders created by the River Rede. These areas are dominated by reed grass with small patches of lesser pond sedge, marsh horsetail and corn mint.
The surrounding moorlands are notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of the mosaic of heather and upland grassland. The higher moorlands are home to breeding golden plover and dunlin, whilst common sandpiper, ring ouzel, wheatear and whinchat occur on the lower moors. Osprey are known to have used this site for roosting, buzzards are increasingly regular visitors and there are occasional records of golden eagle. The main bird species associated with the coniferous plantations are crossbill, coal tit and siskin. Long-eared owls have also been recorded in these woods and in 1954 we had a very unusual visitor - a parrot crossbill!
A variety of mammals occur here including otter, red squirrel, badger, roe deer and bat. Red squirrels live in the conifer plantations around the reservoir where mature trees provide a good supply of seeds. The young and mature conifer plantations are also good habitat for roe deer whilst the network of watercourses provides excellent habitat for the otter. This type of habitat is preferable because it is undisturbed, has an abundance of prey, and provides safe access between river catchments.
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| Catcleugh | |
Colt Crag
Colt Crag Reservoir is a relatively shallow upland reservoir surrounded on the northern side by enclosed grassland and on the southern side by unenclosed hill pasture. The reservoir is one of a series of water bodies along the A68 which are connected by tunnels and aqueducts.
Much of the reservoir is fringed by mature coniferous plantation, although birch and beech also grow here with bramble and raspberry providing much of the field layer. The large stone blocks making up the dam have been colonised by numerous grassland species and, in conservation terms, can be described as species rich.
One of Colt Crag's main attractions are the great-crested grebes, which you cannot fail to see in the summer months as they return to breed. There is also a colony of 20-30 pairs of house martins that return each year to nest under the eaves of the boathouse.
The rough grassland adjacent to the site provides ideal breeding habitat for the cuckoo, meadow pipit, whinchat and wheatear and the reservoir itself is an important roosting site for pre and post breeding black-headed and common gulls.
Numerous eaten pine cones, characteristic of red squirrels have been found in the coniferous plantations around the reservoir. The presence of conifers particularly Scots pine and several different species of broadleaved trees and shrubs provide a diversity of tree seed that forms an important component of the red squirrel’s diet. Badgers are known to use the site during the summer months, and both pipistrelle and noctule bats may be seen feeding around the sheltered north eastern end of the reservoir.
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| Colt Crag | |
Cow Green
Cow Green is our highest reservoir at an altitude of 480 metres. There are a number of nationally rare species and habitats here that have resulted in numerous designations including the Moorhouse – Upper Teesdale National Nature Reserve, North Pennine Moors Special Protection Area and Moorhouse-Upper Teesdale Special Area of Conservation.
Widdybank Fell on the north eastern shore is managed by Natural England. A variety of habitats are present here, including upland hay meadows, pastures, juniper scrub, moorland and blanket bog. This site is of international importance for its rare arctic alpine flora and fauna, including spring gentian and round-mouthed whorl snail, which are unique to Great Britain.
Birds which breed on the moorland around Cow Green are those characteristic of upland areas; such as red grouse and golden plover. A pair of red-breasted merganser bred here for the first time in May 1994 and have continued to be recorded ever since.
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| Cow Green | |
Derwent
Derwent Reservoir lies within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is the second largest reservoir in the Northeast. The south western corner of the reservoir has been managed as a nature reserve since 1967 and was established in recognition of its importance for breeding birds and to allow wildfowl and waders to feed undisturbed. A bird hide constructed on the northern side of the reservoir provides views into the nature reserve. This hide is locked but keys can be purchased from Durham Wildlife Trust.
The nature reserve is particularly important as a roosting and feeding area for wildfowl such as mallard, teal, coot, moorhen, tufted duck, pochard, goldeneye, goosander and greylag geese. Derwent is also an important breeding site for wigeon whilst low water levels in spring and autumn provide ideal habitat to see rare waders such as green sandpiper, greenshank, golden plover and little ringed plover.
There are at least 27 distinct habitat types at Derwent Reservoir, including semi-improved neutral grasslands and heathland which is ideal habitat for reptiles and butterflies like the green hairstreak. As the reservoir experiences considerable fluctuation in water level and wave action there is limited development of water plants. However, marginal vegetation does occur where there is a shallow gradient to the water's edge, primarily at the western end of the reservoir in the nature reserve.
Ongoing conservation enhancements include alterations to the grazing regime for important grasslands such as those adjacent to the Fishing Lodge where late summer grazing allows wildlflowers to set seed and provides good habitat for invertebrates, especially butterflies. As a consequence, the numbers of common and less common British butterflies recorded at the site now exceeds twenty.
To find out more please see the attached pdf below.
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| Derwent | |
Fontburn
Fontburn Reservoir is designated as a Local Wildlife Site reflecting the varied and important habitats like semi-natural woodland that occur around the margins and protected species that occur on site. The western end of the reservoir and the site of the old sludge spreading area is managed as a nature reserve.
The north shore is mainly vegetated with scrub and woodland, including willow, blackthorn, elder, birch, hawthorn and hazel. Common spotted orchids grow in the base-rich flushed areas.
At the extreme south eastern corner of the site there is an area of marshy grassland with abundant meadow-sweet, wild angelica, common knapweed and sneezewort and where there is periodic flooding of the shore you can also find species like common spike rush, reed canary grass, lesser spearwort and amphibious bistort.
The presence of four British reptiles; common lizard, adder, slow worm and grass snake and five of Britain’s native amphibians; common frog, common toad, smooth newt, palmate newt and great crested newt mean that this an extremely valuable and important wildlife site. The grass snake records for Fontburn also make this one of the most northerly authenticated colonies of this species in Britain.
To find out more please see the attached pdf below.
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| Fontburn | |
Grassholme
Grassholme Reservoir, situated in Lunedale Valley below Selset reservoir is almost completely surrounded by acid grassland, dominated by sweet vernal-grass and sheep’s fescue with crested dog’s tail and mat-grass. Small fragments of semi-natural woodland around the stream edges and below the dam contribute to the habitat diversity of this site.
Grassholme used to be particularly significant for it’s breeding colony of black-headed gulls when approximately 2000 birds were regularly seen from March-June. This colony has now dispersed to other locations.
Typical waders such as snipe, oystercatcher, and lapwing breed on the moorland surrounding the reservoir whilst common sandpiper and ringed plover breed on the reservoir margins. Birds of prey, including sparrowhawk, kestrel and short-eared owl (which breed nearby) also visit the reservoir to feed.
Common toad spawn in the reservoir margins whilst surveys within the water body itself have identified bullhead, brown trout, minnow, loach, eel and swan mussels.
To find out more please see the attached pdf below.
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| Grassholme | |
Hallington
Hallington, constructed towards the end of the nineteenth century is actually two small reservoirs; Hallington Reservoir West and Hallington Reservoir East, which are separated by a dam. They form part of the complex of reservoirs from Catcleugh on the Scottish border down to Whittle Dene near Newcastle that are interconnected by a series of aqueducts and tunnels. Both reservoirs form a Local Wildlife Site.
The woodland on the north western corner of Hallington Reservoir East is mostly scots pine and larch with beech, willow and sycamore whilst marginal plants include the very rare and scarce small-fruited yellow sedge which occurs near the dam between both two reservoirs.
The reservoirs form an important wintering area for wildfowl, including wigeon, teal and mallard whilst autumn waders include dunlin, black-headed and common gulls. Both species of gull actually use the site for pre and post breeding and can gather in large numbers.
There are still sightings of red squirrel here as well as otters, badgers and bats and recent surveys have also identified a healthy population of native white-clawed crayfish within the aqueduct that flows into the reservoirs.
To find out more please see the attached pdf below.
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| Hallington | |
Hury
Hury Reservoir is the lowest of three reservoirs in Baldersdale – situated below Balderhead and Blackton. It has very similar habitat to the other Teesdale Reservoirs with acid grassland that is dominated by sheep’s fescue and common bent. Neutral grassland has developed below the dam wall and there are a few scattered birch and rowan trees next to the reservoir.
Historically the area may have once been extensively wooded as remnants of ancient woodland occur lower down in Baldersdale and it is possible that the fragments of woodland at Hury are vestiges of more extensive forest that occurred before this part of the valley was flooded.
The main nature conservation interest at Hury is ornithological and waders such as oystercatcher, lapwing, curlew, redshank and common sandpiper occur in particularly high densities during the breeding season. The site is also particularly important for Canada Geese. They were first recorded in 1945 when there were just 5 pairs. Since then their numbers have been steadily increasing to 200 plus birds today.
To find out more please see the attached pdf below.
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| Hury | |
Kielder Water
Kielder Water is the largest man-made lake in North-West Europe and has a shoreline of approximately twenty seven miles. The reservoir was constructed in the early 1980s by damming the North Tyne and several of its tributaries.
Much of the surrounding natural vegetation has been greatly modified by the planting of sitka and norway spruce plantations by the Forestry Commission and the field layer beneath these plantations is poorly developed and often devoid of vegetation or supporting only mosses. Measures have been taken to increase the diversity of these plantations by planting native broad-leaved trees such as rowan and birch in existing or former coniferous areas and felling trees to form glades and rides to encourage invertebrates such as butterflies.
There are good expanses of heathland, remnants of semi-natural woodland and even features of historical interest such as the row of mature beech trees on the Leaplish Peninsula which are relics of the area’s early enclosure between 1770 and 1820. A wildlife hide near this row of beeches provides an excellent venue to see red squirrel and a range of woodland birds like woodpecker, chaffinch, nuthatch, coal tit, great tit and blue tit. The C200, the main road around Kielder is also impressive in the summer months as the verges have an amazing display of wildflowers like ox-eye daisy and marsh orchids.
Due to it’s high altitude and exposed nature the reservoir doesn’t have a huge range of bird species but it is frequented by small numbers of wintering, moulting and breeding mallard and a few wintering teal, pochard, goldeneye and tufted duck. A relatively large goosander roost (36 birds in total) was recorded in 1993. There are also regular sightings of the locally uncommon stonechat in this area, particularly around the Tower Knowe visitor centre and ospreys are frequently seen during spring and autumn on their migration to and from breeding grounds.
A multi-user track provides access for a variety of users, including disabled access, around the whole reservoir.
To find out more please see the attached pdf below.
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| Kielder | |
Lockwood Beck
This is one of our most southerly reservoirs, lying within the North York Moors National Park. The best time to visit Lockwood is August to September when the surrounding heather moorland is in flower and creates a sea of purple.
The southern bank of the reservoir is also mainly heathland although there are also areas of woodland and species rich grassland. There is a well developed swamp community on the eastern side, characterised by the presence of sharp-flowered rush, soft rush, common spike-rush and occasional wetland herbs such as water mint and common spearwort.
A reptile survey of Lockwood Beck in 1995 highlighted that it was one of the most important sites for reptiles in the northeast. The combination of wooded areas and open heath provides the ideal habitat for three of the more common reptiles found in Britain: adder, slow-worm and common lizard.
Please see the attached pdf below for more information.
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| Lockwood Beck | |
Scaling Dam
This is our most southerly reservoir and like Lockwood Beck lies within the North York Moors National Park. There is also a company designated nature reserve at the western end which includes part of the North York Moors Site of Special Scientific Interest, and two European designations – a Special Protection Area and Special Area of Conservation.
The site is managed by a Wildlife Advisory Committee which includes representatives from Natural England, the Sailing Club and Leisure Team (for the fishing interest) which ensures a well balanced approach to site management.
The reservoir’s location close to the East coast means that it is particularly important for passage migrants on their journey either to or from their summer breeding grounds and is one of the reasons that no sailing or fishing is allowed over winter.
The bird hide, located near the sailing club is a good vantage point for bird watching which includes over-wintering coot, teal, pochard, mallard and tufted duck and summer visitors like great-crested grebe and waders like redshank, lapwing, and curlew. Cuckoo may also be heard singing during the summer.
Since it’s abandonment as an operational site there is now a relatively well-developed array of aquatic and marginal flora which compliments the surrounding diversity of heathland, wet marshland, flushes and small pockets of woodland.
The un-improved meadows within the nature reserve are species rich, supporting increasingly scarce plants like adders tongue fern and orchids, and attract an abundance of butterflies and moths. A recently introduced management regime of bracken crushing will also enhance the value of the site for wildlife by reducing dominant bracken cover to allow other species to re-colonise or recover.
Please see the attached pdf below for further information.
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| Scaling Dam | |
Selset
The dam wall and the north-eastern part of Selset Reservoir are within the Lune Forest Site of Special Scientific Interest and North Pennine Moors Special Protection Area in recognition of their importance for moorland bird species.
Large conifer plantations, planted as part of the original reservoir landscaping programme, are situated on the southern side of the reservoir. Grass of parnassus was found within one of these areas during a botanical survey carried out in 1999.
A small number of pochard, tufted duck, goldeneye and goosander have wintered here since recording began in the late 1970s and Selset occasionally forms an important winter roost for black-headed, great black-backed and common gulls. A small number of breeding mallard, teal and wigeon occur and 1-3 pairs of canada geese regularly rear their young at the top end of the reservoir.
The deciduous woodlands around Selset are home to breeding spotted flycatcher and redstarts. Osprey are regularly seen on passage during the spring and autumn and short-eared owl may be seen hunting on the southern side of the reservoir during late summer and early autumn.
Yellow wagtails are regularly recorded in summer utilising water meadows and marshy fields for breeding territories. Teesdale is one of the British strongholds for this species that, in the north-east, is approaching the northern limits of its range; breeding only sparsely in southern Scotland. All breeding sites on Northumbrian Water reservoirs are therefore regionally important.
To find out more please see the attached pdf below.
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| Selset | |
Tunstall
The north shore of Tunstall lies within Backstone Bank and Baal Hill Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest. This designation refers to the ancient semi-natural oak woodland that stretches along the north shore of Tunstall down the valley towards Wolsingham.
The northern end of the reservoir is mostly marsh, formed along the edges of Waskerley Beck which flows into the reservoir. This area is designated as a company nature reserve, primarily to conserve the nationally scarce thread rush.
Backstone Bank and Baal Hill Woods have been actively managed since the sixteenth century as part of the Bishop of Durham's estate. The woodland is largely sessile oak but the margins of the reservoir include alder and willow. The neutral grassland below the dam wall and partially around the water treatment works is extremely species-rich and includes spring-sedge and a large colony of early purple orchids. The grassland is dominated by sweet vernal-grass and crested dog’s-tail.
Common frog and large numbers of common toad breed along the margins of the reservoir whilst common lizard, adder and slow-worm may be found in the undergrowth. A variety of mammals have also been recorded on site including hedgehog, roe deer, stoat and bat species. The latter may be seen feeding amongst the trees at the southern end of the reservoir and along the roadway that leads to the dam.
To find out more please see the attached pdf below.
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| Tunstall | |
Waskerley, Smiddyshaw, Hisehope
These three relatively small reservoirs are located within characteristic upland heather moorland which has numerous designations including; North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Muggleswick, Stanhope and Edmundbyers Commons and Blanchland Moor Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), North Pennine Moors Special Protection Area (SPA) and North Pennine Moors Special Area of Conservation (SAC). All of these designations reflect the internationally important numbers and species of upland birds including black grouse, merlin and waders like golden plover.
The reservoirs themselves form an important part of the assemblage of moorland habitats although the bird interest is mostly the colonies of gulls. Common gulls assemble here in March en route to their breeding grounds further north.
Waskerley is the largest and most varied of the three reservoirs. Woodland cover here comprises a small conifer plantation with sitka spruce and scots pine, and a small broad-leaved plantation. These woodlands have been recently thinned and their value enhanced by planting native broadleaves and shrubs like juniper.
Adder, common lizard and common frog have all been recorded around the reservoir whilst Brandts/whiskered bats have been recorded emerging from buildings below the dam wall in late July although this is unlikely to be a nursery roost due to the exposed nature of the site. The recorded bats are likely to be males or non-breeding females that often roost in small numbers.
Smiddyshaw Reservoir has an unexpected surprise when water levels are low – see the attached pdf below to find out more!
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| Waskerley, Smiddyshaw, Hisehope | |
Whittle Dene
Whittle Dene is actually made up of a complex of seven reservoirs and is fed by the Welton Burn and Sparrow Letch at the northern end of the site and by the Whittle Dene aqueduct system that flows from Hallington reservoir.
There are a huge variety of habitats including conifer and mixed plantations, neutral grassland and marshy grassland. Some of the neutral grassland is particularly species-rich, as indicated in recent habitat surveys. The whole complex is designated as a Local Wildlife Site due to its importance for wildlife.
Late April is a good time to see the large swathes of native primrose, particularly abundant along the southern embankment of the Great Northern Reservoir, visible from the Hadrian’s Wall footpath. The Great Northern itself is designated as a company nature reserve and the bird hide adjacent to Hadrian’s Wall footpath provides excellent views of the wildlife.
By the end of March, the first sand martins can usually be seen over the reservoirs and summer visitors continue to increase throughout April and May when large numbers of swallows and swifts gather to feed on the insects around the site. Breeding birds usually include great-crested grebe and tufted duck. A floating raft, installed on the Great Northern in 2008, is designed to attract nesting terns.
The presence of both fish and freshwater mussels also mean that the site is frequented by otter with the scattered shells of the mussels a good sign that they’ve had a good feed!
To find out more about the wildlife around this site please see the attached pdf below.
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| Whittle Dene | |