Pow Hill Country Park - Durham County Council · Pow Hill Country Park Photographs: Views (Maria...
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Area: 45.5 acres (18.5 hectares) Total length of Easy Access route: 0.3 mile (500 metres) Grid Reference: NZ 010 512 Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer 307 Directions: Approximately 20 miles northwest of Durham City centre. Sited on the B6306 Blanchland Road on the banks of the Derwent Reservoir, just over 1 mile north of Edmundbyers. It is signposted from the road. Nearest postcode for GPS purposes DH8 9NU Parking: There are three parking areas (open 8am-8.30pm). Two disabled parking bays Public transport: Service number 773 (Classic). Bus stop next to entrance. Timetable is limited and may vary, call 0191 415 1818 for details Dogs: Allowed under control and on a lead during bird nesting season (March to August). Please clean up after your dog Designation: Country Park, Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), UK Woodland Assurance Scheme certified, part of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Suitable for: Walkers and wheelchair users. No cyclists or horse-riders Habitats: Moorland, wetland, woodland What is special? Pow Hill is set in moorland overlooking the Derwent Reservoir. The word Pow comes from Old English and means ‘slow moving stream’ which refers to the waterlogged boggy area in the north of the site. Rain falling on the surrounding moors is absorbed into the peaty ground. Water then seeps downhill into basins and shallow valleys, creating bogs. Over the years many upland bogs have disappeared through drainage but at Pow Hill it has survived. The bog contains specialised plants such as bog asphodel, cotton grass, ragged robin and marsh thistle and has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) - this designation is only given to the best wildlife habitats. Heather moorland, grassland and coniferous woodland is home to animals such as red squirrels, adders, common lizard, slow worm and the green hairstreak butterfly. There are secluded glades for a quiet picnic and a number of seats which give panoramic views across the Derwent Reservoir towards Castleside and the Hownsgill viaduct. Access is permitted to the shores of the reservoir where fishing and sailing are available The path is closed during winter to prevent disturbance to ground nesting birds. Fishing, contact - Northumbrian Water: 01207 255 250, www.nwl.co.uk Sailing, contact - Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club: 01434 675 258, www.drsc.co.uk zoom in Whilst every effort has been made by Durham County Council to ensure accuracy of information, the Council cannot accept any liability resulting from omissions or inaccuracies. © Durham County Council License No. LA 100019779. 2011 Pow Hill Country Park Contact the Countryside Service telephone: 03000 264 589 email: [email protected] www.durham.gov.uk/countryside Bog Asphodel Cotton Grass more info...
Transcript of Pow Hill Country Park - Durham County Council · Pow Hill Country Park Photographs: Views (Maria...
Area: 45.5 acres (18.5 hectares)
Total length of Easy Access route: 0.3 mile (500 metres)
Grid Reference: NZ 010 512
Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer 307
Directions: Approximately 20 miles northwest of DurhamCity centre. Sited on the B6306 Blanchland Road on thebanks of the Derwent Reservoir, just over 1 mile north ofEdmundbyers. It is signposted from the road. Nearestpostcode for GPS purposes DH8 9NU
Parking: There are three parking areas (open 8am-8.30pm).Two disabled parking bays
Public transport: Service number 773 (Classic). Bus stopnext to entrance. Timetable is limited and may vary, call0191 415 1818 for details
Dogs: Allowed under control and on a lead during birdnesting season (March to August). Please clean up after yourdog
Designation: Country Park, Site of Special ScientificInterest (SSSI), UK Woodland Assurance Scheme certified,part of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding NaturalBeauty(AONB)
Suitablefor:Walkers andwheelchairusers. Nocyclists or horse-riders
Habitats:Moorland,wetland,woodland
What is special? Pow Hill is set in moorland overlooking the DerwentReservoir. The word Pow comes from Old English andmeans ‘slow moving stream’ which refers to the waterloggedboggy area in the north of the site. Rain falling on thesurrounding moors is absorbed into the peaty ground. Waterthen seeps downhill into basins and shallow valleys, creating bogs. Over the years many upland bogs have disappeared through drainage butat Pow Hill it has survived.
The bog contains specialised plants such as bog asphodel, cotton grass, ragged robinand marsh thistle and has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) - this designation is only given to the best wildlife habitats.
Heather moorland, grassland and coniferous woodland is home to animals such as redsquirrels, adders, common lizard, slow worm and the green hairstreak butterfly. There aresecluded glades for a quiet picnic and a number of seats which give panoramic viewsacross the Derwent Reservoir towards Castleside and the Hownsgill viaduct.
Access is permitted to the shores of the reservoir where fishing and sailing are availableThe path is closed during winter to prevent disturbance to ground nesting birds.
Fishing, contact - Northumbrian Water: 01207 255 250, www.nwl.co.ukSailing, contact - Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club: 01434 675 258, www.drsc.co.uk
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Whilst every effort has been made by Durham County Council to ensure accuracy of information,the Council cannot accept any liability resulting from omissions or inaccuracies.
© Durham County Council License No. LA 100019779. 2011
Pow Hill Country Park
Contact the Countryside Servicetelephone: 03000 264 589email: [email protected]/countryside
Bog Asphodel
Cotton Grass
more info...
Help us to protect this rare habitatThe bog is a very sensitive habitat and we ask visitors not to walk across it. It can easily be viewed from the Easy Access path. Keep your dog on a lead during the bird breeding season (March to August).Clean up after your dog.
Accessibility statement Pow Hill has a linear Easy Access route which is gently undulating and rises gradually uphill fromthe car park. This route has a 2 metre wide sealed surface and has seats at regular intervals. Thereis a network of paths and tracks throughout the site. These can be narrow and are made of amixture of unsealed surface with some large stones and tree roots, bare earth and mown grass.There are numerous sets of steps and some steep slopes. Some routes may be difficult tonegotiate in bad weather.
CommonLizard
Adder
Pow Hill Country Park
Photographs: Views (Maria Murphy); Cotton Grass, Adder, Ragged Robin on common blue (S Priestley); Bog Asphodel (www.northeastwildlife.co.uk), red squirrel (www.wildstock.co.uk).
RaggedRobin
Red Squirrel
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Pow Hill Country Park
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Pow Hill Country Park
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved Durham County Council (License No. LA 100019779. 2011)
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N0 100m
(approx.) 100 yards
KEYPicnic Area
Seat
Steps Down
Gate
Steep Slope Down 1:10-1:10
Medium Slope Up 1:20-1:10
Medium Slope Down1:20-1:10
Parking
Disabled Parking
Bus Stop
Road/Tarmac
Easy Access Route
Bare Earth
Hard Unsealed Surface
Direction of Travel
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