Spend a rocky weekend in the north Pennines

A series of new events taking place in the North Pennines will bring together guided walks, interesting talks and delicious food – all themed around the fascinating geology of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Kicking off with the first ‘Rocky Weekend’ in the Allendale area on May 26 and 27, the events organised by the North Pennines AONB Partnership will also run at Bowlees,in Teesdale, County Durham and Dufton in Cumbria later in the year.

Elizabeth Pickett, the AONB Partnership’s Geodiversity Officer said: “The North Pennine landscape has fascinating stories to tell and in each of these three Rocky Weekends we'll explore some very different places and learn how to ‘read’ the landscape for signs of ancient tropical seas, vast ice sheets, a mining past and much more.”

Elizabeth will lead a 10-mile walk on the Saturday and later that day there will be evening meal and talk with an invited speaker. A five- to six-mile walk on the Sunday with another local expert rounds off the weekend. Exact details have yet to be confirmed but the Saturday walks will run from about 9am to 5pm and the Sunday walks will start about 10am and finish by 4pm.

Details for the three Rocky Weekends are as follows:

Allendale, Northumberland (26 and 27 May): Saturday walk from Allenheads to
Allendale, finding out about the East Allen Valley’s geology, landscape and mining
heritage. There will be an evening talk at Allendale Forge Studios by Ian Forbes,
former Director of Killhope Lead Mining Museum. On Sunday enjoy a circular walk
from Allendale with local geologist Brian Young.

Bowlees, Teesdale, County Durham (8 and 9 Sept): Saturday’s walk is from Cow
Green to Bowlees past Cauldron Snout, High Force and Low Force. In the evening
AONB Partnership archaeologist Paul Frodsham will talk about discoveries at nearby
Holwick, and on Sunday walkers will follow in the footsteps of Teesdale lead miner-
poet, Richard Watson, with interpreter Neil Diment.

Dufton, Cumbria (6 and 7 Oct): On Saturday we’ll walk up Great Rundale, and
descend past the spectacular High Cup Gill. In the evening enjoy a talk (speaker

tbc) at High Cup Winery and on Sunday join freelance countryside ranger David
Nightingale for a gentle exploration of the countryside round Dufton.

The weekends cost £45 per person per weekend and include two walks, the Saturday
evening meal and talk. In the case of the linear Saturday walks on 26 May and 8
Sept minibus transport to start of walks is included. Packed lunches, overnight
accommodation and breakfasts are not included.

For more information visit www.northpennines.org.uk and click on Exploring in
the sidebar. Online booking and payment is also available on the website - click on
Events in the sidebar or alternatively you can contact the AONB Partnership office on
01388 528801 during normal office hours.