The Woodland Trust is holding a community celebration and learning day from midday to 3pm on May 20, at flagship wood Hedley Hall, near Sunniside, Gateshead.
The former agricultural site was purchased in 1991 and was the first to be planted in the Great North Forest. Since then it has flourished and is now a superb new, native woodland and Site of Nature Conservation Interest - right on Gateshead and Newcastle’s doorstep.
To mark Hedley Hall’s 15th anniversary, the Woodland Trust and The Great North Forest are hosting a community day for all, to enable visitors to learn more about the wood’s rare and unusual species. There will also be a host of family activities including storytelling, guided walks, face painting, balloon-shaping, willow weaving and a wood crafts exhibition.
Spring is one of the best times to visit Hedley Hall with its myriad of wildflowers bursting to life so why not come and join us for this fun-filled family day!
Directions
Follow the A692 out of Newcastle towards Consett. At Sunniside traffic lights, follow the brown tourist sign for Hedley Hall and turn left onto the A6076. Follow the A6076 for about 2km until you come to Hedley West House Farm on your left. Turn left onto Hedley Lane and the car park for Hedley Hall Woods is several hundred metres further along on your right hand side, at which parking free for around 10 cars is available.
The site can also be reached by public transport. Take the X30/X31 (Gateshead) and alight at the Tanfield Railway and then use the Bowes Railway path to walk into Hedley Hall Wood, or alight at the Causey Inn and follow Hedley Lane into the wood.
Hedley Hall also forms part of the Tyne and Wear Trail so if you are feeling especially robust, why not make a day of this and take in parts of the trail. A map can be found on www.greatnorthforest.co.uk.
For media enquiries contact:
The Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121, e-mail: media@woodland-trust.org.uk
Notes to editors:
The Woodland Trust: The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s understanding and enjoyment of woodland.
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free. Further news can be found at www.woodland-trust.org.uk
Great North Forest: The Great North Forest is a long-term project to regenerate the countryside in and around towns across Tyne and Wear and north Durham. It creates attractive, accessible, well-wooded landscapes offering environmental, social and economic benefits to improve the quality of life of all. For more go to www.greatnorthforest.co.uk
