About Tynedale

The rivers North and South Tyne begin high in the fells above Allendale and Keilder, the waters meet just to the west of Hexham and the Tyne itself runs east to Newcastle and Tynemouth. North Tynedale lies to the north of the Roman Wall and nowadays is chiefly involved in farming, with some quarrying and, from Kielder, forestry and logging.

In the past the dale was an important coal and iron ore mining area with a large iron works at Bellingham. All that remains of this industry are a few cuttings and bridges from the old Tyne railway which ran as far as Kielder, before the valley was flooded in the 1970’s to form the current reservoir.

Tourist Information Centres are situated all year round in Hexham and during summer season at Bellingham, where there is also a small museum and heritage centre devoted to Tynedale.

Please install flash player
 

Northumberland – England’s Farthest North

The wild lands to the north of Hadrian’s Wall have a romance all of their own.

For drivers it is like stepping back 60 years; although still in England it is possible to drive for half-a-day down twisting country roads without seeing another vehicle, apart from the odd tractor or forestry lorry. At every turn is a castle or turret or fortified Pele tower – the landscape is dotted with ancient settlements, stone circles and mysterious ‘cup and ring’ marks (Northumberland has more castles within its borders than anywhere else in the world). And through it all flow the rivers of North and South Tyne, the Wansbeck, Till, Coquet, Aln and Rede.

This is the land where Romans held back Picts, where Celts were driven out by Angles and Saxons, where major battles between the Scots and the English were fought.

Here are the finest stretches of Hadrian’s Wall, the most substantial ancient monument in the land. Here are abbeys and churches linked with the earliest story of Christianity in Britain. Here, still guarding the river crossings and the heights where men waged battle in the far-off days of border strife, are strongholds of great stature; even in ruin they have a noble grandeur.

Joining it all are remote high moors, Cheviot hills, hundreds of glittering burns and streams and a spectacular 70 mile coastline of rocky headlands, sandy bays and raucous sanctuaries of seabirds.

A spectacular county just waiting to be explored.

Wark

Wark image
  • Wark from bridge
  • Chipchase
  • Wark green
  • Wark

Wark was once the capital of North Tynedale and stands on the site of a Norman motte and bailey castle, the remnants of which can be seen as the grassy hill directly opposite Battlesteads Hotel. A castle probably stood here in earlier times as the Anglo-Saxon name of Wark, signifies an earthwork. Stones from the castle and nearby Roman wall have been incorporated in many of the village’s buildings. Roman remains have been found in the vicinity, suggesting that this was a crossing point during the Roman occupation.

The most imposing castle locally is Chipchase, which stands on the other bank of the river, just over a mile to the south.

There are many picturesque walks around Wark village and salmon and trout fishing can be arranged on the River North Tyne by prior notice.

Battlesteads

Look above the door to the bar as you enter and you will see the date 1747 carved into the lintel. This is the date of the farm building – it would have been a single room in depth, probably with a central staircase as is typical with Northumbrian houses of that era. The rear of the building is a later addition (the original external wall, behind the bar, is over 2 feet thick). An earlier farm would have stood on the same site.

Battlesteads was a working farm until the early 20th century, the village cattle market stood on the site of the doctor’s surgery just over the road.

The hotel, originally a Temperance hotel, occupied the southern half of the building. The ground floor bedrooms occupy the former stable and bier areas. For a while this end of the farm became a garage, but by the mid 1960’s the farm was completely taken over by the hotel.

The relevance of the word ‘Battlesteads’ has been lost in time, but the area was probably linked to the castle and courthouse complex, some experts have suggested that the farm was originally stabling for the court. Forge Cottage just over the road tells us that a smithy stood here in earlier times.

Gravestones of former Battlesteads tenants in the 18th century, the Moore family, can be seen in the churchyard at Simonburne a few miles to the south.

Attractions

Kielder Water & Forest the largest man-made lake and forest in Europe. Kielder stretches along the North Tyne Valley for about seven miles, has 27 miles of shoreline and a surface area of 2684 acres. It features many outdoor sporting activities including shooting, fishing, riding, boating, windsurfing, walking and much more.

Hadrian's Wall crossed the River North Tyne only a few miles south of Wark, near the Roman fort of Chesters (CILURNUM) and the modern day village of Wall. This fort was one of the biggest in the Wall Country and was originally built to house a cavalry regiment

Golf the Battlesteads is ideally placed for a number of county courses including Bellingham, Haltwhistle, Hexham, Slaley Hall, Tynedale and Allendale. Very reasonable rates at all courses, so good value for 3 or 4 night stay

Gardens The region boasts many interesting and historic gardens including nearby Chesters Walled Garden (with one of the largest collections of herbs in Britain), the Alnwick Garden, complete with its Poison Garden and Treehouse, Belsay Hall and Castle with 30 acres of Grade 1 Listed gardens (unchanged for 200 years), Wallington Hall, Cragside – the former home of Lord Armstrong at Rothbury, the Garden Station at Langley and many more.

Others include Alnwick Castle to the north east, Bamborough Castle and Lindisfarne on the coast, Durham Cathedral and Beamish open air Museum to the south east.

Wildlife

For the sharp-eyed north Tynedale abounds with wildlife.
The most obvious are Pheasant, which can be seen in the fields and often on the roads. Wood Pigeon, Robin, Kestrel and Buzzard are also common.

Fox and Badger are often spotted after dark. The dale is full of streams and Otters are abundant but fairly shy.
The area is one of the last havens for the Red Squirrel - one was photographed at Warksburn, half a mile from Battlesteads, in September.

Deer can be seen further north – we’ve seen them at Hareshaw Linn in Bellingham and at Kielder.

Wildlife LOG

SIGHTINGS OF WILD LIFE OBSERVED BY GUESTS & PATRONS

28/12/09 2 Goosanders and a buzzard seen on a walk down the river bank in Wark
28/12/09 8 Bullfinches spotted on a visit to the Calvert Trust

29/11/09 Redwings, Kestrel, Tawny Owl and Grey Heron at Hesleyside
22/11/09 Goosander perched in tree upstream of the bridge in Wark
19/11/09 Female fox seen at the sawmill in Wark
17/11/09 Stoat spotted outside the Battlesteads
09/11/09 Falcon in Kielder Woods
07/11/09 Deer in Simonburn Woods
06/11/09 Large Roe Deer - Gunnerton
05/11/09 Buzzard – Kielder Water
04/11/09 Osprey at Kielder dam

27/10/09 Grey Squirrel – Wark Village
27/10/09 2 Roe Deer and 1 Red squirrel – Kielder Water
26/10/09 Red squirrel – Warkswood
24/10/09 Heron – River Tyne, Bellingham
24/10/09 Red squirrel – Hareshaw Woods
20/10/09 Dipper and Heron – Allen Banks
13/10/09 Kestrel - Battlesteads garden
07/10/09 red squirrel – Kielder Forest

25/09/09 – owl and heron by the river in Wark
23/09/09 – Red Squirrel seen near Once Brewed
22/09/09 – 4 herons and 1 heron seen in Kielder
20/09/09 – Golden ring dragon fly, buzzard and swallows, spotted in the area
20/09/09 – Kingfisher at Houghton Castle
19/09/09 – Heron by the lake in Kielder
16/09/09 – Bats flying around the conservatory/terrace area (early evening)
14/09/09 – 2 Hedgehogs, Stoat and one painted lady butterfly, seen in the Battlesteads garden
10/09/09 – Red admiral, peacock and small tortoise shell butterflies in garden
10 & 11/09/09 – Our swallows are checking out – Repeat booking for 18th April 2010
07/09/09 – 2 Buzzards, Jay and Kestrel spotted in Kielder
04/09/09 – Lane to Maften Brewery, red squirrel spotted
01/09/09 – Red squirrel crossing the road outside the hotel

22/08/09 – Heron by river in Wark
22/08/09 – Peacock and painted lady butterflies up by our polytunnels
20/08/09 – Kite sighting between Wark and Wall
18/08/09 – Family of rabbits and a small deer in a near by field. A flying heron and pheasants also spotted.
18/08/09 – Large adult heron at Wark bridge
18/08/09 – 2 stoats playing “dare” in front of me @ 60mph
10/08/09 – rabbit enjoying the rain
07/08/09 – a rabbit family (6) having fun
06/08/09 – fox with dead rabbit, north of Wark
06/08/09 – water vole, at Kielder water
05/08/09 – Hare, in the fields near the river
05/08/09 – Red squirrel, at the side of the kitchen

25/07/09 – Hare in field next to Old School House
21/07/09 – Bat asleep on wood raised bed next to the herb garden
20/07/09 – Kingfisher seen in the bridge in Wark Village
18/07/09 – Sparrow Hawk attacking baby woodpecker at Forge Cottage
18/07/09 – gs woodpecker seen in the hotel grounds
16/07/09 – Red Squirrel in Hynhurst woods
16/07/09 – gs woodpecker, in walled garden at breakfast
14/07/09 – Grouse on hill above Woodley shield
14/07/09 – b-tailed godwit seen at Lindisfarne with a heron, oyster catcher and redshank
12/07/09 – Red Admiral in the herb garden
07/07/09 – Red Squirrel at Chipchase Castle
06/07/09 – Buzzard sighted on the road approaching the Battlesteads
04/07/09 – 2 lulworth kipper butterflies seen in the Battlesteads garden
02/07/09 – Stoat on the road approaching the bonsai farm

26/06/09 – Sparrow hawk in the Battlesteads garden at breakfast time
22/06/09 – A red squirrel sighting in the Battlesteads car park
18/06/09 – Siskin at the birdfeeder in the garden
17/06/09 – Kestrel and jackdaws sighted in the Battlesteads garden over breakfast
16/06/09 – Deer at dusk in Hadrian’s Wall country
13/06/09 – Yellow wagtail sighting in the village
12/06/09 – Great spotted woodpecker and goldfinch in the Battlesteads walled garden
06/06/09 – Grebe and 11 chicks, plus a deer at the south tyne river bank
05/06/09 – In the Kielder area – Red squirrels, deer, grebes and a Heron sighted
02/06/09 – Kingfisher at the bridge in the village

10/05/09 – Field Mouse – in the garden at Battlesteads
07/05/09 – Sparrowhawk – in the garden at Battlesteads
02/05/09 – Fox – approx 400 yards from Battlesteads
02/05/09 – approx 20 sandmartins – at sandy cliff along the riverbank
01/05/09 – Gooseander – at the bridge over the Tyne in the village
01/05/09 – Siskins – at the birdfeeder in the Battlesteads garden

26/04/09 – 2 herons – at Chesters Fort
23/04/09 – 1 deer in woods at Haleshaw linn
18/04/09 – The swallows have arrived at Battlesteads 2009
17/04/09 – Bats over Forge Cottage
17/04/09 – The 1st swallows at Mote Hill
14/04/09 – 1 deer on road to Simonburn
14/04/09 – 2 deer on raod to Wark
03/04/09 – Red Squirrel – parkend
03/04/09 – Gooseander – flying down river

25/03/09 – Owl – 6pm at parkend, sat on fence post observing the traffic
24/03/09 – Fox – Haydon Bridge truning

10/02/09 – golden eye birds – 6 seen in and around the Battlesteads
10/02/09 – female otter and cubs – Sawmill river bank

26/01/09 – ska deer – Ramshaws Mill
22/01/09 – fox (dog) – at cross roads between Battlesteads and surgery
21/01/09 – tawny owl – near Donkleywood turning
14/01/09 – fox – between lead gate and linnacres

29/12/08 – fox – outside of Wark

10/11/08 – fox – outside Forge Cottage