IanF
Moderator
Barnard Castle is a delightful market town at the entrance to Teesdale in County Durham. I am biased towards it as I was born and bred there. Really the town is a centre for wildlife walks in every direction, but I'll just mention two in the forums, the closest to the town itself.
On entering the town, head for the Post Office and turn along the road alongside - Flatts Road. Follow to it's end then dog-leg left and right into Raby Avenue and park up. There is loads of parking available along both roadsides.
On alighting the car, if it's May or into Summer have a look at the house eaves as for decades House Martins have nested there. Swallows and Swifts and the House Martins spend their days feeding above the allotments opposite.(sadly the nests are now gone as they have been cleared from the town May 2005).
Walk back to the dog-leg and take the metalled road off to the right and on reaching the edge of the woods after a few yards turn right again and head down the hill. Many birds and squirrels feed freely in this section. The bungalow immediately on the right has a bird table and all manner of birds make use of it. Follow the path down to the river checking the mature trees for birds. All he normal woodland species can be found either here or in Deepdale.
At the bottom of the hill you'll see a bridge across the river, locally known as the 'pipebridge'. It carries the town's watersupply, but has wooden decking over the pipes. Cross the bridge and admire the scenery, downstream of Barnard Castle and upstream of the Tees Valley with the old viaduct in the distance of which only the buttresses remain. Looking upstream check out the area of stones on the right. Wagtail and Dipper frequently feed there.
Crossing the bridge pause before descending the steps as the trees on either dise often contain dozens of birds of several different species, giving excellent views.
Descend the steps and walk to the road, turning left and then immediately right crossing the road and passing through a white gate. You have now entered Deepdale Woods. This is a small valley carrying a tributary of the River Tees which begins life a few miles upstream in the Pennines. Don't be deceived by it's small size, it regularly spates and the valley floor can be flooded. The whole of these woods, for about a mile are a haven for a myriad of bird species.
Starting off at the entrance watch out for Treecreeper to your left. Blackcap to your left and right. Wagtail and Dipper on the stones of the stream bed. Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler are common throughout the length. Into May and Bullfinch are often seen on the thorn bushes as the flower buds are ready to burst. Several dead trees can be seen on your left as you follow the well made track through the valley floor. These trees normally hold Lesser Spoted Woodpecker, though no nesting birds have been seen in 2003. Great Spotted Woodpecker are fairly common, though Blue Tit and Starling seem to have taken over the nesting holes. Always be on the lookout for Kestrel and Sparrowhawk perched in the trees as they seem to like hunting along the valley floor.
The path runs for about a mile until you reach a ford, upstream from which there is a foot bridge over a small beck that leads from Raygill. This is a wooded valley with several sites for roosting/nesting Owls and again the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, though they are all very difficult to spot.
From the bridge you can either retrace your steps back through the valley bottom (advised) or take the path that heads up the left valley side and leads you back to the road and the pipe bridge. This path can give closer views of the birds as you overlook the trees, but you are in the main looking into the sun. Towards the top of the path Green Woodpecker can occasioanlly be seen. I have had my closest views ever of them in the wood edge.
Retrace you steps across the bridge and back up the hill.
On entering the town, head for the Post Office and turn along the road alongside - Flatts Road. Follow to it's end then dog-leg left and right into Raby Avenue and park up. There is loads of parking available along both roadsides.
On alighting the car, if it's May or into Summer have a look at the house eaves as for decades House Martins have nested there. Swallows and Swifts and the House Martins spend their days feeding above the allotments opposite.(sadly the nests are now gone as they have been cleared from the town May 2005).
Walk back to the dog-leg and take the metalled road off to the right and on reaching the edge of the woods after a few yards turn right again and head down the hill. Many birds and squirrels feed freely in this section. The bungalow immediately on the right has a bird table and all manner of birds make use of it. Follow the path down to the river checking the mature trees for birds. All he normal woodland species can be found either here or in Deepdale.
At the bottom of the hill you'll see a bridge across the river, locally known as the 'pipebridge'. It carries the town's watersupply, but has wooden decking over the pipes. Cross the bridge and admire the scenery, downstream of Barnard Castle and upstream of the Tees Valley with the old viaduct in the distance of which only the buttresses remain. Looking upstream check out the area of stones on the right. Wagtail and Dipper frequently feed there.
Crossing the bridge pause before descending the steps as the trees on either dise often contain dozens of birds of several different species, giving excellent views.
Descend the steps and walk to the road, turning left and then immediately right crossing the road and passing through a white gate. You have now entered Deepdale Woods. This is a small valley carrying a tributary of the River Tees which begins life a few miles upstream in the Pennines. Don't be deceived by it's small size, it regularly spates and the valley floor can be flooded. The whole of these woods, for about a mile are a haven for a myriad of bird species.
Starting off at the entrance watch out for Treecreeper to your left. Blackcap to your left and right. Wagtail and Dipper on the stones of the stream bed. Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler are common throughout the length. Into May and Bullfinch are often seen on the thorn bushes as the flower buds are ready to burst. Several dead trees can be seen on your left as you follow the well made track through the valley floor. These trees normally hold Lesser Spoted Woodpecker, though no nesting birds have been seen in 2003. Great Spotted Woodpecker are fairly common, though Blue Tit and Starling seem to have taken over the nesting holes. Always be on the lookout for Kestrel and Sparrowhawk perched in the trees as they seem to like hunting along the valley floor.
The path runs for about a mile until you reach a ford, upstream from which there is a foot bridge over a small beck that leads from Raygill. This is a wooded valley with several sites for roosting/nesting Owls and again the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, though they are all very difficult to spot.
From the bridge you can either retrace your steps back through the valley bottom (advised) or take the path that heads up the left valley side and leads you back to the road and the pipe bridge. This path can give closer views of the birds as you overlook the trees, but you are in the main looking into the sun. Towards the top of the path Green Woodpecker can occasioanlly be seen. I have had my closest views ever of them in the wood edge.
Retrace you steps across the bridge and back up the hill.
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