Jesmond Dene, Armstrong Park and Heaton Park

Photo by Mike Cook
The Eye Bridge, Jesmond Dene

England, Northumberland

Overview

The three parks are situated in the suburbs of Newcastle upon Tyne, a city in northeast England. They are spread out along the banks of the Ouseburn, a tributary of the River Tyne that enters the main river at Byker Bank. The most northerly park is Jesmond Dene. East of Jesmond Dene at its north end is Paddy Freeman's Playing Fields, an open area of short grass with sports pitches and also Paddy Freeman's Pond (a small model boating lake).

Jesmond Dene itself is a wooded valley with many paths running through it and with a couple of areas of open grass, the Picnic Field and Coleman's Field.

To the south, the valley opens out with Armstrong Park on the east bank, across Ouseburn Road from the stream.

South of Armstrong Park and separated from it by Jesmond Vale Lane is Heaton Park which is more formal in part with a bowling green but which also has a wood running down from the old Heaton Library.

Birds

Notable Species

Resident species

Kingfisher, Dipper and Grey Wagtail are frequently seen along the Ouseburn. In the surrounding woods can be found Stock Dove, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Treecreeper. Jays breed in small numbers (1-2 pairs).

Sparrowhawks can often be seen soaring over the more open areas of the three parks such as Coleman’s Field in Jesmond Dene and the Bowling Green in Heaton Park. Tawny Owls breed and are often heard at night.

Mallards and a few Tufted Ducks can be seen on Paddy Freeman’s Pond.

Summer Visitors

Blackcap and Chiffchaff are regular summer visitors, the Chiffchaffs tending to arrive in the last week of March and the Blackcap in the first or second week in April, though odd individuals can be seen in winter. Swifts are last to arrive during the second week in May.

House Martins and smaller numbers of Barn Swallows are normally seen between May and early October, circling above the tree tops as they feed on insects.

Lesser Black-backed Gulls can often be seen on Paddy Freeman’s Pond in the summer.

Winter Visitors

Redwing are regular visitors, appearing in November or December with numbers peaking in February. Brambling can sometimes be seen in 'Brambling years' foraging under the Beech trees in Heaton Park. Siskins, while resident in Northumberland throughout the year, visit the three parks in the winter, with numbers peaking in February. Goosanders winter irregularly but with increasing frequency between December and April on the Ouse Burn and Paddy Freeman's Pond.

In winter there can be 100 or more Black-headed Gulls on Paddy Freeman's Pond and playing fields, together with a few Common Gulls.

Passage Birds

A few years ago, Willow Warblers and Spotted Flycatchers were regular summer visitors, but now, if seen at all, they just seem to appear for a few days during spring or autumn migration. Other birds that can appear briefly during migration are Wood Warbler, Common Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat.

Grey Herons average several sightings a year and can be seen in any month, although most sightings have been in April, August and September. The autumn birds might be juveniles exploring the area.

Rarities

As a fairly small inland site, few genuinely rare birds have been recorded. The most notable are Laughing Gull, Alpine Swift, Wryneck and Icterine Warbler.

The following additional species are rare for the area being described but commoner elsewhere in the region. They occur, on average, maybe once or twice a year.

Cormorants are surprisingly rare, with one or two records on the Ouseburn, and rarely even seen flying over. There are two or three records each of Little Grebe, Coot and Water Rail.

Check-list

Birds you can see here include:

Mute Swan, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Goosander, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Tawny Owl, Common Swift, Common Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Northern House Martin, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, White-throated Dipper, Eurasian Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Eurasian Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Treecreeper, Eurasian Jay, Common Magpie, Eurasian Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Brambling, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin, Eurasian Bullfinch

Other Wildlife

There are frequent sightings of gray squirrels in each of the three parks. Red squirrels are unfortunately no longer seen since the arrival of the grays. Foxes, rabbits, otters and rats also live in the area. Some videos of wildlife in the Ouseburn Parks have been posted on YouTube by the Newcastle Countryside Rangers. They can be seen here.

Flora

The woods are worth a visit in spring when snowdrops and lesser celendine are followed by crocuses, daffodils, wood anemones, bluebells, ramsons and wood sorrel.

Site Information

History and Use

By the middle of the 19th century the valley of the Ouseburn had been bought by the armaments manufacturer Lord Armstrong who had it landscaped to produce waterfalls and planted many trees, including some exotic species. In the 1880s, having moved up to Cragside, near Rothbury, Lord Armstrong gave Jesmond Dene to the City of Newcastle.

Areas of Interest

Jesmond Dene

Photo by Mike Cook
The Old Mill, Jesmond Dene

This is a list of landmarks when walking through Jesmond Dene northwards starting at the old Benton Bank Bridge (under the current Benton Bank).

• Armstrong Bridge spans the whole valley, site of an artists’ market on Sundays.
• Coleman’s Field on the left behind the wall.
• Pets’ Corner on the left opposite Millfield House on the right.
• The Banqueting Hall, partly ruined across the Ouseburn on the left.
• Immediately after the Banqueting Hall, Echo Bridge, a footbridge spanning both the road and the Ouseburn.
• The Fisherman’s Lodge Restaurant on the right. Continue between the Restaurant and the Ouseburn.
• Two Bridges.
• The Picnic Field on the left with its pavilion and toilets.
• The Old Mill with the Waterfall immediately upstream.
• The Stepping Stones on the left opposite North Lodge on the right.

Photo by Mike Cook
The Waterfall, Jesmond Dene

• The Eye Bridge opposite the tunnel leading through to the Quarry (also known as Blackberry Crags). Carry on with the Ouseburn to the left.
• Castles Farm Road Bridge, a road bridge crossing the Dene. On a higher path on the right hand bank, a narrow tunnel goes under the road and leads to:
• The Extension Wood.

A path leaving the bottom path between the Old Mill and the Stepping Stones and climbing the right hand side of the Dene leads to Paddy Freeman’s Playing Fields and Paddy Freemans Lake.

Armstrong Park

This is a list of landmarks when walking through Armstrong Park southwards starting at the old Benton Bank Bridge. Enter the Park a few metres down Ouseburn Road.

• A path descending on the right leads to Ouseburn Road. Across the road from this path is White Bridge, giving access to Jesmond Vale, an area of open grass and young woods.
• The path through the park crosses a bridge over the Cattle Run, a stone lined sunken track running down the side of the valley.
• On the left, just before Jesmond Vale Lane is Windmill Hill, giving access to a flat grassy area, beyond which are tennis courts, a basketball court and a bowling green.

Heaton Park

This is a list of landmarks when entering Heaton Park from Jesmond Vale Lane and going round the park in a clockwise direction.

• On the right hand side, a little way up Jesmond Vale Lane is King John’s Palace.
• On entering the park, the Terrace Pavilion is on the right overlooking the Bowling Green. Keep following the main path as it sweeps round to the right and climbs the hill.
• The Old Heaton Library lies on the left, just before the top.
• On the right lies The Wood. Take the path down through the wood and turn left at the bottom, down some steps.
• Outside the park lies a road bridge across the Ouseburn with the Bluebell pub visible on the right and Ouseburn Park on the left following the Ouseburn to where it runs into a culvert under the hill.
• Stay in the park and follow the bottom path past the old Paddling Pool down on the left (now dry).
• Continue up past the Terrace Pavilion to complete the circuit.

Access and Facilities

Pedestrian access to the three parks is from all the roads around them; Jesmond Dene Road, Matthew Bank, Castles Farm Road, Freeman Road, Jesmond Park West, Heaton Road, Jesmond Vale Lane, Heaton Park View and Ouseburn Road.

Jesmond Dene is signposted (brown sign) from the A1058 Newcastle to Tynemouth road. Follow the sign and then take the second right and either park on the hill or turn left at the bottom and park on the Red Walk. Bus services 38, 58, 306, 307, 308, 309 cross the Dene on the A1058; alight at Cradlewell (just west of the Dene) or Corner House (just east).

Grid reference NZ264661

NB There is no parking on Red Walk beyond Pets' Corner.

There is also car parking off Jesmond Vale Lane Map giving access to Heaton Park and Armstrong Park and in two car parks on Freeman Road Map on the edge of Paddy Freeman’s Playing Field. The most northerly of the Freeman Road car parks (opposite Freeman Hospital) is 'Pay and Display'.

Millfield House contains a cafe (open throughout the year), a conference centre and the offices and visitors' centre of the Jesmond Dene Rangers. There are toilets in Millfield House that are open when the Cafe is open.

Opposite Millfield House is the newly refurbished Pets' Corner containing pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, guinea-pigs, ducks, chickens and various exotic birds.

The pavilion at the Picnic Field in Jesmond Dene also has toilets, though not very salubrious. There is an expensive unisex toilet on Freeman Road near Paddy Freeman's Lake.

The Sambuca Pavilion Restaurant (Italian) is situated in the Terrace Pavilion in Heaton Park.

Contact Details

Jesmond Dene Ranger Service Phone 0191 2812082
Jesmond Dene Cafe Phone 0191 2815010

External Links

• Jesmond Dene website
  
• Jesmond Dene Ranger Service
  
• Ouseburn Lottery Bid
• Jesmond Dene on Streetmap