SOUTH TYNE TRAIL

Varied birding along a great fishing river

The full route is 22 miles through the remote and less-visited countryside of East Cumbria and West Northumberland and the North Pennines AONB, along the South Tyne from its source south of Garrigill, through Alston and on to Haltwhistle near Hadrian’s Wall. Much of the route uses well-surfaced paths along the route of the old South Tynedale Railway, as does this section of 4.5 miles.

This section starts at Haltwistle on the South Tyne, with a weir where Salmon and Sea Trout jump to continue their journey to the upper river. This is one of the few rivers which allows fish to be actually taken to eat, as the population of fish is the highest in Britain! In 2018 there was a first-winter Bee-eater in the local cemetery during the autumn, but it roosted by the river and was once seen escaping from a Sparrowhawk. The river has the normal Dipper and Grey Wagtail with Goosander a regular here as well. Ospreys pass over, with three platforms built for them, but as yet no breeding.

Moving upstream the fields open out to the sound of Lapwing and Curlew, but Redshank have gone from this area. Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits are common along with Sky Larks.

The old bridges and water drains include bats and the brickwork is full of ferns like Maidenhair Spleenwort, Wall Rue and even Brittle Bladder Fern in rarer sections along the way. Closer to Lambley is enclosed woodland with chances of many warblers in spring and raptors like Buzzards and even Goshawk.

I have had Hawfinch by the viaduct and both Great Spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch are common along here. The viaduct is a great spot to use as a raptor viewpoint and species like Hobby, Rough-legged Buzzard, Peregrine, Merlin, Red Kite and Kestrel have been seen here.

In summer, Swifts scream around the viaduct. The height allows you to look down into the trees, with the chance of even Crossbills in the Larch. A new nestbox scheme will improve the Pied Flycatcher population.