Blackhall Colliery,

County Durham

Last century, Blackhall Colliery was one of half a dozen coal mines working the seams under the seabed off the Durham coast. Land, sea and beach were filthy with pit waste. It was immortalised in the bleak final scene of Get Carter.r. TodayT the pits are gone, the ‘denes’ (narrow stream gorges) are full of birdsong rather than abandoned cars, the cliffs of Magnesian limestone grow orchids, and the beaches are cleaning themselves with the help of the sea. A miracle of reclamation. www. nationaltrust.org.uk/durham-coast, www.durhamheritagecoast.org

WALK HERE: Follow Walk 20 in this issue.