Trifter

RIVERSIDE WILDLIFE AND SCULPTURE TRAIL

THE Riverside Wildlife and Sculpture trail at Chester le Street is an easy self guided discovery walk in Co Durham

It goes around the sports fields and through the wildlife area on the banks of the River Wear and forms a gateway site for the Great North Forest.

The entire area would have been cover with primeval woodland during the time following the last Ice Age, 10,000 years ago.  The human race removed most of the forest cover in the development of towns, villages, farms and other habitations.

Woodlands has always been important to the people who lived near them.  The trees have provided timber for buildings, carpentry and fuel while plants have supplied food and medicine.   There was always shelter and sanctuary to be found deep in the forests during unsettled times.

The Riverside Wildlife Area, which was planted in the 1980s is a great place to watch the seasonal changes of nature.

            Spring brings forth the buds developing into leaves and blossom while the seeds are beginning to sprout and the birds are building their nests.  Butterflies, dragonflies and other insects make the most of the pollen from wildflowers during the summer.

Birds and animals gorge themselves on berries and seeds during the autumn as they prepare for the bleak winter months.

Even winter can be interesting as the leafless trees make it easier to see the birds flying among the bare branches of the trees.

When the recently planted trees were growing, a group of adults with learning difficulties helped in a wildlife arts project, called Go Wild.  They studied which animals, insects and plants were living in the wildlife area.

After their research was completed, they produced clay models, prints and collages of the different parts of the plants.  Artist Andrew McKeown took up all their ideas to use as models to create the various sculptures that lie along the trail.  He was helped by other artists, sculptors and woodcarvers.

The path leaves from near the Sports Pavilion and enters the first piece of woodland.

The main types of tree planted in the area represent three of the most important British trees.  The oak tree some of which in Britain are over 1,000 years old, play host to more than 500 types of insects as well as birds and bats.  The oak tree also provided the timber to build the wooden ships of the Royal Navy.

Alders grow in the damper areas and the wood was extensively used for broom and tool handles in addition to producing charcoal.

Medieval villagers used to chew the bark of the willow tree, which forms the basis of aspirin, to relieve aches and pains, centuries before the scientists discovered how to extract the chemical and reproduce it in the laboratories.

The path continues to a seasonal pond where the water level fluctuates according to the time of year.  This means that the animals, which include fairy shrimps, horseflies, midges, mosquitoes and water fleas as well as frogs, newts and toads have had to adapt to the varying conditions and occasional spells of dryness.

A wildflower meadow which surrounds the pond is home in early summer to many flowers, such as cuckoo flower, orchids, red clover and yellow rattle.  It also acts as both the feeding and breeding grounds for the butterflies and dragonflies that abound on this site.

The path crosses the meadow and goes down to the River Wear with the 13th Century Lumley Castle across the water.  Bulrushes or red mace grow in the shallows at this point.  This plant is still used in some countries as a source of paper, clothing, mats and thatching as it once was in the United Kingdom.

There is one more small wooded grove to pass through as the circular route returns to its start near the Sports Pavilion.

Chester le Street lies between Newcastle and Durham City on the Great North Road