Gibside - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Thornley Woodlands Centre is within the ancient woodlands of the Derwent Valley that are home to many birds including green and great spotted woodpecker, nuthatch, and sparrow hawks. An observation hide is located within the woods with keys available for purchase from the centre. Walking routes from the centre are clearly marked including a circular route that takes in a number of sculptures carved from trees stumps including an otter and a red kite.

Tanfield Railway is the world’s oldest existing railway and runs from Sunniside to East Tanfield. The 6-mile return trip takes an hour and steam trains run on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays. The railway is run by three bodies: "Friends of Tanfield Railway", "Tanfield Railway Trust" which owns the railway, the locomotives and rolling stock and "The Tanfield Railway Company" which operates the railway.

Causey Arch bridge over the River Team near Tanfield was built by the Grand Allies in 1726. It is renowned to be the world's oldest surviving single-arch railway bridge. Horse-drawn wagons crossed the arch on Tanfield Railway to transport coal from local mines to the River Tyne. The Arch has been Grade I listed since 1950. It was restored and reinforced in the 1980s. There are a series of scenic public paths around the area and the Causey Burn which runs underneath it.

Hedley Hall Woods is located in Newcastle upon Tyne. It was a mix of ancient woodland which cloaks the long, narrow valley of Ridley Gill, and established, new native woodland planted in 1992, where medieval farmsteads once stood. One of the iconic attraction for a long walk and also it gives some way for adventure too.

Derwentcote is the earliest and most complete steel-making furnace in Britain which was built in the 1720s. It is part of the Land of Oak and Iron project, aiming to improve information and access to local heritage in the Derwent Valley. It is a low rectangular stone building with a large conical chimney near one end. The structure provided storage areas for raw materials, for the finished steel output, and space for the actual furnace within the chimney.

Watergate Forest Park is located on the site of the former Watergate colliery. Following reclamation work in the 1990's the site has been transformed and now provides a haven for wildlife and a great recreational site for visitors. A series of trails and paths take you through woodland, around the lake and through wildflower meadows. The site opened in 2000.