Art In Wideopen, Tyne And Wear
A sculpture of three drill heads in Weetslade Country Park.
Located up a small hill within Weetslade Country Park, these three drill heads represent the mining history of the region.
The 38 hectare park sits on the site of the old Weetslade Colliery and has been extensively landscaped to create a wildlife haven. The drill heads are situated on the highest point which is 95 metres above sea level with and you can spy the North Sea and Cheviot Hills on a clear day.
Opened in 1903, Weetslade Colliery mined until 1966 and continued as a washery until it was abandoned in 1980. During 1947 around 160,000 tons of coal was mined. The Northumberland Wildlife Trust landscaped the site to create habitats including wildflower meadows, grassland, scrub, reed bed and woodland areas. The reserve also attracts a variety of wildlife including grey partridge, otter and kingfisher if you can spy them.
The country park then opened on the 17th June 2006 by David Bellamy and the drill head sculptures are a memento of the area's proud mining history.
It's a lovely little area for a wander to blow away the cobwebs!
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What three words
drape.glitz.reject
Lat / Long
55.046882, -1.604355
Show Place On Google Maps
Head into the country park and you will see a small hill in front of you. The drill heads are on top of those. You can also see the drill heads as you wander around the park, so plenty of routes to it.
What three words
ruled.flip.achieving
Lat / Long
55.044672, -1.594562
There is a dedicated car park area for the country park.
Contributed by Simon Hawkins
Thanks for checking out this place on the Fabulous North! I do enjoy a wander out in to the countryside trying to find hidden gems that not many people know about. You can't beat a rogue Pele tower up a remote hill or a mysterious stone circle or a stunning waterfall secluded in a forest.
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