The Old Road, Benwell Nature Park (C) Andrew Curtis

NZ2163 : The Old Road, Benwell Nature Park

taken 7 years ago, near to Dunston, Gateshead, Great Britain

The Old Road, Benwell Nature Park

The old road is all that is left of the cobbled back lane that ran between the backs of the terraced houses of Atkinson Road and Helen Street, built for factory workers around 1905. The nature part also includes the site of Joan Street built in 1903. The houses were demolished in 1977. The cobbled surface was left as a demonstration of plants ability to colonise man-made surfaces. The bank on the right hand side, beyond the trees, was constructed with limestone rocks from Marsden Quarry in Co. Durham to provide additional habitats for lime-loving grassland plants such as rock-rose, field scabious and bloody cranesbill. The surrounding woodland was planted with a range of native deciduous trees which are still only just over 20 years old.

Benwell Nature Park

Benwell Nature Park is a 5-acre (20,000 m2) Local Nature Reserve in the heart of Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne. Many natural habitats have been established including a pond and marsh, meadows and hedgerows, woodlands and stone outcrops. A picnic area near the pond and a herb garden close to the Park Building have also been created.

The park came into being in 1982 after the demolition of two streets, Joan and Helen Street, and half of Atkinson Road. All that remains visible of these streets now is a length of cobbled back lane at the south-west corner of the park.

Its creation has been largely due to involvement of the local community, volunteers and the city’s schoolchildren. The park has won many awards and accolades over the years including the Green Flag Award, and from Northumbria in Bloom.

Wikipedia: Link
YouTube: Link

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Grid Square: NZ2163, 43 images (more nearby )
Photographer: Andrew Curtis (find more nearby)
Date Taken: Friday, 23 March, 2012 (more nearby)
Submitted: Saturday, 24 March, 2012
Geographical Context: Lowlands Grassland Park and Public Gardens Suburb, Urban fringe Educational sites Woodland, Forest
Subject Location: OSGB36: NZ 2168 6374 [10m precision]
WGS84: 54:58.0690N 1:39.7737W
Camera Location: OSGB36: NZ 2167 6372
View Direction: North-northeast (about 22 degrees)