Land of Oak & Iron

About

With miles of old waggonways to enjoy, explore the trails in the Plantation at Burnopfield, cycle the Derwent Walk from Consett and play in the river at Allensford. Connect with nature on the banks of the River Derwent at Ebchester, discover the hidden heritage of the Shotley Bridge sword makers and learn about our industrial past at Derwentcote Steel Furnace.

Plan an adventure on days out with family or friends, from our heritage centre in The Lodge at Blackhill & Consett Park. Discover all that Land of Oak & Iron has to offer with our state of the art interactive touch screen. Immerse yourself in heritage at one of our many volunteering tasks and other events and activities.

The Land of Oak & Iron offers something for everyone. It’s bursting with acres of beautiful natural woodland, rich in wildlife, and has lots of industrial and cultural heritage to celebrate. It’s right on your doorstep, here in north east England, less than 30 minutes away from Durham and is easily accessible by public transport, car and bike too.

With 500 years of authentic heritage, history, heroes and habitats, there is a wealth of activities and exciting projects to explore. Rekindling local passion to enable this area’s unique combination of natural, industrial and cultural heritage to be uncovered and rediscovered, the Land of Oak & Iron is about celebrating the past while looking forward to a sustainable future.

Following the River Derwent from the Derwent Reservoir to the River Tyne, the Derwent Valley has so many interesting places to discover. From historic places to find out about the industry that shaped today’s landscape to countryside and woodland to explore by bike, foot or horse. All with superb parking, cafés, facilities, access and events, too, making it the perfect destination for a day out.