An important feature on the Derwent Valley landscape, Pontburn Woods are popular with local people, who enjoy good access via a comprehensive path network. Dissected by the Derwent Walk, the site is actually a mosaic of conifer high forest and broadleaves, including ancient woodland and represents one of the valley's largest remaining areas of deciduous woodland.
Nuthatches number among a healthy population of breeding birds which thrive, along with many rare insects, including the Brown Lacewing. Most of the woodland grows on the slopes straddling Pont Burn, one of a number of watercourses that flow through the woods. Alder grows in the wetter areas, whilst drier slopes consist largely of oak and birch. The main area of deciduous woodland is dominated by oak, ash and elm. The shrub layer includes holly, hawthorn, rowan, elder and hazel
and, come spring, wood-sorrel, bluebell and wood anemone add their colour.
The property known as Pontburn Woods consists of a number of adjoining woods situated approximately 5.5 km northwest of Consett in Co. Durham (NZ1465 5600). They covers 109.78 hectares (271.27 acres) and consists of a mosaic of broadleaf and conifer high forest woodland stretching from the River Derwent southwards towards Dipton. The bulk of the property is located south of the B6310 to the west of Hamsterley Hall on the slopes to each side of the Pont Burn that flows northwards through the woods.
Purchase of the woods was achieved through four separate acquisitions. The first woods to be acquired were compartment 3 and sub-cpts 2a (southern half), 2b, 2c and 2g that were bought in April 1983. Compartments 1 and 4, along with sub-cpts 2a (northern half), 2d, 2i, 2j were added to the property in April 1989. The eastern end of sub-cpt 3c was purchased in February 2002 and the remaining areas of compartment 2 in March 2004.
Most of the woodland grows on gentle to moderate gradients but steep slopes do occur in various places along the River Derwent and parts of the Pont Burn. Soils are mostly free draining acidic mineral soils over Coal Measures and shale’s, though heavier clayey brown earths also occur over boulder clay in compartment 2. Ground conditions also vary considerably across the woods with some areas being very soft and even wet. Besides the Pont Burn, other watercourses flowing through the woods include Red Burn (sub-cpt 3d), Pikewell Burn (sub-cpt 4d) and Fogoes Burn (cpt 2 & sub-cpt 3c).
For management purposes, the woods have been divided into four compartments (1 to 4), and 30 sub-compartments. Currently, mature/semi-mature conifer dominated woodland covers around 52.20 ha (48%) of the site and mixed broadleaves 42.65 ha (39%). Of the remaining 14.93 ha, 12.12 ha (11%) consists of young broadleaved restocking and woodland creation, 1.2 ha (1%) as open ground (mainly in sub-cpt 4d) and 1.2 ha (1%) as way leave corridors alongside the overhead power lines in sub-cpts 4b, c & e that contain mainly young birch coppice. All of the coniferous parts of the woods (except most of sub-cpt 4c) are Planted Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS), whilst most of the
existing broadleaved woodland is Ancient Semi-natural Woodland (ASNW). Most of the existing woodland in compartments 2 and 3 is designated a County Wildlife Site (number 1.1) particularly noted for its ornithological value, whilst sub-cpt 2h also falls within Durham Conservation Area 17. Among the conifers, Scots pine and European larch dominate, with lesser amounts of Norway spruce and some Douglas fir in sub-cpt 3d. Within the broadleaves, sycamore, oak, ash and beech are all present in varying amounts throughout the woods. Under storey development varies considerably across the woods but where it does exist, species such as hazel, hawthorn, holly, rowan and elder commonly occur along with the regeneration of canopy species. Across most of the woods, bracken, bramble and grasses frequently occur among the field layer, though wood sorrel, wood rushes and dog’s mercury and other woodland herbs can be locally abundant.
The main management access enters the woods off the B6310 along the Byway Open to All Traffic (BOAT) that leads to Hamsterely Hall. After crossing the historic Handley Cross Bridge, the left folk of the track is followed, which enters sub-cpt 3e by passing over the ford and joining the main track running north –south through the woods. Several other management access rights exist (see legal map), giving access to other parts of the woods but these are generally undeveloped routes. Although several public rights of way cross the site, providing access into the woods from most directions, Pontburn Woods are generally not that well used. This is probably because the Forestry Commission’s Chopwell Woods are located immediately to the north, providing many more recreational facilities for those wanting to visit a wood in this area. However, the extensive network of permissive paths within Pontburn Woods does provide extensive informal recreational opportunities that can help realise the Trust’s corporate objective of increasing enjoyment of woodland.
Nuthatches number among a healthy population of breeding birds which thrive, along with many rare insects, including the Brown Lacewing. Most of the woodland grows on the slopes straddling Pont Burn, one of a number of watercourses that flow through the woods. Alder grows in the wetter areas, whilst drier slopes consist largely of oak and birch. The main area of deciduous woodland is dominated by oak, ash and elm. The shrub layer includes holly, hawthorn, rowan, elder and hazel
and, come spring, wood-sorrel, bluebell and wood anemone add their colour.
The property known as Pontburn Woods consists of a number of adjoining woods situated approximately 5.5 km northwest of Consett in Co. Durham (NZ1465 5600). They covers 109.78 hectares (271.27 acres) and consists of a mosaic of broadleaf and conifer high forest woodland stretching from the River Derwent southwards towards Dipton. The bulk of the property is located south of the B6310 to the west of Hamsterley Hall on the slopes to each side of the Pont Burn that flows northwards through the woods.
Purchase of the woods was achieved through four separate acquisitions. The first woods to be acquired were compartment 3 and sub-cpts 2a (southern half), 2b, 2c and 2g that were bought in April 1983. Compartments 1 and 4, along with sub-cpts 2a (northern half), 2d, 2i, 2j were added to the property in April 1989. The eastern end of sub-cpt 3c was purchased in February 2002 and the remaining areas of compartment 2 in March 2004.
Most of the woodland grows on gentle to moderate gradients but steep slopes do occur in various places along the River Derwent and parts of the Pont Burn. Soils are mostly free draining acidic mineral soils over Coal Measures and shale’s, though heavier clayey brown earths also occur over boulder clay in compartment 2. Ground conditions also vary considerably across the woods with some areas being very soft and even wet. Besides the Pont Burn, other watercourses flowing through the woods include Red Burn (sub-cpt 3d), Pikewell Burn (sub-cpt 4d) and Fogoes Burn (cpt 2 & sub-cpt 3c).
For management purposes, the woods have been divided into four compartments (1 to 4), and 30 sub-compartments. Currently, mature/semi-mature conifer dominated woodland covers around 52.20 ha (48%) of the site and mixed broadleaves 42.65 ha (39%). Of the remaining 14.93 ha, 12.12 ha (11%) consists of young broadleaved restocking and woodland creation, 1.2 ha (1%) as open ground (mainly in sub-cpt 4d) and 1.2 ha (1%) as way leave corridors alongside the overhead power lines in sub-cpts 4b, c & e that contain mainly young birch coppice. All of the coniferous parts of the woods (except most of sub-cpt 4c) are Planted Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS), whilst most of the
existing broadleaved woodland is Ancient Semi-natural Woodland (ASNW). Most of the existing woodland in compartments 2 and 3 is designated a County Wildlife Site (number 1.1) particularly noted for its ornithological value, whilst sub-cpt 2h also falls within Durham Conservation Area 17. Among the conifers, Scots pine and European larch dominate, with lesser amounts of Norway spruce and some Douglas fir in sub-cpt 3d. Within the broadleaves, sycamore, oak, ash and beech are all present in varying amounts throughout the woods. Under storey development varies considerably across the woods but where it does exist, species such as hazel, hawthorn, holly, rowan and elder commonly occur along with the regeneration of canopy species. Across most of the woods, bracken, bramble and grasses frequently occur among the field layer, though wood sorrel, wood rushes and dog’s mercury and other woodland herbs can be locally abundant.
The main management access enters the woods off the B6310 along the Byway Open to All Traffic (BOAT) that leads to Hamsterely Hall. After crossing the historic Handley Cross Bridge, the left folk of the track is followed, which enters sub-cpt 3e by passing over the ford and joining the main track running north –south through the woods. Several other management access rights exist (see legal map), giving access to other parts of the woods but these are generally undeveloped routes. Although several public rights of way cross the site, providing access into the woods from most directions, Pontburn Woods are generally not that well used. This is probably because the Forestry Commission’s Chopwell Woods are located immediately to the north, providing many more recreational facilities for those wanting to visit a wood in this area. However, the extensive network of permissive paths within Pontburn Woods does provide extensive informal recreational opportunities that can help realise the Trust’s corporate objective of increasing enjoyment of woodland.