The “Road pool” and Newbiggin Wetlands
This is a large site on the Eastern side of the Spine road (A189) running South from the railway embankment at Woodhorn roundabout (junction with the A197 to Ashington).
The site comprises a variety of habitats; arable farmland, unmanaged grassland, mining subsidence pond, man-made SUDS pond, wetland with burns criss-crossing it.
A Lapwing
by Paul Buskin
The site is of county importance for both breeding birds and over-wintering birds.
A Rabbit
by Derek Bilton
Access is difficult as the land is privately owned and is very wet (wellies essential!).
Note: Part of the site has been allocated as a compensatory area to mitigate habitat loss on the Western side of the A189 to housing development. Plans are in place to improve and conserve this area.
The site can be viewed at distance from the Woodhorn roundabout. To access the site, follow the Tarmacked road through the barrier which leads to the large mining subsidence pond known as the “Road pool”. Although this road soon leads to a dead end (it disappears into the pond!), it is possible to walk further into the site by walking around the pond, either East or West.
A Brown Hare
by Derek Bilton
Note: Although the site is privately owned as long as you keep off the arable land there should be no problem.
The site can be approached from the North East by taking the public footpath from Woodhorn roundabout to Newbiggin, known locally as the “narrow path”. This intersects with the public footpath from Woodhorn Church at NZ302 882.