Description
Queen Elizabeth Country Park
This is a beautiful 3-4 mile flat walk around the Queen Elizabeth II Country Park and Lake. It is a shorter walk for those who have just started Nordic walking or would like to build up their distance.
It is also an excellent chance to get some extra pointers on technique. We can work on any issues you may be having.
Details
| Hills: |  |
No hills |
| Distance: |  |
Short distance |
| Grade: |  |
Easy |
| Map: |  |
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| This walk is on OS map 325 Morpeth & Blyth. Click on map image to buy this map. | ||
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The start
We will meet in the car park at the Country Park and then take a walk around the Country Park and lake.
The Country Park is another great area to Nordic walk around as it is flat and the footpaths are very good. As a result, you can concentrate on technique.
Woodhorn
We will walk towards Woodhorn Colliery, which is now a museum of mining and home to the Ashington Group Gallery, which displays many of the artworks of the “Pitmen Painters”.
Woodland walk
From Woodhorn we take a path by a railway line that takes us to a large woodland. We will do a small circular walk here before returning to QEII Country Park.
The lake
We return to the lake and finish the walk back at the car park.
Places of Interest
Queen Elizabeth II Country Park
The QEII Country Park is an excellent example of restored industrial land but with evidence of its industrial past everywhere. Once the biggest colliery spoil heap in Europe this park is an excellent example of restored industrial land. The main feature of the site is the lake, which is surrounded by open grassland and woodland.
The diverse habitats established over the years have led to a variety of birds, plants and animals becoming resident in the park, a number of which are protected species. In addition the lake provides an ideal site for both resident and migratory birds.
The lake is also a popular venue for sail boarding, canoeing and coarse fishing.
Woodhorn Colliery
For more than 80 years Woodhorn was a coal mine. In 1894, work to sink the first shaft began and, a few years later in 1898, the first coal was brought to the surface. At its peak almost 2,000 men worked at the pit and 600,000 tons of coal was produced each year. Production stopped in 1981 but the shafts continued to be used for neighbouring Ashington Colliery until 1986. It began its life as a museum in 1989 and following major redevelopment, reopened in October 2006.
Gallery – Queen Elizabeth II Country Park
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