Archaeological sites · North East England
Hamsterley Forest
In or near South Side.
Hamsterley Forest — near Bishop Auckland.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 45 min–1.5 h
- Nearest railway station
- Witton-le-Wear · 5.8 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Hamsterley Forest, the nearest railway station is Witton-le-Wear, located 5.8 km away. Entry to the forest is free. The postcode for sat-nav is DL13 3QH.
About
Hamsterley Forest is an archaeological site in the United Kingdom. Wikidata describes it as: "near Bishop Auckland". Coordinates: 54.6720°, -1.8560°.
Photo gallery
Protected designations
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: North Pennines
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Hamsterley Forest is a commercial forest in County Durham owned by the Crown and managed by Forestry England. It is the largest forest in County Durham and covers more than 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres). Recreational activities within the forest are focused at the eastern end, around the visitors' centre. In addition to the visitors' centre, there is a cafe, toilet facilities and cycling, walking and running trails.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
During the 1930s, the forest was planted and tracks were built by unemployed men supplied through the Ministry of Labour. Most came from the mining communities and shipyards of the North East of England. They were housed in one of a number of instructional centres created by the Ministry, most of them on Forestry England property. By 1938, the Ministry had 35 such centres across Britain. These were basically work camps, where unemployed men carried out heavy labour and lived on site in wooden huts. The centres were closed in 1938 as unemployment declined in the run-up to war, but some of the huts can still be seen around the visitors' centre, one of which was originally built as the camp's…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 54.6720, -1.8560
- District
- County Durham
- Parish
- South Bedburn
- Postcode
- DL13 3QH
- Parliamentary constituency
- Bishop Auckland
- Nearest railway station
- Witton-le-Wear — 5.8 km
Sources
- wikidata: Q5646428 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Hamsterley Forest (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Bedburn Beck in autumn, Hamsterley Forest.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
The Loop
Mountain bike trails · 0.6 km
Low Redford Meadows
Wildlife reserves · 1.3 km
Bedburn
Forests & woodlands · 1.3 km
Green Man Life Cycle
National landscapes (AONB) · 1.3 km
County Durham
Other places · 1.6 km
Podge Hole Bridge And Wall With Tail Race
Historic bridges · 1.7 km
Black (Severe)
Mountain bike trails · 1.8 km
South Bedburn
Other places · 2.1 km
Howlea Bridge Over Bedburn Beck
Historic bridges · 2.1 km
Green Acres Hamsterley
Campsites · 2.1 km
Metcalf's House
Historic houses · 2.3 km
Frog Wood Bog
Forests & woodlands · 2.5 km
Nearby
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Podge Hole Bridge And Wall With Tail Race
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Where to eat & stay near Hamsterley Forest
Places to stay
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Green Acres Hamsterley
Green Acres Hamsterley — a campsite in scotland lowlands.
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High Shipley Farm Bungalow
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The Paddock Touring Park
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Holebeck Touring Caravan Park
Holebeck Touring Caravan Park — a caravan park in scotland lowlands.
📷 5Caravan parks · North East England
Meadow Farm Caravan Park and Campsite
Meadow Farm Caravan Park and Campsite — a caravan park in scotland lowlands.
Places to eat & drink
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Black Bull Public House
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📷 5Historic pubs · North East England
The Welcome Public House, With Walls And Piers In Front
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📷 3
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The Eden Arms Public House
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Wheatsheaf Public House
Wheatsheaf Public House in Scotland Lowlands, United Kingdom.
📷 5Cafés · North East England
The Country Teashop
The Country Teashop — a café in england north east.
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Old Smelting Mill
Old Smelting Mill — a archaeological in england-north-west, United Kingdom.
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Roper Castle or Round Table (Roman Signal Station)
Roper Castle or Round Table (Roman Signal Station) — archaeological in england north west.
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Nine Standards Rigg
Nine Standards Rigg — archaeological in england north west. Elevation: 662 m.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Hamsterley Forest?
- Hamsterley Forest is in the Scottish Lowlands, United Kingdom (postcode DL13 3QH), in the parish of South Bedburn.
- What is Hamsterley Forest?
- Hamsterley Forest — near Bishop Auckland.
- How do I get to Hamsterley Forest?
- The nearest railway station is Witton-le-Wear, about 5.8 km away. Drivers can use postcode DL13 3QH.
- Who owns Hamsterley Forest?
- Hamsterley Forest is owned by Forestry England.
- Is Hamsterley Forest a protected site?
- Yes — Hamsterley Forest is part of the North Pennines National Landscape (AONB).
- Is Hamsterley Forest free to visit?
- Yes, Hamsterley Forest is free to enter.
- How do I get to Hamsterley Forest?
- The nearest railway station is Witton-le-Wear, about 5.8 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode DL13 3QH.