Arthurs Wood

Wood, Forest in Northumberland

England

Arthurs Wood

Arthurs Wood is a picturesque forest located in the heart of Northumberland, England. Spanning over 100 hectares, this woodland area is a haven for nature enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers alike. The forest is named after King Arthur, a legendary figure associated with the area, lending it a sense of historical significance.

The wood is predominantly made up of ancient trees, including oak, beech, and birch, creating a diverse and vibrant ecosystem. The canopy of the forest provides shelter for a wide variety of wildlife, including deer, foxes, and an assortment of bird species. Visitors to Arthurs Wood can often spot these creatures roaming freely in their natural habitat.

The forest offers a network of well-maintained trails and paths, making it an ideal location for walkers, hikers, and cyclists. The trails wind through the trees, offering stunning views of the surrounding countryside and providing opportunities for peaceful contemplation. There are also designated picnic areas and benches throughout the forest, allowing visitors to relax and take in the tranquility of their surroundings.

Arthurs Wood is not only a place of natural beauty but also a site of cultural interest. The legend of King Arthur is deeply ingrained in the folklore of Northumberland, and this wood is believed to be one of his favored hunting grounds. The forest's rich history and enchanting atmosphere add an extra layer of allure for those exploring its trails.

Overall, Arthurs Wood in Northumberland is a captivating woodland retreat that offers visitors a chance to immerse themselves in nature while delving into the region's folklore and history.

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Arthurs Wood Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 54.896696/-2.0213148 or Grid Reference NY9855. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Lane Head

Les Hull

Track Junction, High Kellas Plantation

A lonesome pine standing tall in a much younger block of forestry.

Mick Garratt

Ditch End, Low Kellas Plantation

A competitor in an orienteering event is approaching a control sited at the ditch end.

Mick Garratt

Wall at Hairy Side

Oliver Dixon

Hairy Side

View across Hairy Side above Derwent Reservoir.

Peter McDermott

Old Stove

Old Stove, including stove pipe and fuel, near Hairy Side.

Peter McDermott

Lane Head

Peter McDermott

Donald's Grave below Hairy Side

Mike Quinn

Coal Road leading to Slaley Golf Course

Les Hull

Donald's Grave near Esper Shields

Donald's Grave is apparently the name of this boundary stone on the south side of the minor road that runs from Kiln Pit Hill on the A68 to Blanchland, 10m east of the Coal Road (track) that leads north-west through the grounds of Slaley Hall. The stone is Grade II Listed (List Entry Number: 1045376) and is described as: "Probable boundary marker, C18th or perhaps a reworking of a more ancient stone. Gritstone. Roughly-cut monolith of trapezoidal plan, exposed height 0.9 metres. East face with incised B; north face with remains of incised design, possibly a cross within a circle; west face incised A (laid sideways) and S." See closer photo here NZ0054 : Donald's Grave near Esper Shields (detail) Local researchers think the stone may be an allotment marker from the Bulbeck Common Award (1771) which was divided between George Silvertop of Minsteracres (S) and George Baker (B), the Lord of the Manor. It has also been suggested that Donald's Grave may have originally been mapped on the north side of the road but the nature of the feature represented by the name is not specified. There are two further named stones just to the north, possibly on the same boundary: Greyhound Stone (which I couldn't find) and Hare Stone, an C18th boundary stone. All 3 stones are named on the 1st Edition 6" OS Map Northumberland, 104 (1864): Link

Only Donald's Grave is represented on current large scale mapping. The Hare Stone is also Listed Grade II (List Entry Number: 1370318) said to be marked B (Blanchland) on south-west, and S (Slaley) on north-east side NY9955 : The Hare Stone near Slaley Hall The hill in the field beyond the wall is named Hairy Side.

Andrew Curtis

Donald's Grave near Esper Shields (detail)

See description here NZ0054 : Donald's Grave near Esper Shields

Andrew Curtis

Harvesting a section of Slaley Forest

Signs at the entrance to the eastern end of Slaley Forest warn of a number of closed tracks as a diamond-shaped section of the plantation was being actively clear-cut. The noise of chainsaws filled the air, which a tractor dragged cut logs on a trailer, using a crane to lift these into stacks. A big road-legal timber truck was the other side of the logpile using its own crane to take them off again and away to become glamourous new products like fenceposts or newsprint.

Andy Waddington

Forest track in Slaley Forest

A byway is shown on maps running roughly east-west for a kilometre and a half in this area of Slaley Forest, but on the ground, the line it supposedly takes is just densely planted forest. Instead, one is obliged to take a longer route via a number of SW-NE and SE-NW forest tracks such as this one, which are not rights of way of any description (though the bulk of the forest is CROW Access Land).

Andy Waddington

Forest track branches off byway, Slaley Forest

The route to the right is supposedly a byway, though the line of that right of way some way ahead seems to have been wholly effaced by the forest leaving only rather longer routes on the forest tracks (with signage making clear that these are not for vehicles). The route to the left is one of these tracks, and the one we have just taken to reach this point (in the absence of any trace of the byway we'd intended to use starting about two kilometres away).

Andy Waddington