Backhouse Hill Wood

Wood, Forest in Durham

England

Backhouse Hill Wood

Forest clearing at the Grove In Hamsterley Forest. — Forest clearing at the Grove Credit: Oliver Dixon

Backhouse Hill Wood is a picturesque woodland located in Durham, England. Covering an area of approximately 50 acres, this enchanting forest is situated on a hillside, providing stunning panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

The wood is predominantly composed of a mixture of broadleaf trees, including oak, beech, and birch. These majestic trees create a dense canopy that provides a habitat for a rich variety of flora and fauna. Bluebells carpet the forest floor in spring, creating a vibrant burst of color, while ferns and mosses thrive in the damp and shaded areas.

A network of well-maintained footpaths winds its way through Backhouse Hill Wood, allowing visitors to explore and appreciate the natural beauty of the area. These paths lead to viewpoints and clearings, where visitors can pause and take in the breathtaking vistas.

The wood is also home to a diverse array of wildlife. Birdwatchers can spot species such as woodpeckers, owls, and nuthatches, while small mammals like squirrels and rabbits can be seen darting among the undergrowth. More elusive creatures, such as deer and foxes, occasionally make an appearance, adding a touch of mystery to the woodland experience.

Backhouse Hill Wood is a popular destination for nature lovers, hikers, and families looking for a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Its serene atmosphere and natural beauty make it an ideal place for relaxation, exploration, and reconnecting with nature.

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Backhouse Hill Wood Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 54.67194/-1.8881698 or Grid Reference NZ0730. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Forest clearing at the Grove

In Hamsterley Forest.

Oliver Dixon

Bridge over the Spurlswood Beck

The bridge carries the road which links the Grove to Windy Bank Road.

Oliver Dixon

Bridge over Spurlswood Beck

The bridge carries the road which links the Grove up to Windy Bank Road.

Oliver Dixon

The Grove

Large house in the depths of Hamsterley Forest. Until recently operating as a bed and breakfast business.

Oliver Dixon

The Grove

Until 1927 The Grove was the property of the Surtees family which also owned the surrounding estate until it was sold to the Forestry Commission which then developed Hamsterley Forest over the land. The house is currently (2023) in a number of separate apartments, some or all of which are available as holiday lets.

Trevor Littlewood

Gardens at The Grove

The Grove and the Redford estate about it was the property of the Surtees family; it was sold in 1927 to the Forestry Commission. The house is currently (2023) divided into apartments. This garden is to the north of the house and appears to be more constructively cultivated than it was in 2011 - Link .

Trevor Littlewood

Forest road approaching junction

The road is part of a named pedestrian route in Hamsterley Forest, the Spurlswood Walk. The road to be joined is a much more robust affair, built to take heavy forestry traffic.

Trevor Littlewood

Barrier across forest road

The road in Hamsterley Forest runs adjacent to Spurlswood Beck and is used in the named walking route, Spurlswood Walk. The road used to be motorable by the public on payment of a toll. OS maps on line still name the way as a toll road and even as an 'Ornamental Drive', but motoring over it is now not allowed and the barrier prevents it.

Trevor Littlewood

Grove Car Park Hamsterley Forest

Not many takers at this central car park in Hamsterley Forest on this blustery spring day, but the very size of the car park indicates that it is very popular at the height of summer.

Oliver Dixon

Toll point on the Hamsterley Forest Drive

A very popular excursion for motorists in the summer.

Oliver Dixon

Grove House, Hamsterley Forest

Grove House and the Redford estate about it was the property of the Surtees family. The estate was sold in 1927 for £15 000 to the Forestry Commission. Grove House now seems to be in separately owned apartments.

Trevor Littlewood

Marginal farmland below Mayland Hall

Mayland Hall lies on the northern slope of the shallow valley of the Linburn Beck south of Hamsterley Forest in County Durham. The rush-dominated ground below the farm buildings at the hall tells of poorly drained land.

Trevor Littlewood

Forest junction

Hamsterley forest seems to have outgrown its purpose as merely a place for growing timber and has been actively developed as a mountain biking venue in recent years (ie. the Forestry Commission are trying to make money out of it rather than just tolerating the odd biker as used to be the case twenty years ago). Many of the forest roads sport signs pointing to graded trails which either follow the roads, or wind through the forest between the roads, sometimes taking in steep and technical descents (mostly the signs are unidirectional, encouraging cyclists to climb on the wider tracks and avoiding bi-directional traffic on the narrower sporting trails).

Andy Waddington

Forest cycling at Hamsterley

The very inconspicuous signage on the left at this junction indicates that the Red Trail turns off, on its way to find off-track descents in the woods (with names like Transmission, Accelerator and Nitrous). Our lead cyclist at this point remembered having got to those descents from a junction further up, so we ignored the turn and continued pleasantly up the main forest road, which led to the highest accessible point on the forest road system, and an interesting route down, but our exploration never reached the particular descent she had had in mind. Despite putting a lot of effort into promoting Mountain Biking, the visitor centre didn't seem to have any trail maps to sell or give away. We've since found that these do exist, and can be downloaded on the net, but that doesn't help much when you are already in a muddy car park ! The (A4, pdf) maps aren't much use with a GPS, as they have no grid, so it's useful also to refer to mapping produced by the OSM Cycle Map project which does have some of the trails recorded (although GPS tracklogs from which OSM works are not especially accurate inside a mature forest, they are good enough to find the critical junctions).

Andy Waddington

Ford in Hamsterley Forest

This ford on the Euden Beck is found in Hamsterley Forest. Link

John Walton

Road bridge close to Grove House

A minor road descends into the valley of Spurlswood Beck and crosses that stream by this bridge. The coat of arms of the Surtees family can be seen cut into a stone above the keystone of the bridge arch; the family owned Grove House and the surrounding estate until it was sold to the Forestry Commission which then developed Hamsterley Forest over the land.

Trevor Littlewood

Ford in Hamsterley Forest

This ford on the Euden Beck is found within Hamsterley Forest. The ford can be found under calmer conditions at: Link

John Walton

Bridge over the Spurlswood Beck, Hamsterley Forest

This bridge takes the road out of Hamsterley Forest from the Grove, and is unusual in the way that it slopes. There is a coat of arms on the side of the bridge, but I don't know which family this belongs to.

Uncredited

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Backhouse Hill Wood is located at Grid Ref: NZ0730 (Lat: 54.67194, Lng: -1.8881698)

Unitary Authority: County Durham

Police Authority: Durham