The Harehope Quarry Project offers environmental education, field studies, rural skills training, community development, and community arts based from a limestone quarry in the North Pennines.
The Flora and Fauna
Harehope Quarry has been left to re-colonise naturally since the late 1980s and has many areas of wildlife interest. It has been designated a Site of Nature Conservation Interest by Durham County Council.
The Bollihope Burn flows through the quarry and is an important salmon and sea trout spawning area. Otter regularly use the river and their footprints are seen on sandy banks but sightings are rare. Local fishermen have also reported seeing water vole but this is still to be confirmed.
The Quarry Pond and other ponds also provide important wetland habitats and attract wildfowl such as mallard, moorhen, tufted duck, little grebe, goosander and heron. Whooper swan, greylag geese and kingfisher also occasionally visit us and dippers are year-round residents. Sand martins and swallows pay regular visits during the summer months to drink from the carp ponds.
The grassland around the quarry is important for nesting waders during the summer, primarily lapwing and oystercatcher. A pair of oystercatcher actually successfully nested on the living roof of the eco-classroom in 2008! Red shank, common sandpiper and little ring plover visit the quarry to feed. The quarry faces in contrast provide nesting sites for little owl and kestrel.
The limestone grassland is unimproved and has a wide range of wild flowers. These include twayblade, marsh orchid, lady’s mantle and bird’s foot trefoil to name a few. We intend to introduce a grazing regime for these areas, which will improve the grassland for wildflowers further. The limestone gravel areas of the quarry are covered with a carpet of thyme, stonecrop, eyebright and alpine strawberry.
The goat willow scrub of the Tip End provides a contrasting habitat and future management of this area will improve it further for wildlife.
Latest News
- Harehope becomes a LAND Demonstration site
- 15th Nov 2011
The Harehope Quarry Project has successfully become a LAND learning centre. The learning centres are permaculture projects, who show, explain and describe to volunteers, visitors and an interested public, how the principles and ethics of permaculture are applied to their project. As a LAND learning centre Harehope Quarry will form part of an England-wide co-operative network. - Trees for Harehope
- 15th Nov 2011
The Harehope Quarry Project has received a grant from Durham County Council for 80 trees. The trees will be planted during National Tree week - 26 November - 4 December 2011. - Frosterlety goes plastic-free!
- 22nd Nov 2010
Traders in Frosterley, with the help of the ‘Working for a Future in Frosterley’ project, are introducing a scheme to reduce the use of plastic bags in the village. The scheme will be launched on 27 November 2010. Cotton bags will be available in the Frosterley branch of the Penrith Co-operative Society and at Gardiner’s Country Store on a ‘borrow and return’ basis and Turtle Bags at The Village Chip Bar. Frosterley Community School are designing their own bags that will be for sale at £2, with all proceeds going to the school. These will be available in early December.
Next Events
- Volunteer Day
- 25th Feb 2012
10.00am – 4.00pm. Join in our regular volunteering event. Tasks will include the continued work on the eco-classroom and nature reserve management. Refreshments and a light lunch are provided so if you intend to come please let us know so we have an idea of numbers. - Art exhibition and workshops with Johnnie Foker
- 10th Mar 2012
Family workshop – ‘Flying Things'. 1.30pm – 4.00pm. Join this family art workshop, with artist Johnnie Foker from Bearpark Artists Co-operative in Durham. Booking essential. Families £12.00. Refreshments available. - Art exhibition and workshops with Johnnie Foker
- 10th Mar 2012
Art exhibition. 11.00am – 3.00pm. Johnnie will be exhibiting his work at Harehope Quarry throughout the weekend. He is well known for original work inspired by his love of birdlife. There will also be an opportunity to see and buy some of Johnnie's work. Refreshments available.