News

Revitalising Redesdale Newsletter – November 2018

November 1, 2018

Your brief on what the team and partners have been getting up to.

Pie ‘n’ Peas Supper Evening 

Join us to celebrate Revitalising Redesdale’s progress during our first year, with an informal meal. Find out more about the historical and natural heritage projects, and how you can be involved.

The event will be from 19:00 to 21:00 on Thursday 29th November, at the Rede, Tyne & Coquet Sports and Leisure Centre (directions). Booking essential: 07552269363 / nick.lightfoot@naturalengland.org.uk

Upcoming volunteering opportunities

The best way to volunteer with Revitalising Redesdale is to register as a volunteer with one or both of our core delivery partners: 
Northumberland Wildlife Trust and Northumberland National Park

Survey of ancient settlements in Redesdale gets off to a flying start!

October has been a very exciting month for our archaeology projects. Not only have we now completed an archaeological survey of an Iron Age/Romano-British settlement and field systems, we have also kicked off our Lidar survey of the valley by finding exciting, previously unrecorded archaeological sites at our initial workshop!

The 3-day archaeological survey at Rattenraw was carried out by a team of volunteers and enthusiasts, led by Tynedale North of the Wall Archaeology Group (NOWTAG) and built on a previous survey of the site carried out in February this year. The results of the survey have revealed what is believed to be three roundhouse structures, together with two areas of stock enclosure and a probable entrance. Excavations at the site are now being planned for Spring/Summer 2019.

Lidar Landscapes

The Lidar Interpretation workshop took place on the 17^th October and was attended by over 25 volunteers from the local community and beyond. This was an initial start-up workshop to explain to potential  volunteers how this exciting new technology can reveal Redesdale’s hidden archaeology and how they could directly be involved in making new archaeological discoveries. Exciting new finds were even spotted during the workshop,  including probable Iron Age/Romano-British settlements, an Iron Age hill fort and an enormous Roman marching camp!!

The Lidar survey is now underway and will help us to determine where to focus future archaeological investigations, which will take place over the course of the next 4 years.

More Space for RedeFest!

There’s now more useful space for stalls at Redefest and other community events! The spoil mound left from building the community building at Brigantium in Rochester was recently leveled. In October, a team of Redefest committee members, friends and family did a great job helping finish up leveling the ground after the digger and sowed some ground cover – but this area will still need more TLC in the spring. If you’d like to help look after this site do get in touch!

Peatland Progress

We’ve been removing invading Sitka spruce seedlings – both large and small – from peatland in Redesdale with the help of Northumberland Wildlife Trust volunteers. 

These non-native Sitka spruce have a cumulative drying effect on peat and reduce the availability of light, through shading. This can result in damage to the surrounding vegetation and eventually the peat, reducing its ability to store carbon, regulate water and its suitability for its unique wildlife.

Get involved at: https://www.nwt.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer