Natural England - Castle Eden Dene NNR
Castle Eden Dene NNR
Enter a world where magical yew, oak, ash and dying elm create a home for other plants and creatures. 10,000 years of wild growth in a deep gorge has created a place you can explore again and again.
County: Durham
Main habitats: Woodland, Lowland Grassland
Area: 221 Ha
Site map: Nature on the Map.
Castle Eden Dene is the largest area of semi-natural woodland in north-east England, renowned for yew trees. The tangled landscape is a survivor of the wildwood that once covered most of Britain. Natural England helps it stay as near natural as possible.
Every year there is also an events programme at Castle Eden Dene and the nearby Thrislington NNRs, which includes guided walks and activities for all – this is often the best way to see the special features without disturbing wildlife or damaging fragile plants. Why not join us to view beautiful wildflowers, look for glow worms, or take part in a packed programme of activities during our Summer Festival.
Location and access
By car: Castle Eden Dene is signposted from the A19 and from Peterlee town centre. There is a car park at Oakerside Dene Lodge.
By bus: walk from the Peterlee bus station and cross at the pelican crossing. Follow th tarmac footpath through the pine trees to the right of the Peterlee Lodge Hotel. Follow the footpath for approximately 1.5 miles keeping the Dene on your left. Take care crossing the road into Stanhope Chase to the Lodge. For bus service details, phone Peterlee Tourist Information, 0191 5864450.
By bike: there are bike racks at Oakerside Dene Lodge for you to leave your bike. No bikes are allowed in the Dene, where the steep paths are dangerous for cycling.
The reserve is near Route one (Peterlee Link) of the Sustrans National Cycle Network.
Paths and People
You are welcome to walk in the Dene, but this is not recommended in bad weather as most surfaces are natural soil and can become slippery. Please keep to the paths, as straying from them can cause inadvertent damage, and is therefore not permitted. Please note that gradients may be very steep, and long. There are very few steps on the paths and many of these are quite shallow. You should also be aware that important and rare trees are not cleared, and therefore a few paths may be partially blocked.
Access restrictions
Some of the footpaths at the Caste Eden Dene NNR are closed following damage by recent torrential rain in North East England. The paths that are closed are Beech Grove and the path through the bottom of the Dene travelling west from Castle Bridge.
However, there are still miles of paths for visitors to explore and the two most popular routes in the Dene – the Red Squirrel Trail and the Yew Tree Walk - remain open, and the paths from the Castle Bridge going east are unaffected. The reserve team has organised a number of exciting events over the summer to give visitors the opportunity to discover the beauty of the Dene and its exciting wildlife. Full details in the events programme or by calling 0191 5860004.”
Nature walks
There are two marked walks around the reserve. Walk one is 3.5 km, and takes between 2-2½ hours. Walk two is three km, and takes between one-two hours to complete.
The Dene
The Dene, with its strange rocks and mysterious atmosphere, has fascinated people for thousands of years. The reserve covers 221 hectares of woodland and lowland grassland, where post-glacial melt waters have carved out some spectacular limestone cliffs and gorges. Often, there is no water at the bottom of the gorge, as Castle Eden Burn, which reaches the sea at Denemouth, is now seasonal and disappears into the limestone rock during the summer months.
Yew Dene, Eden
Once upon a time, the Saxons called this area Yoden, meaning Yew Dene. Yoden became Eden. The Burdon family, owners from 1757 into the mid 20th century, loved its wild beauty, creating many of today's paths, and rebuilding the castle.
Wild weather, wild life
The Dene is a wild world of constant change. Severe weather can cause landslips and falling trees. It is therefore not advisable to visit during bad weather.
For the birds and other animals of the Dene, this wildness is essential. If you are quiet you may see roe deer, but foxes and badgers stay hidden in the undergrowth.
Living and dying trees are home to fungi and insects that feed many woodland birds. In autumn, berries provide a feast for thousands of exhausted birds arriving from northern Europe.