See “What’s On” page for 2012 events
20 Years of Friends of Chopwell Wood - 20 Favourite Trees
As part of our anniversary celebrations we are looking for 20 outstanding trees in the wood – you can nominate your favourite tree. Details are on the “Nature in the Wood” page.
Search for Chopwell Lumber Jills
The photograph above, taken in 1941, shows workers from the “Home Grown Timber Department” – our grateful thanks to Kathleen Ashton for use of the photo. Do you know anyone in the photo (click & open for a larger view), or any Lumber Jills (Timber Jills) who were part of the Women’s Timber Corp during World War 2 ? We would love to hear from you, especially if there is a connection with Chopwell Wood. More details are on the “History & Heritage” page.
We are a voluntary community organisation and a registered charity. Our group is mix of enthusiastic people, from near and far, who care about and enjoy visiting Chopwell Wood, and are committed to protecting and enhancing the Wood. You can read more about the group set up and the things we do on the other pages within this site. If you have not been to Chopwell Wood before then directions to the location are on the ‘How to Find Us’ page, and a brief description of the woodland is below.
Chopwell Wood is classified as PAWS – Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site
Chopwell Wood is a beautiful mixed conifer and broadleaf woodland, much loved and used by the local community. Beneath the canopy of the largest woodland in Tyne & Wear a host of animals and plant life thrives. The site is managed by the Forestry Commission, from offices at Hamsterley and Bellingham, as part of their “Kielder District”.
The 360 hectares (almost 900 acres) of woodland cover an area on the northern slopes of the Derwent Valley. It is situated about 10 miles south-west of Gateshead, in the north-east of England. The Wood is bordered to the north by Garesfield Golf Course, to the east by the villages of High Spen and Rowlands Gill, to the south by the River Derwent, and to the west by the villages of Chopwell and Blackhall Mill.
Conifers are being gradually removed as part of the ongoing programme to return to native trees under the PAWS designation. When felling work is being carried out signage or taped off sections will help visitors to avoid danger – these areas will be closed under CROW legislation.
.jpg "Maintaining th Bat Sculpture")
