Discover wildlife in England - North East England
Northumbria is one of the few areas of England with real glorious wilderness. The wide open spaces mean that the region has a great wealth of protected areas and rare species. The red squirrel and the hare are still quite common here. There are still wild primroses in the hedgerows in spring.
The upland and coastal areas attract rarely-seen birds, such as the Black Grouse and Little Tern and unusal flora and fauna come together in the unique area of Castle Eden Dene. Much of Northumbria's dramatic and unspoilt scenery has been given the highest level of landscape protection in Britain. Northumberland National Park (www.northumberland-national-park.org.uk/VisitorGuide/default.htm) is 400 square miles of fells, moorland and sweeping river valleys. Adjacent to it is one of England's most spectacular Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) - the North Pennines (www.northpennines.org.uk/).
Northumbria also has protected coastal areas that stretch for mile upon mile. The magnificent sweep of coastline from Bamburgh to Amble - chosen for its scenic beauty, rare species and unusual geology, is another AONB. This area includes the Farne Islands (www.enjoyengland.com/Attraction/Farne-Islands/Animal-Collection/191491/Farne-Islands.htm), a National Nature Reserve, famed for its thousands of nesting seabirds and seal colony. Here, you can take a boat trip and marvel at the Puffins, Common Terns, Eiders and Roseate Terns, as well as many other rare species. The gull-packed cliffs and rocky pinnacles at South Shields are also irresistible!
The Durham Coastal path from Seaham to Crimdon rambles over beaches and wildflower-covered cliffs. And the Heritage Coast south from Saltburn climbs high above smugglers' secret caves. Rockpoolers will find squelchy treasures on beaches like Marsden and Whitley Bay.