Ask Sally the Ranger
Thanks for all you questions to Sally the Ranger! We've posted the best questions and answers below. Holly Boxall of Hepple in Northumberland was our competition winner. Congratulations to Holly who won a hamper full of local treats!
Click here to listen to Sally the Ranger
Our Rangers work hard to conserve the special landscape of the National Park and help visitors enjoy the area. But have you ever wondered about the work a Ranger does every day in Northumberland National Park? Well now's your chance to find out more!
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Questions and Answers:
Hello Sally
Is the national park specially made or were the grounds just set up around wildlife that had already grown?
From Helen Ingoe
Sally says:
Hello Helen
The answer is yes to both bits of your question!
Northumberland National Park is specially made. The activities of our ancestors and the continued presence of people working and living in the National Park have formed the very beautiful landscape we now refer to as Northumberland National Park.
In 1948 the Government recognized that these very beautiful and special places needed to be protected. They made an act of Parliament that allowed areas which had outstanding landscapes and contained special habitats and wildlife to be called National Parks
Today farmers, foresters and landowners help the National Park Authority to keep the National Park a special place by conserving and enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife and culture. So in a way we are continuing to make the National Park.
Sally
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Hi Sally,
I have recently moved to Hepple near Rothbury and I am currently looking for employment within the countryside.
I have a National Diploma in Game and Wildlife Management and am very interested in conservation and habitat management. I have also got a National Certificate in Office Technology and Administration.
I would be very greatful if you could forward or suggest any routes I could take to help me in my search.
From Holly
Sally says:
Hello Holly
Ranger or Countryside Manager posts are highly sought after and competition is often stiff.
Formal qualifications usually are not essential to becoming a Ranger, though saying that the majority of people applying for Ranger or countryside managment posts do have some form of related qualification, HND, Certificate or Degree. The essential element we look for in a Ranger is good communication skills and confidence in dealing with the public. A Ranger also needs to have good working knowledge of conservation and agricultural life and have an interest in natural history/ wildlife conservation and countryside recreation.
Practical experience in areas of habitat management, visitor contact and access/Public Rights of Way maintenance is often essential to securing a Ranger or Countryside Officer position.
Often people obtain this experience through voluntary work. A number of organisations such as Wildlife Trusts or BTCV alongside most National Parks provide opportunities for volunteering. Have you looked at our Volunteer page?
I hope this information is of some help to you. Good luck,
Sally
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Hi Sally
How do you deal with all the conflicting interests of people in the NNPA area? For example, between landowners who want to lessen access from recreational users who wish for more access.
From Angus McGarry
Sally says:
Hi Angus
The purposes of the National Park Authority are to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the National Park, and to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the area by the public.
To achieve our purposes we talk to landowners, farmers and users, such as the Ramblers Association, to balance the interests of all parties. The Rangers install stiles, gates and other structures to provide good accessibility on Public Rights of Way and Access areas and we waymark routes so people feel confident in using paths and tracks. This helps to avoid conflict with land management practices. The rangers call on farmers and land managers regularly to discuss patterns of use by the public on their land and respond to any problems that have arisen.
Contact with farmers and visitors is a core area of work for the Rangers as we see the best way of avoiding conflict of interest is to talk to people and preempt any problems. The rangers are supported in their liaison work by our volunteer services, the Volunteer Rangers and Hadrian's Wall Path Volunteers who are out and about providing information and advice to visitors.
We also provide seasonal information signs to inform people how to avoid disturbance of birds and animals during breeding seasons. The rangers help our colleagues and other organisations in their conservation work through educating and informing people about the wildlife of the National Park and the management needed to conserve and enhance the biodiversity.
Sally
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Hi Sally
What made you want to become a National Park Ranger? I would love to become a Park Ranger for the sense of achievement in helping people enjoy nature and to work in the most beautiful part of the world.
From Martin
Sally says:
Hi Martin
I love the outdoors and I was attracted to the varied work of a ranger. Every day brings something different. You meet different people and can be involved in lots of different areas of the National Park Authority's work.
One day you will be working with schools helping them understand the natural history of the Park the next you will be helping a farmer to provide easy access for the public to his land.
My love of the outdoors is mirrored in working in such a beautiful place where the scenery changes so dramatically and can hold you spell bound on even the worst day of weather.
Sally
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Hello Sally,
I would like to visit the park with my family and two children. What should I do?
From Shibu George
Sally says:
Hi Shibu
The National Park provides wonderful opportunities for walking. You can tailor your walk to the abilities of your family. A lovely family walk is along Hareshaw Linn at Bellingham. The walk is a round trip of 5kms (3miles) alongside the Hareshaw Burn up to a beautiful waterfall. The path crosses six bridges and passes through a steep sided wooded valley.
You could visit Walltown, one of our recreational sites on Hadrian's Wall. You could have a picnic on one of the picnic benches dotted around the site and a number of the themed trails are suitable for wheelchair and push chair users. You could always use the Hadrian's Wall Bus which operates from Newcastle Central Station and runs through to Carlisle calling at all the sites along the Wall, including Walltown.
Check out our Visitor Guide for lots of other things to see and do. Hope you have an enjoyable visit Northumberland National Park!
Sally
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Hello Sally,
I'm from Canada and I'm just wondering if there are any backcountry camping areas in the park.
Thanks,
Ryan
Sally says:
Hi Ryan
The majority of the land within the designated area of the National Park is privately owned and has specific land uses, mainly farming, forestry or sporting shoots. Even though we have new open access legislation allowing a public right to roam to over 70% of the Park, backcountry or wild camping as we know it is only allowed under permission of the landowner and is actively discouraged by the majority due to landowner's worries over or experience of damage, stock disturbance, fire risk or litter being left.
Forest Enterprise who manage the state owned forested areas of the National Park (which covers a fifth of the total area of the Park) have designated back packing sites in Kielder Forest and Wark Forest. You will be able to find information on backpacking sites through contacting Forest Enterprise District Office at Bellingham. There are also Bothies, stone built cottages often absent of running water or toilet facities, dotted through the forest areas. These are managed by the Mountain Bothies Association .
In the Cheviot Hills, along the route of the Pennine Way Long Distance Trail, the National Park provides and maintains two mountain shelters on the Border Ridge, at Lamb Hill and Auchope Cairn. These can be found marked on the Ordnance Survey Explorer Map OL16 - The Cheviot Hills.
There are also official organized campsites with shower and toilet facilities in or around the National Park and Youth Hostels, run by the Youth Hostel Association, which provide accommodation for families, walkers and young people. Information on location of campsites and Youth Hostels can be found through our web site.
Sally
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Hi Sally
Do you know how many different types of birds there are in the Northumberland National Park and how many of them have you seen?
From Josh Rogerson, Age 8
Sally says:
Hi Josh
Northumberland National Park has a landscape made up of hills, valleys, crags, lakes, woodland, grassland and rivers. This variety of habitats provides places for birds to live, breed and feed. There are over 100 species of birds that use the National Park as a home or migrate here in summer or winter. Summer migrants usually come to the National Park to raise there families and they nest in habitats best adapted to providing food and shelter. Birds that come here in the winter are usually seeking shelter from colder weather and looking for habitats that can provide food through the winter.
I certainly have not seen all of the species that live or come to the National Park but being out and about in the Park is a great way to spot birds and I have seen a lot of different birds. My favorite bird is the Kestrel. It hovers in the air above its prey which I think is very clever. It also makes it a very easy bird to spot.
The Public Footpaths that weave through the Park provide opportunities for people to get out and about and to get close to the birdlife. It helps if you have a pair of binoculars and a good identification book. Start with the easy to identify species like robins, blackbirds and the chaffinch and you will soon find that you are beginning to recognise some of the other types around.
Happy bird watching!
Sally
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Hi Sally
How many people on average end up lost in the National Park and you have to go look for them?
Ann
Sally says:
Hi Ann
Navigation in the national Park, especially in the Cheviot Hills, can at times be difficult. We advise people to be well prepared and follow the Countryside Code, be safe - plan ahead.
Fortunately most people are well prepared and not many people get lost in the National Park. When they do the Police are in charge of any search operation. In the majority of cases they hand coordination of the search over to Northumberland National Park Search and Rescue Team. The Search and Rescue Team is an independent charity which receives funding from public donation and grants. Rangers can be members of the Search and Rescue Team and provide local knowledge to any search operation. All the Rangers are trained in first aid and can be called to respond to accidents in the National Park.
Sally
