Hareshaw Linn

Hareshaw Linn waterfallA walk up a wooded valley to a beautiful waterfall.

Grade: Easy.
Length: 3 miles (5km).

Points of interest

Bellingham has its roots in the 12th Century when St Cuthbert’s Church was first consecrated.

Its heyday was in the 19th Century when it was a centre for iron. Hareshaw Linn was the site of two blast furnaces established in 1833 by Messrs Bigge and Partners. At the peak of its operation it also contained 70 coke ovens, 24 large roasting kilns for calcining the iron ore, a range of coal stores, a blacksmiths shop, wagon shed, stables and stores.The iron works were in continuous production until 1848.

Ten years later the plant was auctioned and many of the buildings demolished.The dam that you pass on the walk supplied water to power the Hareshaw iron works.

Nature recovers quickly - you would not believe that this wooded valley once raged with noise and smoke! Today Hareshaw Linn is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), designated for its rare ferns and lichen. Over 300 different types of mosses, liverworts and lichencan be found.

The ‘Linn’ is also home to red squirrel, great spotted woodpecker, wood warbler, spotted flycatcher, badger and daubenton’s bat.

Red squirrel © John Steele

Local facilities

Food, tourist information, shops and accommodation are all available in Bellingham. From Easter to September the award winning Heritage Centre at the old Railway Station is open, giving a fascinating look at the different ages of the North Tyne Valley’s history, from Reivers to Railways.

Download the Hareshaw Linn walk leaflet (PDF 1.58mb)

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GPS download

Download the GPS route for this walk (GPX format)

Please note: this GPS route has not been walked, and is only to be used as a guide. Always take the correct map with you.