Durham Wildlife Trust and Northumbrian Water laced up their boots in January to explore the River Skerne catchment. We walked from Bishop Middleham village to visit to one of Durham Wildlife Trust’s Great North Fen wetland restoration sites; Bishops Fen.

Our wildlife and water experts were accompanied by Ryan, Lawizah, Marnie, Isabella, and Mary who are taking part in a two-year graduate scheme with Northumbrian Water gaining experience and skills across a variety of roles in the water industry.

Nature-based Solutions

The graduates joined us on the walk to learn about 'Nature-based Solutions', where restoring natural processes can alleviate environmental and social challenges.

Challenges in the River Skerne catchment include flooding from surface water (from land run off and rivers and streams) and ground water (from underground pathways), poor water quality and the loss of habitat.

Flooding in the catchment continues despite large scale drainage schemes for agriculture continuing late into the 20^th century and significant areas of land lie wet year-round. A number of these areas would have made up the historic Durham Carrs.

Durham Carrs

The landscape of the River Skerne used to be far wetter historically forming the Durham Carrs - a complex of wetlands fed by the River Skerne as it descends from the limestone escarpment in the east of County Durham, and flows south towards Darlington and the River Tees. This mosaic of wet woodland, fen and open water would have supported large numbers of waders, wildfowl, and other species we associate with wetlands, from plants and invertebrates to mammals like the otter and water vole. Historically, birds such as the crane and marsh harrier, now lost as breeding species in our region, may also have been present.

Castle Lake

Our walk took us past Bishop Middleham wastewater treatment works which sits next to Castle Lake, a groundwater fed lake and significant inland open water and wetland habitat attracting a range of wading birds and waterfowl. The works treats the wastewater from the village and then discharges back into the environment in this case a tributary of the Skerne. A recent £2.4 million project at the works has increased the resilience of the site and improved the water quality of treated wastewater.

Water company impacts on the catchment are accompanied by issues with road run off, minewater (contaminated water entering the environment from abandoned mines and spoil heaps), land management, and channel modification.

Bishop's Fen

Durham Wildlife Trust are working with partners including Northumbrian Water to address some of these other issues whilst delivering the best outcomes for wildlife. Continuing our walk the group crossed the River Skerne to reach Bishop's Fen, a 20 hectare wetland site being restored for nature by the Trust. Bishop's Fen illustrates a number of nature-based solutions, including buffering the river from agriculture, restoring rare wetland habitats, and storing water and carbon. Additionally ‘flow defectors’ have also been installed upstream by our partners Tees Rivers Trust, near Fishburn, to diversify riparian habitat and slow the flow of water.

Discussing the site and the River Skerne with the group we had the perfect view of kestrel hunting over marshland with flocks of curlew and lapwing feeding on flooded farmland and the edges of the newly created ponds and scrapes.

By restoring natural processes and making space for nature in appropriate areas we can establish vital habitat specialist wetland plants, invertebrates, and birds. We can lock up carbon, protect important areas of food production reduce flooding impacts, and create spaces for nature connection. You can read more about Durham Wildlife Trust’s vision for a Great North Fen here.

You can enjoy this walk yourself by following the link below.

Discovering Bishop Middleham and the Skerne: Walk Guide