Teesdale Time Trail

Discovering the rocks and landscapes of Upper Teesdale and beyond!

Discover the geology and landscape of Upper Teesdale

What are the oldest things you've ever seen? A centuries old castle? An ancient burial mound? Well, chances are that the oldest things you've ever seen are under your feet every day - the rocks which have formed over hundreds of millions of years, helping to create our landscape.

Geological Time

It's difficult to comprehend the vastness of geological time. Some of the processes which have shaped today's Teesdale have been going on for so long that the dates almost become meaningless. By following the Teesdale Time Trail you will begin to see the unfolding story of the dale. You'll discover how intrusions of molten rock, millions of years spent beneath the sea, the movement of continents and the power of glaciers and water have all played a part in the creation of Teesdale and the North Pennines.

Places to Visit

The Teesdale Time Trail explores High Force, England's biggest waterfall, where you can find out about the creation of the falls and the intrusion of molten rock that created the Great Whin Sill over which the River Tees flows.

You can visit Hanging Shaw to find out more about the tropical seas and ice sheets which have shaped the upper dale. At Holwick you'll discover how glaciers have carved out the landscape and left their mark on today's dale. In and around Bowlees Visitor Centre you'll be able to explore the marine environment of the deep past and uncover the geological secrets of the surrounding landscape on a walk by the Tees at Low Force. At the Moor House-Upper Teesdale National Nature Reserve, there are geological trails where you can see the nature of today alongside millions of years of Earth history.

The Teesdale Time Trail consists of a series of interpretation panels (Hanging Shaw, High Force, Holwick), sculptures (Hanging Shaw and High Force car park) and geological trails (Cow Green, Holwick & Winch Bridge and Tynehead

Working in Partnership

The Teesdale Time Trail is an initiative of the North Pennines AONB Partnership in conjunction with the British Geological Survey, Durham Wildlife Trust, Natural England, Raby Estate, Strathmore Estate, Durham County Council and Middleton Plus. Financial support has been provided by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Natural England.