Cong Burn Wood Local Nature Reserve

About the Site

Cong Burn Wood is a diverse area of semi-natural broadleaved woodland along both sides of the Cong Burn Valley. It covers over 38 hectares and includes interesting areas of wetland and grassland. It is home to some of Britain's best known habitats and wildlife, including ancient oak woodland.

On the higher ground towards Waldridge, the wood has a thick carpet of upland grasses and flowers such as wavy hair grass, wood sage, heath rush and heath bedstraw.

The rich soil of the valley bottom and eastern side supports oak, ash and alder with hazel, wych elm and willow. The ground cover includes dog’s mercury, wood sorrel, wood anemone, herb robert, bluebell and bramble.

Beech, horse chestnut and sycamore are also common throughout the site.

A spring-fed marsh provides a mixture of wetlands including fen, swamp and carr . Plants found here include meadowsweet, marsh marigold, greater tussock sedge, branched bur-reed and grey willow. Several uncommon species occur in the marsh such as skullcap, and great horsetail with its associated weevil grows in abundance.

A disused millrace that runs for approximately 250 metres ending in a millpond intersects the two marshes.

Several areas of grassland support a wide range of species such as red bartsia, tall melilot, betony and autumn hawkbit.

Roe deer may be seen on quieter days. Both green and great spotted woodpecker occur at the site as well as the occasional sparrowhawk. Cong Burn is a good place to find a variety of insects.

Cong Burn Wood - Map

Location

Cong Burn Wood lies on the western outskirts of Chester-le-Street and can be accessed from the B6313.

Grid reference: NZ 254 506

Facilities

Woodland paths.

A free leaflet is available from Chester-le-Street Library and the Civic Centre or Telephone 0191 383 4085.

Enquiries

Countryside Group
Durham County Council
Environment
County Hall
Durham
DH1 5UQ
Tel: 0191 3833594