Harelaw Heath

About the Site

Harelaw Heath is 3.2 hectares of open heath and grassland that has developed on old colliery shale. It is one of the few remaining areas of lowland heathland left in County Durham. The site supports a mosaic of grassland, heathland and scrub with a number of marshy hollows at the southern end. The heath is dominated by heather, which produces lilac, honey scented flowers in early autumn.

Eyebright

Plants such as yellow rattle, heath speedwell and eyebright may be seen growing on the patches of grassland. Yellow rattle is a parasite of grass and acquires its nutrients by extracting them out of the root systems of the adjacent grasses. It has yellow flowers and brown seed cases, which are the shape of little purses or sea shells, inside which the seeds rattle when they are ripe. The leaves of eyebright look as if they have been cut with pinking shears and their flowers are white and purple with orange markings.

Heather

Gorse is the dominant species of scrub on the Heath. It is worth visiting the Heath in late spring and summer to smell the sweet coconut aroma of gorse’s flowers. Gorse is also a great plant for insects and intricate cocoon-like spiders webs can be seen amongst the prickly branches.

The marshy hollows at the southern end of the site support plant species such as soft rush, articulated rush, water mint and angelica. Water mint is one of 14 mints that grow wild in Britain which all have distinctly different smells, but always with that familiar minty scent.

Although small, Harelaw Heath is a beautiful and fascinating place to visit and all parts of the site are accessible via a good network of footpaths.

Harelaw Heath

Location

Harelaw Heath is located at Dipton, between the A692 and the B6168.

Grid reference: NZ 159539

Facilities

The site incorporates a number of recreational routes.

Enquiries

Derwentside District Council
Planning Division
Civic Centre
Consett
DH8 5JA
Telephone: 01207 218304