School Aycliffe Wetland

About the Site

The site supports a range of wetland areas, running water, alder carr and dense young plantation. Of particular value are the wetland areas and their associated marshy grassland and expanses of rushes. Kingfishers are regularly seen circling the ponds on the site, and water voles can be seen along the banks of the beck. The voles’ burrows can be seen on the bank sides.

The site also supports great spotted woodpecker, which may be seen nesting within large willow trees, and roe deer, which can occasionally be seen at the site on early mornings.

School Aycliffe Wetland comprises approximately 8 hectares of land descending towards the north, where Redhouse Beck defines the northern boundary. Directly adjacent to the beck, the site is level and forms a narrow flood plain that becomes inundated during rainy periods of the year. Here, the top soil is very fertile, which has led to vigorous growth of vegetation. Within the flood plain lies a network of ponds and smaller water-bodies, grading through reeds, rushes and wet grassland.

A small wetland area is located adjacent Redhouse Beck in the north east of the site. This is temporary in nature and only contains water from October to May. During the summer months, the area becomes marshy. It supports species such as tufted hair grass, soft rush, reed, jointed rush and meadow sweet with bulbous buttercup and greater willow herb. This area is also of note for the populations of frogs and newts present. Redhouse Beck is particularly important due to its growing colony of water voles.

The banks support mature willows and are bordered by a band of alder and willow carr. It is likely that the site was originally used to heal in trees that would have later been planted on the adjacent housing estate, as a number of densely planted single, species patches of trees are found throughout the site.

These trees were never used on the adjacent residential development and now form a band along the higher ground to the south of the site. Woodland species present include horse chestnut, alder, sycamore, poplar and ash.

To the north west of the site is an area of scrub. This provides potential habitat for foxes, roe deer, badgers, stoats, weasels and numerous song birds.

School Aycliffe Wetland

Location

The site is connected to Lord Nevil Drive in School Aycliffe via a footpath that joins Lord Nevil Drive near the entrance to the School Aycliffe Community Centre.

Facilities

Signage provides interpretative details of species and habitats throughout the site.

Enquiries

Great Aycliffe Town Council
School Aycliffe Lane
Newton Aycliffe
County Durham
DL5 6QF
Tel: 01325 300700