Landscape and Location

Woodland lies in Teesdale, in south-west County Durham. From there, impressive views extend west towards the Cumbrian Mountains and south towards the North Yorkshire moors. On clear days, visibility can extend to the east coast and the North Sea. The western and southern views therefore offer different connections to the landscape; views all the way to the coast are only possible when visibility is clear. If you are planning a stay in Woodland, you can decide whether the landscape, local history or activities in the nearby forest should be your main focus.

Mining and Earlier Settlement Remains

In some places in Woodland, remains of mining tramways and tunnels are visible. Many former shale heaps, by contrast, lie hidden beneath grass. The mining history is therefore represented by different kinds of traces: structural remains that can still be seen, and heaps that are not openly visible. Woodland Colliery operated four locomotives; by 1921, it was in the process of closing. The number of locomotives adds a specific aspect of the operation to the visible remains, while the closure status provides a timeframe.

West of Woodland, the remains of a medieval farm and field boundaries bear witness to earlier settlement. These traces offer a different way of accessing the past from the Colliery remains: here, the focus is on the farm and the division of the fields, while there it is on mining and tramways. This gives history-minded travellers different themes to explore, rather than a single narrative about the place. The traces of rural settlement and the mining history can be understood as different perspectives on Woodland.

Listed Sites

Woodland War Memorial stands in the village cemetery and is listed as a Grade II building. The “Boundary Stone Circa 400 Metres West of Windy Nook” is on Fines Lane, at the boundary between the civil parishes of Lynesack and Softley and Woodland; it is also Grade II listed. The two listed sites therefore differ both in what they are and where they are located: the memorial is in the village cemetery, while the boundary stone is on a parish boundary.

Hamsterley Forest as a Nature Destination

Hamsterley Forest is just one mile from the village of Woodland. The forest offers opportunities for walking, cycling and horse riding; the walking trails also provide opportunities for wildlife watching. These activities give trip planning a different focus from the village’s historic sites. Trail conditions and available activities may change over time. So check the current conditions and options before including the forest in your plans.

Discover more destinations: Stanhope, Burnhope, Bishop Auckland, Shildon, Hunwick, Hamsterley, Wycliffe, Sacriston

For the main travel overview: Durham.