Addison and Hedgefield Woods

Addison and Hedgefield Woods is a 14-hectare nature reserve in Blaydon, Tyne and Wear. It contains woodland, scrub, grassland and wet areas, all managed by the Durham Wildlife Trust since 2014. The site once housed the Addison Colliery, opened in 1864 by the Stella Coal Company. The colliery used advanced underground technology, including the world’s first underground telephone demonstrated by Alexander Graham Bell in 1877. Nearby stood Addison Village, built to house miners and their families, with a chapel and school provided by the company. After the colliery closed in 1958 the village was demolished, leaving only the natural landscape to return. The reserve supports many wildflower species and provides habitat for a variety of birds. Non-native trees such as sycamore and beech dominate parts of the woodland, while semi-natural areas contain ash, alder and birch. Colourful wetland plants like ragged-robin, valerian and marsh marigold grow beside drier grasslands with betony, pignut and tormentil. Scrubland offers shelter for whitethroat, yellowhammer and willow warbler, while foxes and roe deer are seen moving through the reserve. Visitors find a network of unsurfaced footpaths and stepped routes linking the woodland with Hedgefield Quarry and Reedside in Ryton. The mixed terrain is not suitable for wheelchairs but can be managed with pushchairs on gentler sections. Some areas are challenging for those with limited mobility. Dogs are welcome on leads, and the best wildlife displays appear between April and July.