A number of forests in Northumberland which have been closed due to damage from Storm Arwen are set to reopen ahead of the summer holidays.
The storm hit in late November in 2021 causing travel chaos across the region. Thousands of homes were left without power in Northumberland, some for as many as two weeks.
Forests were severely affected with around one million trees uprooted overnight by the 100mph winds. Many closed due to downed power lines and blocked access, with some of the county's forests remaining closed even now.
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However, seven of those forests are set to reopen today, in time for the school holidays. The forests reopening are Hepburn, Wooler Common, Wark, Fourlaws, Falstone and Slaley Forests.
Many parts of Kielder Water and Forest Park are set to reopen too, including the entire 27-mile route of the Lakeside Way, which will once again host the Kielder Marathon this October. Teams from Forestry England and Northumbrian Water have worked on clearing thousands of tonnes of fallen timber so that walkers, cyclists and horse riders can once again circumnavigate Kielder Water - one of the major attractions for the 400,000 people who visit the forest park each year.
Graham Perry, Director of Kielder Water and Forest Park said: "It's been a terrific team effort by all the partners at Kielder to get the Lakeside Way reopened in time for the school summer holidays. This is a very special place and we want people to have fun whilst also helping us protect our stunning countryside."
Despite the re-opening of Kielder and the other forests, work on tree clearance and replanting is still underway in Holystone, Simonside, Harwood Forest and Thrunton Woods. Due to the size and complexity of the damage and remote locations, work at these sites is expected to continue until 2023.
Margaret Anderson, Senior Ranger at Northumberland National Park, said: "If you’re planning to visit Northumberland National Park this summer, we strongly advise you check northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk before you travel. Forestry England also keeps an up-to-date list of which Forestry sites are open at forestryengland.uk.
"Simonside has always been a popular place to visit in the National Park, but the forest and Forestry England car park there remain closed for now. The National Park is a living, working landscape and we ask that visitors don’t park on verges, in front of gates and entrances or anywhere on the road where you will block access for local communities and emergency vehicles."
To celebrate the reopening of several Northumberland forests , Northumberland County Council and Forestry England are reminding visitors of their 'Love It Like It's Yours' campaign. The campaign aims to welcome people to the county while reminding everyone to act responsibly by following the Countryside Code.
Alex MacLennan, Forestry England's Recreation Public Affairs Manager in Northumberland, said: "The reopening of Northumberland’s forests is credit to all of the ground crews carrying out a safe and measured approach to the complex and specialist recovery work. We continue to ask that everyone stays on the main forest tracks and always adheres to all information, warning signs and barriers to stay safe and support the ongoing recovery work across the county.
"It is thanks to the public’s patience we are able to welcome them back to the county’s beloved forests this summer. We appreciate there’s still more work to be done but we continue to ask for their understanding. The great news is Northumberland’s forests are recovering and work is well underway and we are pleased to be able to start welcoming visitors to Hepburn, Wooler Common, Wark, Fourlaws, Falstone, Slaley forests as well as Kielder Water and Forest Park and we are working towards all Northumberland woodlands being reopened over the next year."
Andrew Fox, Chair of Visit Northumberland, added: "Following the reopening of several of the county's forests and trails we are expecting an increase in visitor numbers over the coming summer months. While we're looking forward to welcoming all our visitors we'd just remind people to behave responsibly and love Northumberland like it’s your own so everyone can enjoy all it has to offer."
For more information on travelling to Northumberland's forests this summer and to check if they are open, visit the websites of Northumberland National Park and Forestry England.
Which is your favourite forest to visit in Northumberland? Let us know!
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