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Geography

The Environmental Issue

History

The Coal Industry

The Clay industry

The Woollen industry: A History Mystery

 

Science

 

Minibeasts  

Habitats

 

Earthwalks

Rocks and Soils

 

Cross Curricular

Wool

Gallery

Geography

Haltwhistle Burn - The River

 

 

The Burn is a small river or large stream! It varies greatly in flow according to the recent weather conditions. After rain it can be torrential and the banks clearly show the erosive effect of this powerful flow. Children can observe how the bank is being eroded in one place whilst sand and gravel is being deposited in others. Where the effect of this erosion is greatest, the banks have been reinforced by walls, rock-armour or gabions - rock filled cages.  Photographs of the great flood of June 2006 show the devastation that fast-flowing water can produce and children can compare these photographs with the repair and reinforcement work which has been carried out since and discuss its efficacy and visual impact.

The Burn can be traced from near its source beside the Roman Wall to its confluence with the South Tyne and children can observe the changing character of the stream.  

The force of the water of the Burn has been harnessed for hundreds of years to provide the motive power for corn and woollen mills, the earliest in Roman times.

 

 

One of the old mill buildings can still be seen and the remains of two others can be found. Photographs of the mills when still

 

occupied and maps from 1860 are available to help children locate the “vanished mills”. One of the mill races can still be traced running along the bank and this clearly shows how water had to be brought from further upstream to provide a head of water sufficient to power the wooden mill wheels.

Stream dipping can also be arranged during the dry summer months.

Curriculum Links

Geography

Rivers

Science  

Plants and animals in their environment

Habitats

Also links with energy production/hydo-power/ green issues

 

Resources

Fieldtrip with leader and use of Woodland Classroom.

Maps, ( historical and  detailed large-scale)

Photos of flood damage

Historic photos of Mills