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Ryton Willows
A large expanse of riverside grassland managed by Gateshead
M.B.C., to the south of the River Tyne, close to the old village of Ryton-upon-Tyne,
grid reference NZ155650. Parking is available at the bottom of Station
Bank, off the old village green. The Ryton Willow's ponds and marshes
are all Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Site description:
Ryton Willows LNR covers approximately 43 hectares and consists of a variety
of habitats including semi-natural woodland, unimproved acid grassland,
a series of ponds with associated wetland communities, scrub and riverside.
The wet woodland, ponds, swamp and marsh have been designated as a SSSI
and support locally rare species such as bladderwort, marsh cinquefoil
and bottle sedge.
The Willows itself is an area of common land with a long history of grazing.
Scarce herbs such as small cudweed and corn salad rely upon the maintenance
of a short sward. An extensive area of gorse and broom scrub is managed
by a rotational cutting regime. The tidal riverside contains areas of
saltmarsh with associated xerophytic flora.
The "willows" itself is a large area
of dry acidic grassland, there are three very different ponds on site,
appreciable areas of Gorse and Broom scrub, mature woodland, and open
riverside. The woods hold a variety of typical species, and the springtime
is very good for viewing both Nuthatch and the elusive Hawfinch. Three
species of woodpecker have been recorded, but far and away the commonest
is Great Spotted. The Gorse scrub holds large numbers of breeding finches
and warblers, including Lesser Whitethroat and Sedge. Large numbers of
Goosander congregate on the river during the winter, moving up and downstream,
and the wintering flock of up to 250 Goldeneye is of national importance.
Spring should see movements of waders such as Oystercatcher and Common
Sandpiper along the Tyne Valley, whilst autumn brings skeins of geese
heading westwards towards the Solway Firth. The river is always likely
to produce something of interest, and over recent years Red and Black-throated
Divers, Smew, Common Scoter, and Black-necked Grebe have all been recorded.
Gorse scrub looking NW
The Curling Pond
[photos:KR]
The Fire over the Easter weekend 2006
[photo: Steven Fryer
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