Woodland for sale

Exact Location, viewing Instructions and further details can be found in our brochure below.

A private woodland of mature broadleaves and open glades on gentle slopes.

Riding Copse is part of a substantial broadleaf woodland known as Hyons Wood, two miles southwest of Prudhoe. Hexham is about 10 miles to the northwest and Newcastle a similar distance to the east. Both are easily reached in half an hour via the A69.

The wood has a gentle northern aspect and lies towards the base of a wide shallow valley. A former mining area, the last coal left here some 70 years ago. Over time, nature has convincingly reclaimed the territory. Roe deer, badgers and foxes all live here, as do a range of woodland songsters in the canopy above. The mew of buzzards is often heard in the day and the hoot of tawny owls at night.

The heart of Riding Copse is dominated by birch, within which you will find a number of scattered oak and beech. There is also a most attractive stand of mature oak towards the west side of the wood. The shrub layer is a mix of hawthorn, holly, hazel and gorse along with a few patches of young oak stems. The woodland floor is composed of soft grasses, ferns, honeysuckle, foxglove and a variety of woodland flowers. Towards the upper south side of the wood tree density progressively reduces, linking to a number of small glades within which the vendor has recently planted a variety of saplings including oak, field maple, spindle and wild pear.

Two streams cross the property and there is a small seasonal pond near the middle of the wood.

The wood is served by a well-found stone track for the most part, but the final link to Riding Copse is an unsurfaced track usually navigable by 2WD, with a title right to upgrade with stone if desired.

Riding Copse demands little in the way of immediate management but with its secluded location, obvious amenity and generous acreage it is an attractive proposition.

Safety Note: Due to historic mining activity in the wider woodland there may be unknown entrances and fissures which are not visible on the surface. There is no definitive plan of mining activity. Please take extra care when viewing.

Our Forester'sThoughts

Alastair says...

"I’d release a small stand of young oak which are currently overshadowed by mature birch, and also look to control the bracken (without chemicals) in the open areas in the hope of encouraging the ground flora.

I’d like to enlarge and line the pond in the hope of creating a year-round feature to attract additional insect and avian species. A few birdboxes would I imagine be well used. Off-grid weekends would certainly feature."

Please remember some management operations require approval and/or a licence.