A new Marking the Ways leaflet for summer 2011
explores the art, history and wildlife of south and central Gateshead.
This area, in the shadow of the Angel of the North, has over a 20 year history of placing sculptures in the landscape to add interest and delight. This work first started in 1991 with the Marking the Ways project and carries on today - continuing to use artworks to waymark Gateshead's surprising countryside.
The new Marking the Ways leaflet, which is available at the Countryside Visitor Centres, St Mary's Visitor Centre and Libraries lists the 35 artworks which can be seen in the countryside of south Gateshead. The leaflet can also be downloaded from the top right hand corner of this page although please be aware the actual leaflet is large being A2 size.
Many of these are modest stone or timber sculptures by local artists including Gilbert Ward but there are also a number of larger pieces by internationally recognised sculptors including Floating Rocks| by Colin Rose at Watergate Forest Park.
The countryside around central and south Gateshead is one of the area's best kept secrets. Once a landscape dominated by coal mining and the development of the world's first railways the area is now an attractive and fascinating place to visit.
There are a wide range of woods, parks, nature reserves and gardens most with free access where you can walk, watch wildlife, look out for new artworks and explore the signs of our industrial heritage.
Whilst this area has seen enormous landscape change it still offers a glimpse of our industrial past. A number of sites and attractions can be visited in this area, just down the road from Beamish Museum including the Tanfield Railway| - the oldest operating railway in the world and the Bowes Railway Museum| - the only operational preserved standard gauge rope-hauled railway in the world.
This area of Gateshead is also a fantastic place to see wildlife and offers a wide range of accessible places to visit ranging from ancient woodlands to newly created wetlands and meadows. Many of these sites are owned by the Council which also runs a varied programme of events through the year.
Some of the Nature Reserves, gardens and countryside sites in south Gateshead
