North Pennines

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North Pennines
Cauldron Snout in the North Pennines AONB
Country	England
County	County Durham, Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Cumbria
Location	North-east England
Animal	Red Squirrel

The North Pennines is the northernmost part of the so-called 'backbone of England', the range of hills which runs through the centre of the northern half of England, from north to south.

It has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty for its moorland scenery, the product of centuries of farming and leadmining. Isaac's Tea Trail is a circular route of 58 kilometers around the area, running from Ninebanks via Allendale, Nenthead and Alston. In addition to this, a large section of the Pennine Way falls in the AONB, including one of the most celebrated stretches through Teesdale, a lush valley with dramatic river scenery including the twin attractions of High Force and Cauldron Snout.

The AONB is often referred to as 'England's Last Wilderness' and is notable for rare flora and fauna, including wild alpine plants not found elsewhere in Britain. It is also home to red squirrels, diverse birds of prey and 40% of England's remaining hay meadows. These features, along with a unique geological heritage, resulted in the AONB becoming Britain's first Unesco-designated geopark.

Another of the North Pennines' oddities is that it is home to England's only named wind, the Helm Wind. It has caught out many walkers traversing the plateaux around Cross Fell, and the valleys in between Alston and Dufton.

The great English poet W. H. Auden spent much time in this area and some forty poems and two plays are set here. He referred to the region as his "Mutterland" his "great good place" and equated it with his idea of Eden. Scores of Pennine place-names are found in his work, including Cauldron Snout.