NORTHUMBERLAND WILDLIFE TRUST
Nearest Town: Redesdale head, on the A68 at Carter Bar
OS Map: NT700040 (OS 50 000 Sheet 80)
This 1510ha NNR and SSSI is the Trust’s largest reserve and is notable for its active blanket bog and heather heaths.
Location and access: The reserve is located at the head of Redesdale, south of the A68 Newcastle to Jedburgh road where it crosses the Scottish Border at Carter Bar. There is parking at the tourist car park at Carter Bar and on laybys on the forest track at the reservoir end. A public footpath leads along the old track to the Whitelee Limeworks and then southwards. This footpath extends to the southern boundary of the site and eastwards along it to link up with a bridleway from the White Kielder Burn via Girdle Fell to the Chattlehope Burn. Additionally there is access on foot via the Forest Enterprise road near the eastern corner of the reserve. The reserve is remote and wild, and the weather can change quickly. Visitors should have hill-walking experience if attempting long walks.
Whitelee Moor is a site of European conservation importance due to its active blanket bog and heather heaths. It also contains other habitats and species of national and international importance. Localised vegetation types include soligenous mires and flushes, and communities of sandstone crags and blockfields. The River Rede and its tributaries add to the habitat diversity. Notable breeding birds include merlin and stonechat. Black grouse, skylark, meadow pipit, dunlin, curlew, golden plover, grey wagtail, dipper and ring ouzel regularly visit the reserve. Otters often hunt along the Rede. A herd of feral goats based at neighbouring Kielderhead Moor is now constrained by a goat-fence to an area including Whitelee Moor.