Rock Festival

Kielder stone - Ian Jackson

Kielder stone. Image by: Ian Jackson.

Northumberland Rock Festival

50 extraordinary places to celebrate Northumberland’s rich rock heritage

Northumberland is home to outstanding rocks – genuine 'rock stars'!

Our rocky places are some of the best in Britain.

We're delighted to have celebrated our 50th anniversary with the Rock Festival, where we revealed 50 extraordinary rock sites across the old county of Northumberland.

How many of these 50 Geo-Sites can you visit?

Drake stone - Ian Jackson

Each place has a very special story to tell. From rocky connections with our landscape and wildlife, to the history and the origins of our heritage and culture.

Some you will know well, some less so – but all 50 of them has something that is guaranteed to surprise you!

Rocks and the landscape they provide are fundamental to the Trust. It is the rich geodiversity of Northumberland – the enormous range of rocks and soils - which underpins our biodiversity – our amazing variety of plants and animals.

Northumberland owes more to its rocks than perhaps any other county. Our heritage is inseparably linked to them. Without the Whin Sill, where would Hadrian have built his Wall, or the barons their castles? And without coal and lead our history and landscape would be completely different.

Each month throughout our 50-year anniversary, we showcased a new set of geo-sites

Find out where the sites are, and learn fun facts about the rocks and landscapes.

How many can you visit? Link the sites together and tick them off your list. Don’t just go for a walk, go for a walk and discover your past! Each site has a walking trail available.

See the Rocks and Fossils of the month

Have fun, get some fresh air and learn some new things about Northumberland.

All 50 geo-sites have been specially selected by professional geologist and NWT Trustee, Ian Jackson, and ecologist and NWT Vice President, Angus Lunn.

Here’s a short video from Ian all about our Rock Festival.

Monthly geo-sites

We’ve chosen the rocks to showcase the best geology across all Northumberland.

Click here to see our monthly geosites where you can:

  • Discover ancient volcanoes and molten magma
  • See how earthquakes have bent solid rock
  • Search out the fossils
  • Find evidence of the last glacier and changes in our climate
  • See how rocks influence our history, culture and economy

 

Look out for the symbols so you know what’s special about these Geo-sites.

Rock Festival symbols

Book now available!

This book opens a window into the Northumberland beneath your feet and reveals the origins of its landscape and its habitats. The book encourages you to look at your landscapes with fresh eyes and will inspire you to explore some, or maybe even all, of these 50 extraordinary places. This book is a partnership production between Northumberland Wildlife Trust and Northern Heritage Services.

Priced at £12, the book, published by Northern Heritage is available from their online shop www.northern-heritage.co.uk and a number of stockists around the region listed below.

Find the book in these stores

  • The Sill, Hadrian's Wall
  • North East National Trust venues 
  • North East Waterstones
  • Cogito Books, Hexham
  • Forum Books, Corbridge
  • Accidental Bookshop, Alnwick
  • The Bound, Whitley Bay
  • W H Smith, Alnwick
  • Heritage Centre, Lindisfarne
  • The Chantry, Morpeth
  • Alnwick Post Office
  • Amble Post Office
  • Rothbury Post Office
  • Aln Gift Shop, Alnmouth
  • Newcastle Central Library Shop
  • Great North Museum, Newcastle
  • Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle