About the reserve

Made of 1.5 million tonnes of rock, clay and soil, the Lady (as she is known locally) is 100 feet high and a quarter of a mile long. Far from being a rigid manicured art form, Northumberlandia is a living part of the countryside that will mature over time and change with the seasons. What you see when you visit is only the start of something that will evolve through generations.

Sixteen red list species of birds have been spotted onsite and tree sparrows are now nesting in the boxes in the woodland. Kestrels can often be seen hovering and buzzards can be spotted soaring over the landform itself. The woodland harbours many birds and spectacular fungi (in the autumn), whilst the grasslands are hotspots for butterflies and meadow flowers. The ponds attract birdlife including nesting little grebe, tufted duck, mallards and heron and also provide a home to great crested and smooth newt.

Northumberlandia was built by the Banks Group and Blagdon Estate as part of the restoration of the adjacent Shotton surface coal mine. This project called Restoration First, has provided a unique opportunity to create a spectacular art form whilst maintaining the mining process.