In the landscape around Gilsland and Greenhead you can find a wide variety of habitats
for wildflowers and wildlife. The moorland, woodland, forests and valleys provide homes for many
different species, you may see foxes, hares, roe deer, otters or red squirrels.
We are particularly proud of our red squirrels which love the Scots pines in the area, and are
free from the dreaded greys.
Border Mires
Of special note are the Border Mires, under the care of the Northumberland Wildlife Trust,
where the precious bogland flora is thriving once again.
Thirlwall Castle
Thirlwall Castle itself is a rather special habitat – the Northumberland National Park’s recent
conservation work carefully preserved not only the nesting sites in its walls for the swifts, and the
roosts for the bats, but the 2,000-year-old lichens on the stones (stolen by the medieval
builders from the Roman Wall!) and the masses of plants that have colonised the tops of the walls.