Overview
The Rising Sun Country Park is situated off the A191 Gosforth to Whitley Bay road. It comprises Swallow Pond, a large lake formed by subsidence of former mine workings, Dukes Pond, a smaller pond, areas of mature and young trees, agricultural land and rough grass covering remains of the former pit heap.
Birds
Notable Species
To do
Rarities
To do
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Goldeneye, Ruddy Duck, Common Pheasant, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Grey Heron, Common Moorhen, Common Coot, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Black-headed Gull, Mew Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Swift, Eurasian Skylark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Northern House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Winter Wren, Hedge Accentor, European Robin, Eurasian Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Common Whitethroat, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Common Magpie, Eurasian Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Linnet, Reed Bunting
Other Wildlife
To do
Site Information
History and Use
The Country Park was created on the former sites of the Rising Sun Colliery and the Scaffold Hill Isolation Hospital.
The Rising Sun Colliery produced coal from 1914 until 1969. The original shaft was southeast of Rising Sun Hill with secondary shafts near the Visitors’ Centre. After the colliery closed, the pit heap was landscaped into Rising Sun Hill.
Scaffold Hill Isolation Hospital opened was built to care for patients suffering from infectious diseases such as Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria. By the 1950s, isolation hospitals were no longer needed and the hospital became Holystone Hospital and was used to care for the elderly until it closed in 1986.
Areas of Interest
To do
Access and Facilities
The Rising Sun Country Park is signposted from the A191 Whitley Road. The turning is next to the ASDA Supermarket car Park. The car park at the Visitors’ Centre is locked in the evenings so in that case, park at the Supermarket and walk in via the Old Killingworth Wagonway (bridle path).
The Country Park is less than 800 metres (½ mile) from the Palmersville Metro Station. Some Arriva and Stagecoach North East bus services run along Whitely Road. There is pedestrian access to the Country Park from many of the surrounding estates.
The Visitors’ Centre contains a restaurant, toilets and exhibition rooms.
There are two bird watching hides. The newest is on the Killingworth Wagonway, looking northeast across Swallow Pond towards the Visitors’ Centre. This is an steel hide with a roof and steel benches but no back. There is room for a wheelchair beside the benches.
The older hide looks across Swallow Pond from the wooded path that runs near to the northwest side of the pond. It is a simple masonry screen with viewing holes and no roof or seats. One of the holes may be low enough to suit a wheelchair user.
Contact Details
Visitors’ Centre phone: 0191 2007841
Visitors’ Centre email: [email protected]
External Links
Rising Sun Country Park
Metro Travel Information
Arriva Bus Services
Stagecoach Bus Services
Durham Mining Museum
