Our Coast, Our Sea - Learning and learning accomodation providers
There are huge learning opportunities spanning the length of the Northumberland and Berwickshire Coast. Links are provided throughout the Our Coast Our Sea website, and are also grouped below. (If you think you should be on this list and you’re not, then please email us)
Where to learn about the natural environment
St Abbs & Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve
Education is one of the main aims of the Marine Reserve. The Marine Ranger carries out a wide range of educational activities, encompassing both formal and informal education, and the full spectrum of ages from pre-school upwards.
The Marine Ranger is available to give talks & lead activities both on and off site for all age groups from nursery to further education. There is also the possibility of combining a visit to the VMR with a visit to the breeding seabird colony at St Abb’s Head where the National Nature Reserve Ranger can lead seabird activities.
Coquet Island is an RSPB reserve about one mile off Amble, Northumberland. It is home to a large colony of nesting sea birds and is specially protected under European Law for birds such as the roseate tern, one of our rarest nesting seabirds. Birds are everywhere on Coquet Island and the walls and gardens are home to several hundred nesting eider ducks. For this reason, the island is designated as a sanctuary and the public are not allowed to land. However, it is still possible to view roseates and the other terns and seabirds from The Amble Tourist Information Centre which has a CCTV system. Boat trips are also run by a private contractor around the island.
A volunteer group that aims to encourage people to appreciate and enjoy wildlife, train people in the principles and practice of wildlife recording and gather data, and to use this to give advice on wildlife management. They organise talks by people involved with wildlife or conservation, walks and visits to nearby places of interest, led by members or appropriate experts and surveys of wildlife so that people can learn the process of wildlife recording and at the same time add to the database of local information. In addition members can attend workshops and learn new scientific skills and techniques and take part in lobbying and advisory work.
Howick Hall Gardens offer a ‘Family Explorer Challenge’ – A nature trail which wanders through the arboretum & woodland walks and poses a number of questions about wildlife and nature before bringing you back into the garden.
The Berwickshire & North Northumberland Coast European marine site
The Berwickshire & North Northumberland Coast European Marine Site Marine Education Programme first introduces the site via a school assembly given by the European Marine Site (EMS) officer. Each school is then offered a guided visit to the site with a selection of activities to aid the children’s understanding of the environment. The first of these is a rocky shore safari, where children can discover the abundant marine life that inhabits the crevices and rockpools of our rocky beaches. The children are then given the chance to translate what they have learned creatively in the form of beach art. Some schools may also wish to take the opportunity to perform a beach clean. Beach cleans teach the children about the hazards of litter while also ridding the beach of unsightly rubbish.
The Northumberland Wildlife Trust offer activities than can be tailored towards formal and informal education, within and outside the classroom, from playgroups and after-school clubs to teacher training. Sessions can involve classroom lessons, practical conservation training, and volunteering and local community projects. Formal sessions can link to the science, citizenship, geography, numeracy, literacy and other curricula. Our informal sessions are all fun and engaging, with social outcomes. Typical activities include, but are not limited to pond dipping, mini-beast hunts, bird watching, nest box and feeder making, wildlife gardening and after-school wildlife clubs. Activities are all reasonably priced, but some schools may qualify for up to 100% subsidy for activities and financial help with transport and other costs. A professional team of skilled volunteers work to very stringent health and safety and child protection policies, available on request
National Trust wardens are on hand on both islands to chat about the Farnes’ history and wildlife or answer your questions. There are also occasional guided walks around Inner Farne. A great place for budding wildlife-spotters and history detectives. You can download wildlife and history I-Spy sheets from the National Trust website
A National Trust for Scotland Ranger Service operates from the centre all year round. The Nature Centre is open daily from April to October.
The John Muir Award is a nationally recognised environmental award scheme which encourages participants to take responsibility for the natural environment by connecting, enjoying and caring for wild places. It is free and open to groups, families and individuals. It promotes personal development and learning new skills, and is a great way to celebrate achievement. Participants complete four challenges: discover a wild place; actively explore it; do something to conserve it; and share your experiences.
For further information visit www.johnmuiraward.org or contact Katy Standish by email or phone 0191 373 9799.
School of Marine Science and Technology – Newcastle University
The Dove Marine Laboratory provides a series of ecology courses for groups of up to 40 students.
For Key Stage 1, 2 and 3 pupils there are exciting hands-on explorations of the rocky shore directly outside the laboratory, tackling concepts from the national curriculum such as Habitats, Adaptations of Organisms to their Environment, Feeding Relationships and Classification. Inside the lab itself, the hidden wonder of the marine environment is opened up through aquarium collections and microscope investigations of plankton.
The lab also provides a range of half-day or day-long courses for GCSE, AS and A2 level students in Biology and Environmental Sciences.
Shepherds Walks is the largest guided walk provider in the region. From self guided walking guides, day long guided walks, training courses and walking holidays up the Northumberland Coast, Shepherds Walks covers the whole spectrum in a professional manner. Shepherds Walks also has a dedicated educational team (SWEP, Shepherds Walks Educational Programme) working with children of all ages to bring the countryside and coast to life.
Walking guides and day long guided walk – www.shepherdswalks.co.uk
Walking Holidays – www.shepherdswalksholidays.com
Shepherds Walks educational programme – www.swepuk.com
Northumberland Geo-caching web site – www.northumberlandgeocaching.com
Spindlestone Farm Bird Watching Hides
If you are staying in the Bamburgh area, you would be welcome to use the bird watching cabins on Spindlestone Farm, which is 2 miles inland from Bamburgh. These were built in the mid ‘80s beside ponds, and have been very successful. They are managed with the help of the North Northumberland Bird Club.
Holy Island Hikes – Guided Walks on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne
Holy Island is a nature reserve of international importance for its bird and plant life. It also has a rich history being the “cradle of Christianity” for pagan Northumbria. There is always something interesting to see here and these walks, led by an experienced local guide, will introduce you to the many facets of life on Holy Island.
Privately booked walks are available all year round. They can be tailored to your groups requirements. Public walks operate at holiday times and are on a “just turn up” basis. There are occasional special interest walks which require booking.
For more information please contact the walk leader, Mary Gunn, on 01289 389225 or maryholyisland@aol.com
Where to learn about cultural heritage
Sea Rescue and Safety
The Seahouses lifeboat station is open daily and welcomes visitors and arranges occasional lifeboat fetes and family fun days
The Amble Lifeboat has been a part of the local community since 1842. They welcome visitors to the station, though are only able to accommodate groups and school parties by appointment.
The RNLI Grace Darling Museum offers a fun learning environment for all ages, with a dedicated Learning Officer and an exciting programme of workshops. Schools and groups can come on a general visit which is self led or book a workshop/talk with the Learning Officer. The museum also offers outreach sessions which bring Grace Darling or the RNLI into the classroom with costumes and objects.
Eyemouth Maritime Centre works with local education authorities, work based learning providers, local schools and the community learning network, aiming to provide opportunities for schools, businesses and individuals to access learning opportunities and skills development. The Centre provides family learning opportunities through a range of participative practical events.
In addition, a range innovative activities and events are planned to meet the needs of local people for learning and skills training, particularly in the marine sector. These will include:
- Taster days and short courses in marine craft occupation related areas.
- NVQ level trades and craft programmes in boat building, boat restoration and conservation, shipwriting, cabinetmaking, carpentary and joinery, wood machining and woodworking.
- Foundation degree courses for advanced modern apprenticeships. Particularly those in the marine sector.
- Community interest and maritime history courses and events.
Historic buildings
One of the most imposing castles in England, Bamburgh Castle dominates its part of the beautiful Northumberland coast. The castle is open to day visitors and parties of 12 or more, from approximately March to October. The castle also hosts the Armstrong Museum detailing the life of the first Lord Armstrong, through his work as an engineer, inventor and industrialist, and the
Bamburgh Castle Aviation Artefacts Museum (BCAAM) featuring relics of aviation from its beginnings to the present. Casualties from two world wars make up a large percentage of the exhibits.
The Bamburgh Research Project provides a wide range of education opportunities working with professional field archaeologists – from basic field techniques through to supervisory roles. Issues such as Health and Safety, contracts, choice of tools and equipment, how to successfully get a job, are all covered, as well as the more traditional skills and techniques necessary to function well as a professional field archaeologist. There are also places for up to 25 students (per week) to participate in the excavations and building recording.
Berwick Barracks, among the first in England to be purpose-built, were begun in 1717 to the design of the distinguished architect Nicholas Hawksmoor. Today the Barracks hosts a number of attractions, including ‘By Beat of Drum’ – an exhibition on the life of the British infantryman. While there, visit the King’s Own Scottish Borderers Museum, the Berwick Gymnasium Art Gallery and the Berwick Borough Museum.
The Main Guard is a Georgian Guard House near the quay: it displays ‘The Story of a Border Garrison Town’ exhibition, giving a unique insight into life in this coastal settlement.
Educational visits are free if prebooked at least two weeks in advance via the regional English Heritage office, call 01904 601917.
Download Teachers’ Information here
The remains of a medieval castle crucial to Anglo-Scottish warfare, superseded by the most complete and breathtakingly impressive bastioned town defences in England, are mainly Elizabethan but updated in the 17th and 18th centuries. Surrounding the whole historic town, the entire circuit of the walls can be walked, offering varying views of the sea and coastline.
The jagged ruins of the castle are spectacular in themselves and, perched on the cliffs high above the North Sea, occupy one of the most dramatic settings of any castle in Britain. Educational visits are free if prebooked at least two weeks in advance via the regional English Heritage office (0191 269 1227). Download Teacher’s Information here
The magnificent cross-shaped keep of Warkworth, crowning a hilltop rising steeply above the River Coquet, dominates one of the largest, strongest and most impressive fortresses in northern England. English Heritage run ‘Discovery Visits’ for school groups to find out about medieval life at Warkworth Castle.
Lindisfarne Priory was one of the most important centres of early Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England. English Heritage’s website provides visitor information (including safe crossing times), resources for teachers, a day planner, ideas for family family activities and a host of background information.
Dramatically perched on a rocky crag and accessible over a causeway at low tide only, Lindisfarne castle presents an exciting and alluring aspect. Introductory talks and group tours are on offer.
Themed stays
St Cuthbert’s House is a former Presbyterian church building in North Sunderland, beside Seahouses. Jeff and Jill Sutheran offer themed stays, which explore local heritage and the natural environment – some recent examples include Northumbrian Heritage; Photography; Whales, Waders and Wildfowl; and Castles, Houses and Gardens. The building has been renovated to an exceptionally high standard, using craftsmen, and incorporating many original features. The Gold-Award winning Bed & Breakfast accommodation uses locally-sourced produce and is awaiting grading by the Green Tourism Business Scheme. St Cuthbert’s House welcomes children over 12.
For further information, see the website but please telephone to book.
Sports
Coquet Shorebase Trust is a community based watersports centre located in Amble, Northumberland, registered with the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority, and providing watersports courses and training for all.
A very active club, sailing year-round at home and abroad embracing windsurfers of all abilities.
Residential programmes
Ford Castle offers unique and flexible residential visits with activities for all ages, subjects and interest groups. A range of courses are available including Field Studies, Adventure Activities, Personal and team development, and Curriculum linked education courses in Science, History, Geography, English/Drama, Modern Foreign Languages and Music
School of Marine Science and Technology – Newcastle University
The Dove Marine Lab provides week-long packages that cover different habitats and techniques. Accommodation can be arranged for groups travelling from afar. Why not base your A2 coursework at the Dove Marine Laboratory?. They can get pupils started with the basics of identification, sampling techniques, before launching them off on their own explorations seeded with ecological project ideas. Courses include
- The factors affecting the distribution of organisms on a rocky shore.
- The distribution of a rocky shore invertebrate or plant species with respect to a particular factor.
- The communities of intertidal rockpools.
- Evolution, speciation and biodiversity.
- The fauna of seaweeds.
- Shell selection in Pagurus bernhardus.
- Food preferences of marine molluscs.
- Community succession on a rocky shore.
- Factors affecting the distribution of seaweeds.
- Introduction to the zooplankton of the North Sea.
- Sediment shore ecology.
- Sand dune ecology (Most appropriate from May-September)
- Marine pollution.
- Mitosis and meiosis and recombination.
- Fisheries and Marine Ecosystems.
- Fisheries and Marine Production Systems.
- Management of Marine Production Systems.
St Cuthbert’s House is a former Presbyterian church building in North Sunderland, beside Seahouses. Jeff and Jill Sutheran offer themed stays, which explore local heritage and the natural environment – some recent examples include Northumbrian Heritage; Photography; Whales, Waders and Wildfowl; and Castles, Houses and Gardens. The building has been renovated to an exceptionally high standard, using craftsmen, and incorporating many original features. The Gold-Award winning Bed & Breakfast accommodation uses locally-sourced produce and is awaiting grading by the Green Tourism Business Scheme. St Cuthbert’s House welcomes children over 12.
For further information, see the website but please telephone to book
Continuing professional development for teachers
The Northumberland Wildlife Trust offers training for teachers and school staff to allow them to run environmental education activities in their own schools. The hands-on, modular courses have been specifically designed to fit around a teacher’s busy schedule and are very reasonably priced. They will be delivered by expert Trust staff and will provide all the skills needed to run a wide range of activities safely, effectively and confidently.
Places are still available on the first course which will take place on Tuesday 2 March 2010 at the Trust’s St Nicholas Park headquarters in Gosforth, Newcastle.
For further information on the Programme, please contact Jason Gaskell, Head of People and Wildlife at the Trust on: 0191 284 6884 or via email at: jason.gaskell@northwt.org.uk
To book a place on the next course, please contact Laura Lowther on: 0191 284 6884 or via email at: laura.lowther@northwt.org.uk
As well as residential visits for schools and families Ford Castle also offer tailored courses for teaching staff
