Tynemouth to Seaton Sluice
Also within
Northumberland CountyTyne & Wear County King Charles Way - South Bents to Amble National Trail
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NZ340762 | — | Favourable | 50.91 | 2024-07-29 |
| NZ347757 | — | Favourable | 50.91 | 2024-07-29 |
| NZ360724 | — | Favourable | 32.05 | 2024-10-30 |
| NZ362721 | — | Favourable | 32.05 | 2024-10-30 |
| NZ364712 | — | Favourable | 32.05 | 2024-10-30 |
| NZ366710 | — | Favourable | 32.05 | 2024-10-30 |
| NZ367714 | — | Favourable | 32.05 | 2024-10-30 |
| NZ374694 | — | Favourable | 4.41 | 2024-07-29 |
Climate exposure
This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.
Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Mudstone, Sandstone
Landscape processes: Coastal, Fluvial
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| golden plover | Wintering |
| knot | Wintering |
| purple sandpiper | Wintering |
| ringed plover | Wintering |
| sanderling | Wintering |
| turnstone | Wintering |
Description
Area, 3797.9 ha. 241.9 ac.70.4 ha. 173.9 ac.27.5 ha. 68.0 ac. Description The coast from Tynemouth to Seaton Sluice provides one of the best exposures of Coal Measures strata in great Britain, showing a continuous lower Westphalian B sequence from the Plessey to the High Main seams. It includes outcrops of numerous coal seams and several mudstone horizons yielding non marine bivalve faunas, which together provide a tight stratigraphical control on the sequence. Of particular importance are outcrops of sandstone bodies, which have been interpreted as braided river deposits in marked contrast to the meandering river deposits which dominate the Pennines Coalfields to the south. This implies that the Northumberland Coalfield was formed in a more elevated area relative to the Pennines Coalfield and was then probably rather further from the sea. The site is thus of considerable importance for interpreting the palaeogeographical structure of Britain during the Middle Carboniferous. This section of the coast supports a significant proportion of the internationally important winter populations of purple sandpiper over 10 percent, sanderling over 10 percent and turnstone over 5 percent which occur on the Northumberland coast. In addition there are locally important numbers of knot, ringed plover and golden plover. Other Information 1. This site has been identified as of national importance in the Geological Conservation Review. 2. During the 1989 revision this site has been amended to include land not previously notified* and exclude some areas previously notified*. * Under Section 23 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949.
Species mentioned
Show the 6 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| turnstone | Arenaria interpres | VU (NonBreeding) | bird-wader | scolopacidae |
| sanderling | Calidris alba | LC (NonBreeding) | bird-wader | scolopacidae |
| knot | Calidris canutus | LC (NonBreeding) | bird-wader | scolopacidae |
| purple sandpiper | Calidris maritima | EN (NonBreeding), CR (Breeding) | bird-wader | scolopacidae |
| ringed plover | Charadrius hiaticula | VU (NonBreeding) | bird-wader | charadriidae |
| golden plover | Pluvialis apricaria | LC (NonBreeding), LC (Breeding) | bird-wader | charadriidae |
Plant communities
A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream
Potamogeton natans community
Show 20 indicator speciesSchoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa
A14 — Fast flowing river and stream
Myriophyllum alterniflorum community
Show 15 indicator speciesIsolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina
A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community
Show 11 indicator speciesBerula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans
A18 — Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus fluitans community
Show 12 indicator speciesFontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea