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The source of the River Coquet is in the Cheviot hills of Northumberland, within a mile or two of the border with Scotland. By the time it reaches Hepple, the river is meandering through a broad valley of farmland and small woodlands, flanked on the south side by the heather-covered Simonside hills and to the north the foothills of the Cheviots. Just a mile or so
east of Hepple lie the sand and gravel workings of Caistron. The modern operation
commenced production in July 1956, although there had been a very small production unit
under previous ownership situated further upstream. Sand and gravel used to be extracted
from the bed of the River Coquet until the end of 1964 when extraction took place on the
exposed shoals above water level. In 1969 planning permission was obtained to excavate the
haugh land on the south side of the river, working in a westerly direction, with no
further extraction from the banks and shoals of the River Coquet. In addition, and most
importantly, the wet pits left after extraction were to be restored into a nature reserve.
R To attract the maximum variety of wildlife to the reserve a range of restoration techniques are being employed. The perimeters of the lakes are designed with bays and peninsulas to maximise the shore line and many have been formed around mature trees which existed on the haugh land prior to extraction. One of the most important features has been the creation of extensive shallow feeding areas for wading birds. Although there is continuous natural regeneration of the vegetation a large number of trees and shrubs are being planted in selected areas. In the spring and autumn passage waders build up in numbers as they feed and roost on the wading areas. Wildfowl are numerous, with large numbers present throughout the year and an ever increasing breeding population. The fish in the lakes occasionally attract a passing osprey, and the security of the water brings increasing numbers of geese to roost each winter. From the beginning, the Company has been determined that those interested in wildlife should have the opportunity of visiting this private nature reserve at Caistron, provided appointments are made, as it is still a working quarry. To achieve this, careful planning has been necessary so as to allow visitors to the reserve without causing disturbance to wildlife. To this end, the Company has constructed a road hidden from view of the wildlife, together with an information centre, allowing access to several hides currently in use. If necessary, buses and cars can use this road thus enabling the disabled and the elderly to gain access to the hides.
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estoration at Caistron follows immediately after extraction so that the nature reserve is
maturing and being enlarged at the same time.