Teesdale

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There is a separate article for the local government district of Teesdale.

Teesdale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Pennines in England. The Tees rises below Cross Fell, the highest hill (2930 feet O.D.) in the Pennines, and its uppermost valley is remote and high: before climate change the local climate was scientifically classified as "Sub-Arctic" and snow often lay on Cross Fell into June. Unusually for the Pennines, much volcanic rock - the "Whin Sill" - contributes to the surface geology and scenery of Teesdale. On erupting, molten, from beneath, it filled or passed up through fissures in the prevailing limestone and spread out above it. Over its ledges fall the famous waterfalls of High and Low Force and the cataract of Cauldron Snout. In places this impenetrable rock, with shallow soil above it, prevented the growth of scrub or trees: this enabled post-glacial Arctic / Alpine plants to survive here when elsewhere they were overgrown. The residual "sugar" limestone once heated by the volcanic rock also meets the requirements of some of these plants. Teesdale is famous among naturalists for the "Teesdale Assemblage" of plants found together here that occur widely separated in other locations, abroad or in the British Isles. Part of Upper Teesdale near the Cow Green Reservoir is designated a National Nature Reserve; it contains the unique Teesdale Violet and the blue Spring Gentian as well as commoner but beautiful Pennine flowers such as rockrose, spring sandwort, mountain pansy, bird's-eye primrose and butterwort. Hay meadows in the valley above High Force, some now carefully cultivated to ensure this, contain an extremely rich variety of flowering plants including globe flower, wood cranesbill and Early Purple Orchid. On the south bank of the Tees near High Force can be seen the largest surviving juniper wood in England. Teesdale's principal villages include Middleton-in-Teesdale, Mickleton, Eggleston, Romaldkirk, and Cotherstone. Middleton-in-Teesdale was a lead-mining centre, and plentiful traces of this industry can be seen round the adjoining slopes and side-valleys. On the South side of Teesdale looms the Bronze Age burial site of Kirkcarrion. Teesdale gives its name to the Teesdale district of County Durham, although the south side of Teesdale lies within the historic county boundaries of the North Riding of Yorkshire. Formerly the Startforth Rural District, it was transferred to County Durham for administrative and ceremonial purposes on 1 April 1974, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972. All of Teesdale lies within the parliamentary constituency of Bishop Auckland (Co. Durham). The River Tees flows through Teesdale before reaching Barnard Castle, thereafter passing to the south of Darlington, reaching the North Sea south of Hartlepool after passing Stockton-on-Tees and Middlesbrough. Running roughly parallel to Teesdale to the north is Weardale.