THE peatlands of the North Pennines will be celebrated at a two-day event at in Teesdale this weekend.

As a distinct part of this area for thousands of years, this often misunderstood landscape not only plays a huge part in the UK’s ecosystem, it also has been the foundation many people’s livelihoods and past times.

To mark ten years of its Peatland Programme, the North Pennines AONB Partnership, will be curating two days of events and activities at the Bowlees Visitor Centre, just outside of Barnard Castle.

As well as a wide range of events for children, including pond-dipping, peatland games and bog-related arts and crafts, there are also trips from the centre to Upper Teesdale where there is an excellent example of healthy peatland – the type that the AONB Partnership is striving to maintain and restore throughout the North

Alistair Locket, Field Officer from the AONB Partnership, said: “At first glance they may not be as pretty as hay meadows but as you do with all the best things, you have to look a little closer to see its true beauty.

“Healthy peatlands play a huge part in maintaining water quality. Damaged peat releases CO2 into the atmosphere, which increases the effects of climate change. We are repairing the damage that has been done over the years.

“It’s a big job but we are making good progress.”

The weekend event will also have a working peatland restoration model, to show how the process works, and people can create their own ‘bog-in-a-box to take home with them.

There will also be memories from people who have worked on peatlands in the North Pennines and photographs from the past 100 years.

The free event will be held on July 9 and 10, between 10am and 3pm.

For more information visit northpennines.org.uk