Force Garth Quarry – Middleton-in-Teesdale
Third time lucky at this place…. I can safely say I will not be trekking all the way here again now, as after mucho petrol /time /poring over google maps… can safely say, job done.
After following a dead lead to another quarry site in the area (damn you dated google earth!) and a 3 mile hike in rain and wind trying not to get a cartridge in the bum by the country folk on their private estate out pheasant shooting, decided on Force Garth, an active quarry site that Dave, Sed and myself had attempted in the past but it was always too busy. On this occasion, and after noting their “clocking out” times, I was back in the area and decided to give it another go.
Thoroughly enjoyed mooching about here, it was an interesting site with some fab viewpoints from up the chutes and some awesome (well, to me anyway) plant machinery to gaze upon.
Force Garth Quarry, in upper Teesdale, is estimated to contain about 18 million tonnes of reserves. In 2012, Cemex UK Operations Ltd applied for permission from Durham County Council to expand it by extracting a further 5.2million tonnes over the next 15 years.
It certainly is a huge site, my pictures , as usual, don’t do it justice.. but hopefully you get a gist of the place. What made this place even more picturesque was the lovely waterfall across the river…Teesdale certainly is a beautiful part of the country.
Force Garth was opened in 1932 and is a key provider of building materials throughout Northern England.
Whinstone rock is quarried from the site, which produces between 250,000 to 300,000 tonnes a year.
Construction projects supplied by the quarry in recent times include the supply of 100,000 tonnes to Balfour Beatty for the maintenance and erection of electrical pylons in the Stockton and Spennymoor areas, and the supply of 35,000 tonnes of surface dressing chippings to councils for road repairs.
After following a dead lead to another quarry site in the area (damn you dated google earth!) and a 3 mile hike in rain and wind trying not to get a cartridge in the bum by the country folk on their private estate out pheasant shooting, decided on Force Garth, an active quarry site that Dave, Sed and myself had attempted in the past but it was always too busy. On this occasion, and after noting their “clocking out” times, I was back in the area and decided to give it another go.
Thoroughly enjoyed mooching about here, it was an interesting site with some fab viewpoints from up the chutes and some awesome (well, to me anyway) plant machinery to gaze upon.
Force Garth Quarry, in upper Teesdale, is estimated to contain about 18 million tonnes of reserves. In 2012, Cemex UK Operations Ltd applied for permission from Durham County Council to expand it by extracting a further 5.2million tonnes over the next 15 years.
It certainly is a huge site, my pictures , as usual, don’t do it justice.. but hopefully you get a gist of the place. What made this place even more picturesque was the lovely waterfall across the river…Teesdale certainly is a beautiful part of the country.
Force Garth was opened in 1932 and is a key provider of building materials throughout Northern England.
Whinstone rock is quarried from the site, which produces between 250,000 to 300,000 tonnes a year.
Construction projects supplied by the quarry in recent times include the supply of 100,000 tonnes to Balfour Beatty for the maintenance and erection of electrical pylons in the Stockton and Spennymoor areas, and the supply of 35,000 tonnes of surface dressing chippings to councils for road repairs.
