Elemore Country park and wildlife area.

This was a golf course and now it has a coffee shop and garden centre as well as an extensive wildlife area. It is close to Easington Lane and Hetton-le hole. We had a lovely wildlife walk then lunch. 
Originally it was a colliery and a railway was built in 1822 to carry the coal to coal Staithes on the river Wear at Sunderland.  The engine was designed by George Stephenson.This part of the world - (the North East of England) was the birthplace of steam trains because there was a need to carry large amounts of coal to the coast to be shipped. Last week I had a ride on Puffing Billy a steam engine built by William Hedley in 1813 also to carry coal.  See more about it here if you are interested.https://www.blipfoto.com/entry/3138958062568605390