The Yorkshire Dales has a long and important history of lead mining, dating back to Roman times. The area is crossed by numerous rich veins of lead ore (galena). Metal mining reached its peak in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, driven by the Industrial Revolution and the demand for lead in construction and other industries.
This left a lasting mark on the local landscape, in places significantly altering the environment and influencing the evolution and character of its hamlets and villages.
While the last mine closed over a century ago, remains in the form of spoil heaps, shafts and ruined buildings can still be seen throughout the Dales, including Scheduled Monuments such as Old Gang Smelt Mill in Swaledale. This visible history is one of the National Park’s special qualities.
Read more on lead mining in the Dales.
The project
Nearly 150 km of rivers in Swaledale are polluted by metals including lead, cadmium and zinc released by abandoned metal mines (see Swale, Ure, Nidd, Ouse Upper management catchment: baseline length of rivers and estuaries polluted by abandoned metal mines – GOV.UK). Barney Beck in Upper Swaledale is one of the most heavily polluted rivers. Old mining activities in the area left behind loose, metal-rich soil. When it rains, heavy metals are washed out of these mine wastes into Barney Beck, polluting the water and impacting water quality and the ecology.
Pollution is also caused by contaminated groundwater (mine water) which flows out of the drainage tunnels built by the miners. This pollution, which harms river wildlife such as fish and river-flies, will continue for centuries unless action is taken. In 2023, Parliament adopted a legally-binding target to halve the length of rivers polluted by harmful metals from abandoned metal mines by 2038, against a baseline of ~1,500km (3% of English rivers).
This project, using innovative methods, is designed to safeguard the environment and start to clean up Barney Beck and the River Swale. The work will develop techniques to reduce heavy metals entering the river by encouraging vegetation to grow, while also limiting erosion of the wastes by surface waters.
The project area is concentrated around the watercourse which runs north of Old Gang Smelt Mill for around 1.5 miles. A public bridleway follows the course of the beck.
The area has important historical features and sensitive wildlife habitats, so any solution will be gentle and respectful of the environment.
Where is Barney Beck?
The project catchment area is indicated by the pink line.
Why does Barney Beck need help?
The area around Barney Beck was mined for lead, zinc and barium between 1700 and 1900. There is an extensive legacy of metal mining at Barney Beck, including many shafts, adits and drainage levels with several smelters and associated ore dressing floors. There are large areas of un-vegetated mine waste (spoil) and bare rock exposed as a result of the ore processing works. This waste material still contains heavy metals such as lead, zinc and cadmium. Rainwater, surface water flows and the beck can all contribute to these heavy metals being washed out of the mine wastes into beck, polluting Barney Beck and impacting water quality and ecology. The impact of this pollution continues downstream into the River Swale for several miles.
The Barney Beck catchment (17 square kilometres) sits within the Yorkshire Dales National Park and almost all is co-designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protected Areas, with some scheduled ancient woodland in the valley bottom above Healaugh village. Barney Beck is a tributary of the River Swale and enters the River Swale near the small village of Healaugh.
What is our solution?
The project will be undertaken in two stages to combine soft and hard engineering:
- Introducing vegetation (biocrust)
and
- Protecting the banks from erosion (revetments)
Introducing vegetation (biocrust)
This stage will use a method called phytostabilisation, which means using plants and their complex root systems to bind together the mine spoil, reducing erosion by wind and rain.
At the heart of this project is biocrust – a complex assembly of organisms like bacteria, algae, mosses and lichens that naturally grow within all soil. This active material, when applied to mine spoil helps plants to be able to establish in what would otherwise be a barren material.
This is made up of a number of steps:
Step 1: understand in detail the plant and soil ecology
Step 2: replicate the ecological conditions which enable plants to grow in mine spoil
Step 3: apply combinations of materials to the site, to help plants to become established
Step 4: monitor the plants and soils over several years to see how they develop
This stepped approach helps to identify the best method to enable plants to establish and flourish. The technique uses species already present on site and is a soft solution which is applied over the spoil, safeguarding the important industrial landscape in the area.
The data that is gathered from this project at Barney Beck will help to inform the approach to reducing pollution from other mined landscapes within the UK.
Protecting the banks from erosion (revetments)
This stage of the project is a more familiar approach, using revetment work to protect some of the banks from further erosion and limit the contaminated mine waste entering the beck.
Revetment works will be carried out on specific areas of beck where mine waste is actively eroding into Barney Beck.
Subject to further investigations, another stage of vegetation works may take place, including areas directly behind the new revetments to stabilise the mine waste further.
What does the phytostabilisation process involve?
Step 1 – Surveying the area
Work starts with a careful ecological survey of the area and mapping the habitats to identify where works are needed, whilst avoiding important rare habitats and historical features. Samples of soil are collected from areas over mine waste to characterise the species within the microbiome at Barney Beck.
Step 2 – Growing the biocrust
This research project will propagate the biocrust from Barney Beck off‑site. Conditions are kept within steady ranges for moisture, temperature and aeration so that the community structure is maintained. The intention is to keep the living community healthy whilst scaling it up.
Step 3 – Reintroducing the biocrust
The living biocrust is applied to the site by mixing it with water and a mulch. This mixture is applied by a hydroseeder, which both mixes and then pumps the biocrust along a hose from where it is lightly sprayed onto the ground. On steep or hard-to-reach places, we use hand-placed protective mulches that shield the ground surface from wind and rain giving the plants the opportunity to establish.
Step 4 – Monitoring progress
We will have a number of different test plots, which enables us to compare treated areas with untreated ones, giving us clear before and after evidence of what works best and allow us to use the most effective techniques at other sites to reduce pollution from abandoned metal mines.
What will I see on site?
If you visit Barney Beck, you might notice small test plots, light spray areas on the flat ground, and mulch coverings on slopes. These are temporary measures to protect the surface and help the biocrust and seed settle in. Over time, what you’ll see will be subtle, but unmistakeable: fewer bare, dusty patches and increased plant cover.
What are the signs of success?
We’ll know it’s working when:
- The biocrust starts forming
- The soil holds together better after rain
- More plants and flowers start growing
- Banks are stable and not eroding
This will be documented with photos, simple metrics from the trial control plots, and drone images to show the bigger picture.
Some of the areas may vegetate quicker than others depending on the trial plot treatments used.
What is the project timeline?
August 2025 to May 2026 | Introducing the vegetation (biocrust)
A small water spray tank (hydroseeder) will be used to spray the area with natural materials that start the vegetation process.
December 2025 to May 2026 | Protecting the banks
Revetment work will be carried out to protect the banks of the beck in specific areas to stop mine waste from eroding into Barney Beck.
Both stages are weather dependent.
Subject to further investigations, another phase of vegetation works may take place next spring, including areas directly behind the new revetments to stabilise the mine waste further.
May 2026 to September 2026 | Vegetation establishment and revetment work
Vegetation Establishment works start onsite: 1st June until 12th June.
Revetment work starts onsite: 15th June; expected for 6 – 7 weeks.
Final vegetation work: September time.
Will access to the bridleway be affected?
No. Access to the public bridleway that runs alongside Barney Beck will remain throughout for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. There may be vehicle movements along the track, the contractors on-site will ensure that these are carried out safely and, as much as possible, at times when the site is quiet.
All we ask is that you bear with us, look out for any advisory signage, use due caution and enjoy your visit to Barney Beck.
Who are the project partners?
This project brings together local land knowledge, environmental expertise, regulatory oversight, practical delivery and research.
This work is being delivered as part of the North Pennines National Landscape, Tees-Swale: naturally connected programme, which aims to restore, expand and connect habitats. The programme is led by the North Pennines National Landscape team in partnership with the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players.
The Barney Beck project is primarily funded by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) through the Water and Abandoned Metal Mines (WAMM) programme, a partnership with the Environment Agency and the Mining Remediation Authority.
The project to limit metals polluting rivers is being led by the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust and the WAMM programme.
The works would not be possible without the support of the landowner, the Reeth Estate.
TerrAffix , a specialist contractor, will be delivering the habitat restoration works
The work completed at Barney Beck will improve the water quality in the Swale catchment, and support meeting the government’s Environment Act target to halve the length of rivers polluted by harmful metals from abandoned metal mines by 2038.
FAQs
Why is the work needed?
Heavy metals are being washed out of contaminated mining waste into the beck, which then flows into the River Swale. This project is designed to safeguard the environment and start to clean up Barney Beck and the River Swale which are polluted by abandoned lead mines. The two stages of work aim to reduce heavy metals being washed out of contaminated mine wastes by encouraging vegetation to grow while also limiting erosion of the wastes by surface waters.
When will the work take place?
The vegetation will be introduced between August 2025 and May 2026. The revetment work to protect the river banks will take place between December 2025 and May 2026. Both stages are weather dependent. Subject to further investigations, another stage of vegetation works may take place next spring.
Can I still access the right of way?
Yes. The public right of way will not be affected. Work will be taking place next to the track. Public access for walking, cycling and horse riding remains open, although there may be some delays along the route from time-to-time as vehicles move about. Contractors will be on site to pause people at a safe distance while that happens. For example, there might be times when cyclists might need to jump off bikes and walk through, but the banksmen will be there to help. We’re hoping most of the work will take place on weekdays, although some weekend work will be necessary. The work will be weather dependent. We ask that you use caution when passing through and bear with us.
Visitor information
Keld Resource Centre hosts activities and events which include guided walks to lead mining sites with local experts. Visit their website to book a guided walk or to discover more about the farmers and lead miners of Swaledale and Arkengarthdale.
