One of the most beautiful and naturally diverse areas of the farm is the Dene and the South Low Burn that runs through it.

The fields here are very old permanent pasture, which means that they have never been used or disturbed except to graze animals. As a result of this there is a wonderful collection of native grasses and plants: violets, primroses and common spotted orchids all grow in profusion.

The Top Dene has some areas of bog, where marsh marigolds, meadow sweet, flag iris and water avens can be found. These wet areas are great habitats for frogs, toads and wetland birds.

However, due to the pressures of modern farming, there is a need to increase the commercial aspects of land use. As a result, farmers are using modern technology to drain and make use of every piece of land available. Gradually these wetlands are being lost.

Along the banks of the Dene there are clear signs of rig and furrow; trenches formed by the use of a plough for land drainage. In some areas of the country, these are often the only signs of human existence and show much about the development of agriculture.

At one time the Top Dene used to be used by the people of Lowick, a nearby village, to graze their livestock. Tom's father said that there were signs of the field being divided up years ago into smaller areas for this reason.

Human existence on the land can be traced back for thousands of years: two circular ditches in the Dene are said to be evidence of an ancient settlement on the banks of the burn.

One problem that the farm has to deal with is the extensive growth of nettles and thistles in the Dene. Karen Burn can remember Mary Hill, a farm worker who used to live in Newt Cottage, spending hours controlling the weeds by scything them down before they had time to spread. Mary never used to wear a watch, but could tell the time accurately, simply by looking at the sun! In today's hectic 21st century world, time is too precious to use this method and manpower expensive. Agriculturists can use modern chemical sprays to control nettles and thistles, however, as these need to be very strong to kill tough weeds, certain wildflowers are destroyed as well.

The public can enjoy the peace and the tranquillity of the burn and the surrounding fields by the footpath that runs through both denes. This is part of the farms' Countryside Stewardship agreement, on which Meg's award winning project 'Bats, Badgers and Otters on my Footpath' was based. People can walk freely across the fields, aided by the sturdy bridges and stiles that were built by the family to allow easier access.

Hunting Hall worked with a local school, Longridge Towers to prevent bank erosion by planting willow trees along the Low burn edge. In addition, the aim was to improve bank coverage in order to invite more otters to the burn. It is hoped that in years to come, there will be tall, graceful, white willows lining the banks of the Dene burn.

Amongst the roe deer, barn owls and foxes who live in the Dene, the farm is also home to an elusive otter population. Signs of the otters; their tracks and spraints on rocks can often be found along the burn, although otters are rarely seen as they are very shy and often nocturnal. In the top Dene, The Northumberland Wildlife Trust Curlew Team built two pipe and chamber holts to entice more otters to settle at Hunting Hall. The only person on the farm privileged enough to see an otter in the burn is Tom. The otter is still a mystery on the farm, but one-day we hope that by encouraging them to live here we can learn more about this beautiful and enigmatic creature.

The South Low Burn contains its own natural balance of plants, fish, mammals and birds. Along the banks, one can find flag iris, water forget-me-not and water mint growing in abundance. In the water, young fish, salmon, trout and tiny minnows provide food sources for otter and heron. Amongst the reeds that line the waters' edge, moorhens and mallards find cover to nest. Unfortunately, the burn's water vole population was destroyed in the 1980s by mink and hasn't recovered yet. However, there is a new water vole population further upstream, and the arrival of the otter means that the mink's reign of this stretch of the burn will soon end. Hopefully, this means that the water voles may return to the Hunting Hall burn in the future.

The wealth of plant life, diversity of animal species and richness of history will surprise visitors walking along the farm's footpath. The Dene and the burn can be explored at all times of the year by those of all ages; and it is guaranteed that the human visitor will be with rewarded with an enriching outdoor experience.