In 2002 Stockton Borough Council purchased two adjoining woodland areas of approximately 188 acres on the boundary between Stockton and Sedgefield, known as Tilery and Brierley Woods. These woodlands are a 35 year old conifer plantation of mostly Scots pine, Corsican pine and Lodgepole pine with a few pockets of broad-leaved trees.

Tilery Wood was planted by the Forestry Commission who leased the land from the Wynyard Estate for a 40 year period until 1987. The Wynyard Estate, owned by the Londonderry family, was subsequently sold to Cameron Hall Developments (the company founded by property tycoon Sir John Hall) in 1988.

Although only acquired by the park in 2002 Tilery Wood has had the route of the walkway running through it since the original Castle Eden Walkway Country Park was formed. About 100 metres past the northern edge of Pickard’s meadow the walkway deviates from the route of the former railway line and takes an westerly turn through the heart of Tilery Wood emerging at the car park on the A689.

One of the most notable features of Tilery wood is a large wooden forestry hut that was built in 1974 by the Forestry Commission with help from the local Billingham Campus school. It is currently used for school groups and public events. Next to the hut is a pond with ecological significance as it is a breeding site for great-crested newts over the summer months. For this reason we discourage people from pond dipping in this pond as it is illegal to catch or handle a great-crested newt without the relevant licenses.