This Place is Our Place

This place is our place, this place is your place
From Trampsy's Forest to the Three Joined Trees
From Roly Poly Bank to Thunder Mountain
This place was made for you and me

In times now past, the miners battled
As down below, the cages rattled
Taking their cargoes of human cattle
To dig this place for history

Now we're planting, now we're sowing
Where pit heaps rose, now trees are growing
Walk the Deerness Valley walk
Make this place a sacred ground

Woods from trees is living, growning
Bark and sap and green leaves blowing
Branches, twigs and trunks so thick
Make logs and sawdust, paper and sticks

Woods and wildlife, woods and wildlife
Woods and woldlife all around
Walk the Deerness Valley walk
Make this place a sacred ground

Coal is dead wood in the ground
Trees are living, breathing proud
Pits were dark and black as hell
Now this land is green and well

Woods and wildlife, woods and wildlife
Woods and woldlife all around
Walk the Deerness Valley walk
Make this place a sacred ground

(Gary Miller with year-6 pupils from Hamsteels Primary School, Esh Winning, Durham)