News
Press release
8 April 2025
New label for popular North Pennines beer celebrates the ‘adder dance’
8 April 2025
The North Pennines National Landscape team has worked with local company Allendale Brewery to revamp the labelling of one of their iconic beers to help celebrate and protect a species vulnerable to extinction.
Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players, the North Pennines National Landscape team’s project, Adders Up is addressing misconceptions about adders and also working to ensure their survival.
Adder Lager was launched in 2009 with the original label featuring an adder’s head, but later branding featured a more generic snake image. Neil Tomas, director of Allendale Brewery said: “This was picked up by more observant customers, but no-one was more aware of the inaccuracy than we were. We’re really pleased that customers are now seeing the brand-new label in retail outlets and pubs in the North East, and we hope that this will be a great way to support all the work going on in the North Pennines to protect adders.”
The team at the North Pennines worked with the brewery to develop a new design for the beer that featured the beautiful markings and colour variations of adders. It focuses on the adder dance, a mating ritual where the male adders compete to determine which male is strongest, to win the opportunity to mate with the female. It is a combative display where the males will wind around each other and move in very quick, jerking motions. The ‘dance’ may include swaying and weaving in attempt to intimidate the competitor. The winning adder is the one that is able to force the other adder to the ground. This dance can last up to half an hour during which they are so absorbed in winning that they become completely oblivious to their surroundings.
Sarah Ingwersen, Engagement Officer with the North Pennines National Landscape team, said: “We are delighted with the result and with the enthusiasm shown by Neil and his team. Their commitment to ‘get it just right’ was inspiring and we enjoyed discussing the possibilities for the design. Having adders portrayed accurately goes a long way to break down deeply ingrained misconceptions about the danger posed by snakes in this part of the world. We want everyone to develop an admiration for these fascinating creatures while giving them the respect they deserve to exist in the landscape without disturbance.”
Through the Adders Up project, the team is working with landowners and farmers to share their extensive knowledge and experience, and to encourage sensitive land management practices. The design of the label includes a depiction of the adder’s habitat here in the North Pennines with the dense vegetation at the edges of moorland and heathland.
The Adder Lager bottles and cans now include information on adders as well as a QR code link for people to find out more about adders and their conservation, and what to do to record any sightings.
The beer is available across the North East, primarily in keg but it is also available in cans and bottles. Over the years Adder Lager has picked up numerous awards both locally and nationally, including Great Taste and World Beer Awards gold. Just last month Adder Lager received a Gold award at the CAMRA Winter Champion Beer of Britain competition and, to celebrate this, Allendale Brewery is producing a limited cask release.
You may also like...
Did you know…
Thanks to National Lottery players
Notes for editors
1. Contact Sarah Hudspeth, Communications Lead from the North Pennines National Landscape team for further information – communications@northpennines.org.uk Phone: 01388 528801 / 07768 123247
2. Images of the new label are attached. For alternative images please contact the communications team on communications@northpennines.org.uk
3. About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
As the largest dedicated funder of the UK’s heritage, The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033.
Over the next ten years, we aim to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to bring about benefits for people, places and the natural environment.
We help protect, transform and share the things from the past that people care about, from popular museums and historic places, our natural environment and fragile species, to the languages and cultural traditions that celebrate who we are.
We are passionate about heritage and committed to driving innovation and collaboration to make a positive difference to people’s lives today, while leaving a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy.
Follow @HeritageFundUK on X (Twitter), Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLottery #HeritageFund www.heritagefund.org.uk
4. The North Pennines National Landscape is one of England’s most special places – a peaceful, unspoilt landscape with a rich history and vibrant natural beauty. It was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1988. The purpose of this nationally recognised designation is the conservation and enhancement of the natural beauty of the area.
5. At almost 2,000 sq. kilometres the North Pennines is the second largest of the 46 National Landscapes (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and is one of the most peaceful and unspoilt places in England. Visit www.landscapesforlife.org.uk for information about the National Landscapes family. .
6. The North Pennines lies between the National Parks of the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales, and Northumberland with the urban centres of County Durham away to the east. Parts of the National Landscape are within the boundaries of four local authorities; Cumberland Council, Durham County Council, Northumberland County Council, and Westmorland & Furness Council.
7. The North Pennines National Landscape Partnership is an alliance of public, statutory and voluntary sector bodies with an interest in the future of the North Pennines. The work of the Partnership is carried out by the National Landscape team which takes action to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the area, to raise awareness of its special qualities and to improve the quality of life for local people.
8. UNESCO Global Geopark – As well as being a National Landscape, the North Pennines is a UNESCO Global Geopark. This puts the area’s Geopark status in the same UNESCO family as World Heritage Sites and Biosphere Reserves. UNESCO Global Geoparks are places with outstanding geology where special effort is made to make the most of geological heritage to support community and economy. Locally this includes producing geo-trails, developing projects with school and community groups, producing displays for visitor attractions and holding geology festivals and events.
