Bring on summer
Summer has finally hit Northumberland and as it probably wont last long Dr Fred and I decided to make the most of it so we got Beryl the yellow peril loaded up and headed of for a weekend adventure.
We started with Alnmouth Arts Festival. As always excellent standard and all the work was looking lovely with a back ground of full sun and a positively Mediterranean looking sea. I'm always astounded at the quality of work on show, some of it may not be to my taste but the talent cannot be denied. There were several pieces that caught my eye - one a dramatic painting of Dunstan borough Castle from Low Newton beach, deep and moody with lovely light. http://www.giffordfarm.com. The other pieces were some watercolours of Walkworth and boats on the Tyne by an artist called Jeff Smith http://jeffsmith1955.wixsite.com/website Lovely detailed ink and watercolour drawings really reasonably priced but still beyond me at the moment.
I love the art on display and I love the way the exhibitions make you wnader around the town and gives the opportunity to explore the back streets and access to areas not normally open to the public and best of all I love having my tea and cake at the charity cafe at Riverbank House - surely the most lovely house in Alnmouth. It looks like an amazing house inside - obviously we only get to see the downstairs reception rooms but it looks really interesting, (I'm soooo nosey) but it also has a wonderful aspect across the estuary with fabulous terraced gardens which we can sit in and eat our cake. When you look back at it from the walk down by the river you see its has a roof terraces and what looks like an amazing attic room with loads of windows.. I'm not jealous one bit ha ha ha.
Culture and cake partaken we hit the beach up at Embelton, perhaps subconsciously inspired by the painting, and we walked along the beach to Low Newton and had a pint from the Ship Inn sat on the village green in glorious glorious sunshine. Smothered by now in Factor 50 but still a little pink we walked back tot the van and headed in land to find a nice spot to camp for the night. we ended up near Chillingham castle - we walked up the hill to Ros hill Fort where we got amazing 360 degree views. All the way across to Coquet Island one way and the grandeur of the Cheviot's the other way - Stunning!!
It was so pleasant to sit outside the van sipping gin and eating Goan fish curry in the evening sunshine - quiet except for the birds and according to Fred the odd deer 'barking' we had a wander through Hepton Woods as it got dark hoping to spot a badger but no joy - but just lovey end to a nice day out.
on Sunday we got up, Dr Fred went off to investigate a local boulder he ha heard about and then we went to Chillingham Castle.
Very very Fab place ... Home to Sir Humphrey Wakefield - bought and refurbished over the last 30 odd years it is a fabulous building stuffed full of weird and wonderful artefact's and bits and pieces. It has ghosts and dungeons and spiral stair cases and its just very excellent. The staff were friendly and informative and had lots of stories to tell, you could tell they really loved the place. It wasn't too busy so you could study eveything you wanted to and chat with the stewards without feeling rushed. There was so much inspiration it was almost a bit overwhelming.
The sitting room was a complete ruin when Sir Humphrey first bought the castle and now it is beautifully restored with a completely over the top ceiling and silk wall paper and even a french wooden bath in the bay window (owned first by Sir Humphery and then Mick Jagger and then back to Sir Humphrey) The dining room is still used for important functions, and when it is used nothing is changed even though everything is slightly tatty - lived in -real shabby chic but with not alot of elegance but lots of aplomb my kind of decor. Even the Queen had had dinner there with the fraying but authentic chairs and very shabby very unmatching carpets!!!! I'd be happy to eat beans on toast there!!!
The grounds are very nice too with a formal walled garden laid out to the side of the castle and extensive woodlands around. Some of the trees obviously date back to the 12 century when the castle was first built and are huge and majestic.
A very good weekend away finished by more gin, fizzy wine and an almost solstice ritual burning of the christmas tree in the brazier on a lovely rare summers eve in the garden.
Summer has finally hit Northumberland and as it probably wont last long Dr Fred and I decided to make the most of it so we got Beryl the yellow peril loaded up and headed of for a weekend adventure.
We started with Alnmouth Arts Festival. As always excellent standard and all the work was looking lovely with a back ground of full sun and a positively Mediterranean looking sea. I'm always astounded at the quality of work on show, some of it may not be to my taste but the talent cannot be denied. There were several pieces that caught my eye - one a dramatic painting of Dunstan borough Castle from Low Newton beach, deep and moody with lovely light. http://www.giffordfarm.com. The other pieces were some watercolours of Walkworth and boats on the Tyne by an artist called Jeff Smith http://jeffsmith1955.wixsite.com/website Lovely detailed ink and watercolour drawings really reasonably priced but still beyond me at the moment.
I love the art on display and I love the way the exhibitions make you wnader around the town and gives the opportunity to explore the back streets and access to areas not normally open to the public and best of all I love having my tea and cake at the charity cafe at Riverbank House - surely the most lovely house in Alnmouth. It looks like an amazing house inside - obviously we only get to see the downstairs reception rooms but it looks really interesting, (I'm soooo nosey) but it also has a wonderful aspect across the estuary with fabulous terraced gardens which we can sit in and eat our cake. When you look back at it from the walk down by the river you see its has a roof terraces and what looks like an amazing attic room with loads of windows.. I'm not jealous one bit ha ha ha.
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| Embelton beach - glorious colours for sky and sea |
Culture and cake partaken we hit the beach up at Embelton, perhaps subconsciously inspired by the painting, and we walked along the beach to Low Newton and had a pint from the Ship Inn sat on the village green in glorious glorious sunshine. Smothered by now in Factor 50 but still a little pink we walked back tot the van and headed in land to find a nice spot to camp for the night. we ended up near Chillingham castle - we walked up the hill to Ros hill Fort where we got amazing 360 degree views. All the way across to Coquet Island one way and the grandeur of the Cheviot's the other way - Stunning!!
 |
| view from Ros Hill Fort Coquet Island in the distance |
It was so pleasant to sit outside the van sipping gin and eating Goan fish curry in the evening sunshine - quiet except for the birds and according to Fred the odd deer 'barking' we had a wander through Hepton Woods as it got dark hoping to spot a badger but no joy - but just lovey end to a nice day out.
on Sunday we got up, Dr Fred went off to investigate a local boulder he ha heard about and then we went to Chillingham Castle.
 |
| Chillingham Castle - best Castle in Northumberland (my humble opinion) |
Very very Fab place ... Home to Sir Humphrey Wakefield - bought and refurbished over the last 30 odd years it is a fabulous building stuffed full of weird and wonderful artefact's and bits and pieces. It has ghosts and dungeons and spiral stair cases and its just very excellent. The staff were friendly and informative and had lots of stories to tell, you could tell they really loved the place. It wasn't too busy so you could study eveything you wanted to and chat with the stewards without feeling rushed. There was so much inspiration it was almost a bit overwhelming.
 |
| oppulent sitting room with wooden french bath in the bay window |
The sitting room was a complete ruin when Sir Humphrey first bought the castle and now it is beautifully restored with a completely over the top ceiling and silk wall paper and even a french wooden bath in the bay window (owned first by Sir Humphery and then Mick Jagger and then back to Sir Humphrey) The dining room is still used for important functions, and when it is used nothing is changed even though everything is slightly tatty - lived in -real shabby chic but with not alot of elegance but lots of aplomb my kind of decor. Even the Queen had had dinner there with the fraying but authentic chairs and very shabby very unmatching carpets!!!! I'd be happy to eat beans on toast there!!!
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| just some of the interesting collections |
The grounds are very nice too with a formal walled garden laid out to the side of the castle and extensive woodlands around. Some of the trees obviously date back to the 12 century when the castle was first built and are huge and majestic.
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| formal topiary in the walled garden |
A very good weekend away finished by more gin, fizzy wine and an almost solstice ritual burning of the christmas tree in the brazier on a lovely rare summers eve in the garden.
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| exchristmas tree! |
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