Goodbye to Northumberland

Our time in Northumberland was quickly coming to end, but with brilliant sunshine and temperatures that increased daily, we made sure that we spent plenty of time outdoors. We started the week with a hike at Allen Banks and Staward Gorge.
This area of woodland walks, situated on and around the banks of the river Allen, was created by Susan Davidson in the mid 19th century. In addition to a formal garden on her own estate, she organized a system of paths, rustic bridges and summerhouses around the gorge and banks of the river. In 1942 the estate was given to the National Trust who continue to maintain the area free of charge, except for a small fee for parking - there’s a car park at the main entrance. Ornamental and ancient woodland cover the 617 acre site which is designated an area of outstanding beauty.
Hikes of various lengths and difficulties can be downloaded in advance, but for the most part they’re clearly marked along the trails. We decided on a route of approximately 2.5 miles and medium difficulty - a good decision as it was challenging enough for us! We followed a trail that ran parallel to the river, climbing upwards through the woods, which provided plenty of shade on what was a hot day. We stopped to enjoy the views from the highest point before continuing the trail, which took us back down and across one of the bridges over the water. Changing directions, we followed the river back along its other side side, passing open fields, before finding a clearing where the water tumbled over the rocks.....another lovely place to stop and take a breather. The trail took us back uphill and through a deeply shaded area of steep rocks, covered with moss and ferns - we then started our final descent. With the trail markers becoming a little sketchy, we made a couple of guesses on direction and managed to find another bridge over the river, ending up at our starting point - the parking lot......at this point we were happy with our decision not to take the more difficult 5 mile hike!
While we were out and about, Marjie was busy back at our home in Hexham, making friends with Whiskers the cat. Whiskers resides at the home of the owner of our rental property and had wandered up the laneway - much to Marjie’s delight - who spent a lot of time with him on her knee......and although afterwards we only spotted him in the distance, Marjie believes he deserves his place in this blog....she is a cat lover after all!
A less strenuous day was called for after the hike, so we figured a more leisurely stroll through the gardens of Belsay Hall would be just the thing....and it was.
A Grand Grecian Hall, built in 1817, and the ruins of a Medieval Castle dating back to the 14th century, occupy two of the main areas of these large grounds.....but for us it was gardens at Belsay that we enjoyed the most.....they form an unusual link between the two buildings.
Inspired by a honeymoon trip to Athens, Sir Charles Monck built Belsay Hall between 1810-1817 making it the first British country house to be built in the new Greek Revival style. Although the Hall is Grade 1 listed - its appearance may seem unattractive compared to other large country homes and the inside has been left empty to illustrate how the house was built. Affected by dry rot in the 1970s it now receives only structural maintenance as needed. Run by British Heritage and open to the public, it’s also used for art shows in the summer. The open hall has large Grecian style pillars and an intricate iron-work balcony. The library overlooking the garden, is the largest room in the house - it has a coffered ceiling that’s unusual for the Regency period. Upstairs the family bedrooms are still covered with flowered wallpaper from the 1800s and have their original fireplaces. They have wonderful views of the Magnolia terrace.
Exiting the house we were immediately surrounded by the colours of the garden, and the spicy fragrance of the old-fashioned Musk roses, which grow in the centre of the terrace. On our way to the castle, we strolled the paths of these varied gardens - including the restored heritage area, the formal terraces and the flower beds that also have an impressive array of shrubs - there was, of course, a well manicured lawn where a game of croquet was being played.
Belsay Hall is built of stone from its own quarry and it’s the Quarry Gardens that makes a visit here remarkable.....carved out of and through the rocks, this is a truly unique area of ravines and arches. The quarry is filled with ferns and rare plants - and with the help of information that was available on site, we saw among other things, some Flowering See Kale which grows to a height of 2 feet and is covered in foam-like small flowers. Other plants included a Giant Lily from the forests of the Himalayas, a Bitter Orange Tree from Japan and Chilean Rhubarb from South America, whose leaves have a span of almost 6 feet and grow to a height of 11 feet.
Emerging from this enchanting garden gives a view across a large open meadow to the Medieval castle, which was built at a time of Anglo-Scottish warfare. Built also to impress, there are still rare traces of medieval wall paintings. We climbed to the top of the “pele tower” for a wider view of the surrounding countryside - but due to safety concerns, the barriers on it are high - and we are short! We did however get a decent view - and the climb up and down the narrow winding stone steps was challenging.
On the property there is also a stable block and kennels for the dogs (built later in the late 19th century). We ended our tour in the Victorian tea-room, which is in the original kitchens.....a piece of cake and a “cuppa” is always a good way to end an afternoon int the country!
The following day we were on the coast again - in Tynemouth - just 10 miles north-east of Newcastle......could it be that the seaside was calling Marjie away from her search for Whiskers? Possibly - but it was, in fact, Tynemouth Priory that drew her towards the sea. The village of Tynemouth has an interesting mix of shops and pubs + an award winning beach - but our family historian headed straight for the Priory and Castle.....we followed - not wanting to miss any details!
Overlooking the North Sea & the River Tyne are the remains of what was once the largest fortified area in England. With over 2,000 years of history it has a moated-castle, a gatehouse and the ruins of a Benedictine Priory where early kings of Northumbria were buried. Located on a rocky headland, with impressive views, it also has some 20th century buildings, including a gun battery that was built into the cliffs to defend the Tyne during the First and Second World Wars.
Enjoying the views and listening to Marjie as she interpreted the surrounding history provided us with a lovely day out. We learned of the native settlement in Roman times, the 7th century monastery of St. Oswin, Danish raids and all of the history through the years up to when a new monastery was established in 1090. This Benedictine monastery lasted until it was dissolved by Henry VIII. The towering remains of the Priory church, built around AD 1200, still stand at almost its full height. A 15th century Chapel, with a lovely Rose window is also very well preserved.
This English Heritage site is well worth the visit - but take something warm to wear.......on this hotter than normal summer day the temperatures were almost 10 degrees cooler than inland....and the sea fog was starting to roll in, making it feel even cooler.
The last day before travelling home we took a drive to a small village - Allendale - only 20 minutes from Hexham. A bit of a gathering place for local artisans, it has a couple of interesting small shops that display and sell their work.....there’s also a gallery above a small café with workrooms than can be rented by the hour. With a couple of lovely looking pubs, a library that’s housed in a former church and a gift shop that also sells ice cream, the village was a perfect ending to our last day of wandering around this lovely county.......time to head back to Yorkshire!