Holiday Cottages & Northumberland Blog

The Dark Ages - when the Romans left

2009-07-08T06:19:00.000-07:00

We've been reading some interesting comparisons between when the Romans left Britain and what happened when , for instance, the Raj left India.

Basically the Roman way of life had become so ingrained that the people of the land associated Romans and their ways with success that after they were gone much of what they did carried on.

People still called themselves by Roman names and many of the Roman habits continued down the years.

We should also say that we have launched a small website just for Hardian's Wall.

Late availability summer 09

2009-07-06T06:44:00.000-07:00

This is the time of year when we get the rushed phone calls and our customers ask us to use our expertise and experience to help them find the ideal last minute bookings.

We usually have a selection left ...but very often we say to our customers think positively. Sure there might be nothing left on the coast itself but there are still some lovely cottages to rent....and often they are no more than 30 minutes from the beach anyway.

For instance this house at Kirknewton.

and

this one in Warkworth is quite close to the coast.

So we can still help, there are options if you want a northumberland cottage but we just need to look at it positively!

Pre history in Northumberland

2009-07-05T06:29:00.000-07:00

Up here in the Cheviots and across the National Park it is sometimes possible to imagine yourself back in simpler more primitive times. But when you start to read about history in the Borders there is a tendency to start with the Romans. Almost as if those who came before do not matter.

However two discoveries have opened up this time....well in a small way...for us.

First off we have been looking at the prehistoric rock art of Northumberland and nobody photographs than Rockartwolf.

The second surprise was reading Alastair Moffat's book on Border history and what he calls the wildwood time. Sure the story of the ancient hunter gatherers is fiction, but this is fiction which was probably true. Just no one ever recorded it.

So although most of our visitors think of Romans and Border Reivers there is in fact much more history up here in Northumberland.

Hadrian's Wall - the Vallum

2009-07-01T04:20:00.000-07:00

One aspect of the Hadrian's Wall had puzzled us for some time. There are sections of the wall where the ditch is on the South side. But surely it should be to the North as the Romans were defending against the Celtic tribes.

The answer is, as usual with the Romans, simple but with underlying complexities. The Wall was designed not just to keep out the tribes from the North but also to separate them from their allies to the South.Basically the Romans wanted to create a military zone , looking both South as well as North. As an added advantage it would also help to keep their stores and provisions safe.

One small point, we call the ditch to the South of the Wall a Vallum, but really it is a Fossa.

Size of the Vallum? Well Alastair Moffat in his book on the Wall says

5.4 to 5.9 metres across the top
Depth of between 2.6 and 2.9 metres.
2.1 m across at the bottom.

Basically it was designed for steep, 60 degree slopes . The soil and rubble dug out was moved away from the Vallum to avoid infill and was used to create braod berms of 9 to 12 metres in width.

Over time it is probable that the vallum filled up with water to present an even more formidable obstacle.

Ice ages...and confusion on dating

2009-06-23T10:41:00.000-07:00

When we talk about pre history up here in Northumberland we always end up confused.What is meant by stone age,bronze age and so on.And when was the last ice age?

Well the 1st thing to say is that the general sequence is stone to copper to bronze to iron.When each civilisation made the jump between these ages varies across the world.

Anyway...between 18000 and 10000 years ago the ice retreated for the last time.The sea rose and there was pressure on the small tribes to find new sources of food. As a reference it is worth noting that the cave paintings at Lascaux in France were drawn between 10,000 and 15,000 years ago.

The Neolithic age started around 7000 bc with the development of agriculture. But it was some time before these changes reached Northumberland.

Eden Valley

2009-06-23T10:03:00.000-07:00

At the moment the country to the south of Carlisle is a little bit outside the area where we have our self catering cottages.However we hope soon to be able to offer accommodation in the Eden Valley.

This is really a delightful part of England.The valley runs from Appleby in Westmoreland through to where it opens onto the Solway plains and the medieval border city of Carlisle. The predominant bedrock is Penrith red sandstone with its distinctive colour and easily worked stone.

Cumbria as a whole is a dairy county heavily dependent upon the dairy herds. However the Eden Valley shares it's riches with sheep farmers as well.

So if you are exploring Hadrian's Wall country why not take a day or so to explore a little further south. It is really beautiful down in the Eden Valley.

The Emperor Hadrian

2009-06-22T03:54:00.000-07:00

It's funny how as soon as you hear "Hadrian's Wall" ....well everyone thinks of the wall itself but very few people know anything about Hadrian himself. So what was the man like?Well....

He lived AD 78 to AD 138.
He was a lover of all things Greek and was closely associated with the stoics.He also sported a beard which was both unusual and very Greek.
Hadrian was the most travelled of all Roman emperors. Born and brought up in Spain he had a successful military career, mainly as an aide to the Emperor Trajan. His campaigns were mainly in Romania and the middle east ( against the jews and in egypt).
The biggest influence in his personal life was a young greek man, Antinous who eventually drowned ,tragically in the Nile. A devasted Hadrian then had Antinous deified.
Tremendously ambitious, educated, well travelled but true to the poisonous nature of Roman politics reviled when he died.

Just one other small note we have now launched a small website dedicated to our self catering cottages on Hadrians Wall.

Thatched Cottages

2009-06-11T06:15:00.000-07:00

The Thatched Cottage, Code 450

There is something mystical and romantic about staying in a picturesque cottage with a thatched roof. We are now very fortunate to be able to offer our customers the chance of having such a holiday in a chocolate box cottage aptly named The Thatched Cottage, situated at Polwarth near Duns in the Scottish Borders a short drive from Berwick upon Tweed.

Did you know that using thatch as a roofing material can be traced back as far as the Bronze Age. Some thatched cottages with straw roofs have the original thatch as a base coat, which means that it is possible the original roof could have been a medieval cereal crop as a first coat, how amazing is that!

The material most commonly used in England for thatching is straw which could be either longstraw or combed wheat reed. A wide variety of styles have developed over the centuries with different regions of the country adopting their own styles. For example in the west country of England the combed wheat reed roofs are shallow pitched and could be likened to a pudding basin shape, whilst in East Anglia the roofs a steeply pitched. The life expectancy of a new roof is 15 - 35 years depending on the quality of material used.

Normally you would expect thatched cottages to be period properties but nowadays some housebuilders include them on new developments so your new house looks like a period cottage but has the advantage of all mod cons.

Follow the link above to view the details of The Thatched Cottage on our website and see for yourself this beautiful cottage with a fabulous spacious interior just what the doctor ordered for a relaxing romantic holiday in the Scottish Borders.

Snippets on Hadrians Wall

2009-06-03T03:31:00.000-07:00

Everyone has heard of Hadrians Wall and how it was built to keep the Scots out of England. But the reality is much more complex. We've been reading Alistair Moffat's book "The Wall" and it has turned out to be a much better read than the usual fairly dry and academic works which cover this amazing monument. So a couple of snippets...

First Vindolanda means the "white fort" as apparently the Romans liked to render their buildings and basically whitewash them. There is also the possibility that the wall was either partially or wholly rendered which in turn conjures up the image of an amazing white wall snaking across the ancient british countryside.It would have been totally unique.

Second, yes the wall kept the Scots out ( they weren't scots back then...celts would be a better name). The Wall also separated the tribes from the pennines and lake district from those in the borders. Basically by dividing them it was easier to rule them.

Carlisle Castle

2009-05-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

For this post we are going a little way over the Northumberland/Cumbria border...to the border city of Carlisle. It tends to be one of the less glamorous castles but there is real history here.
For instance these are just three lesser known facts

Carlisle is a Crown castle. One of the only ones outside London.
Apart from the Tower of London there is no other Castle who has had a regimented billeted there for so long.
When Rudolf Hess flew into Scotland during WW2 he was captured and taken south. One of his overnight stops was at the Carlisle Castle.

We have the Ostlers at Gilsland which is only a few miles east of Carlisle. Anyway this is just a short blog to remind our visitors of what is up here.

College Valley - feral goats

2009-05-20T11:01:00.001-07:00

Just one picture to show that College Valley Estates try to check the goats each year. Give them a once over as it were

Paul Corica

2009-05-20T07:51:00.000-07:00

We are delighted to have Paul's permission to use some of his photos for the movie on our front page. If you are interested in finding out more about Paul and what he does then please look at this web page we have written.

Burning heather

2009-05-20T07:45:00.000-07:00

We've got some rather impressive pictures of burning the heather. This thins it out and makes it easier for the grouse to nurture their chicks.It also gives the distinctive mosaic or patchwork pattern to the Cheviot Hills. On this trip we passed through the historic village of Elsdon.

Trafalgar wood

2009-05-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of pictures for something that is often missed. As you come into the College Valley, just before you drop down towards towards Hethpool the view is fantastic.Everyone looks ahead and up the valley but just on your right hand side is this small wood planted in 2005. Its called Trafalgar wood in memory of Lord Collingwood. Nearby you have Hethpool Mill and just before you come into the Valley there is Akeld Hill View.

Flying fortress on the Cheviot

2009-05-20T01:12:00.000-07:00

You might recall that a little while ago we wrote a short blog about the WW2 memorial alongside Cuddystone Hall?

Well recently when we stayed at Dunsdale House we took the opportunity to climb past Bizzle Crags and on to Braydon Crags. It was up here, hidden in the large furrows amongst the peat we came across the remains of 44-6504, a Boing B-17G flying fortress which crashed here on 16th December 1944.

We found a small book, "Where the hills meet the sky" by Peter Clark. It covers many more crashes than just this Boing but what it also does is to talk about that afternoon in December when the plane crashed. It tells the story about the Shepherds and the Border Collie climbing the Bizzle to bring down the survivors. The two men who climbed the hill were awarded medals. The Collie also received the Dicken medal...the only non military dog to be given the honour during ww2.

Four of the airmen were brought down to Dunsdale.Three made their own way to Mount Hooly . Unfortunately two were killed.

You can see the pictures here on flickr.

Battle of Flodden Field or Branxton ridge

2009-04-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

North West of Wooler on the Coldstream road look out for a left turn for Branxton. This is where the battle took place , 9th September 1513.

As you approach Branxton from the south the road takes a sharp left and then a right before you see the village on the opposite hillside.This is where the Scottish army were prepared to fight the English.

Looking across the fields towards the dip between the two armies it is difficult to believe that there must have been well over 30,000 soldiers here that September day and that over 14,000 would die before the day was out.

There is a battlefield trail leading around the area and this culminates with the memorial.

At intervals you will see the storyboards which tell more about what happened

The official website seems to be Flodden.Net

College Valley - newsletter

2009-03-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

COLLEGE VALLEY 2009
NEWSLETTER

We are pleased to mail our first newsletter to customers who have previously holidayed in one of the cottages in the beautiful College Valley

We have even been lucky enough to have stayed twice in Hethpool Mill and once in Dunsdale House over the last 12 months and wanted to share with you some of the latest news and keep you up to date.

There’s lots to tell and this letter is also posted on our blog at www.northumbria-byways.com making it is easier to see what we are talking about by click on hyperlinks.

Firstly great news! The weekly rates for Dunsdale House have been reduced from band W to band S – making this fantastic value for groups of 8. The peak season price is now £785. We have found that Coldburn Cottage and Hethpool Mill are booking up very quickly so to offer a genuine alternative to these smaller cottages we decided to lower the price. So if you fancy a break in a house with loads of space and unrivalled views go to the website and check out availability.

Other offers at the moment are 10% discount off any full week’s holiday in Hethpool Mill for holidays between 30th May 2009 and 29th August 2009.

AND

Coldburn Cottage has 5 nights available NEXT WEEK from 23rd March at an amazing £250.

There are plenty of blog articles about The Valley, ranging from sunsets to satellite photos plus of course photographs of the surrounding hills. We have a wide range of new photographs on Flickr and You Tube. The videos are quite basic but we are going to build on these over the year ahead.

During 2008 The College Valley suffered from the worst floods in 40 years and the bed of the College Burn has been completely scoured out in places. Then in February of this year, whilst we were staying, the heaviest snow fall in recent years. The landscape all around was like a fairytale – we had a brilliant time building an army of snowmen.

We were thinking if we have so many memories and photos of our holidays in The College Valley, how many must you have and would you be interested in sharing them with us? So we would be very happy to receive any photographs or stories so we can share them with everyone who receives our email newsletter which we send every few months. You can email them, jot them down on a postcard or letter and send to Northumbria Byways, Maryholme, Hallbankgate, Brampton, Cumbria. CA8 2NE. The first 5 to be received and posted on our blog will all qualify for a £10 Marks and Spencer Gift Voucher.

If you are interested in keeping up to date with what’s happening in the Valley please let us know. We would love to send you emails with news, pictures and late availability offers – BUT we need an email address to do this so please email us, write or phone us on 016977 46777 and lets keep in touch.

Kind Regards

Vicky Reed

College Valley in the snow - Dunsdale house

2009-03-17T12:29:00.000-07:00

Our February long week end up at Dunsdale house in the College Valley turned into a winter wonderland with loads of snow.

We posted this image on Geograph.org

And we also took plenty of , well rather amateurish, videos on you tube.

One of which is here!

Satellite maps of the College Valley

2009-03-17T11:22:00.000-07:00

Wen have been experimenting with using satellite images to try and show the beauty of some of the places where we have houses to let

Our first attempt was using Panoramio which allows you to place your photos onto a map. This picture shows the layout of what you will see.This is the College Valley and you can see our images on the left hand side....then the satellite picture and so on.

Then we looked at Wikimapia. This allows you to copy the code for the area into an I Frame as below...so what ...its the same as panoramio? Well its not...the neat thing is that you can move the map within the i frame and zoom in and out

Allenheads in the North Pennines

2009-01-27T05:23:00.000-08:00

The region around Allendale heading out towards Allenheads then across to Blanchland totally lives up to it's name of "Englands Last Wilderness". The roads are quiet and the fells and moorland stretch as far as the eye can see, dotted occasionally by the hardiest of sheep, The Swaledales'. In winter their thick fleeces help protect them from the icy winds. Then as Easter approaches the ewes can been seen mothering their lambs as you drive along the normally unfenced roads. Look out for the signs warning "Lambs On Road". They haven't quite mastered the highway code. In their minds sheep rule ok!

The landscape bears the marks of a once thriving lead mining community.

The Killhope Wheel and the Nenthead Mining Museum are

both dedicated to the lead mining history -

well worth a visit.

As you drive through the tiny hamlet of Allenheads take half an hour to stop off at The Hemmel Cafe. A friend of ours has just taken it over and her quiches, scones and cakes are to die for! Or try a bowl of warming soup and a bread roll. Nearly everything on the menu is home baked, so forget about those calories for once. Just ask for Christine. There is also a Heritage Museum just around the corner from the cafe.

If you would like to stay in the area have a look at:

Rose Cottage Code 428

Hannah's Cottage Code 427

Alice's Cottage Code 410

Nelly's Cottage Code 411

The Deeps Code 97

For more information about this lovely region call us on 016977 46777 or visit our Website for up to date availability.

Availability at The Bathing House, Howick

2009-01-23T03:49:00.000-08:00

The location of The Bathing House is absolutely stunning. We often get telephone calls from people who have walked along the coastal path towards Dunstanburgh Castle, which passes only metres from The Bathing House. They have thought how wonderful it would be to stay in the house. Because of the popularity of the property the week they want is often already booked. So because we have first hand knowledge of all our cottages we decided it would be a good idea to let people into the secrets of other similarly exciting houses, equally unusual and some with fantastic sea views.

Why not take a look at our selection and make your own decision.

The Old School,

Code 350 Howick - sleeps 2 Although this cottage does not have the view like The Bathing House it is part of the Howick Estate. The walk from the cottage to the coastal footpath takes about 10 minutes. Just like the Bathing House guests are given a free pass to visit the Howick Hall Gardens and Arboretum. Then take tea in the Earl Grey Tea Room.

St Abbs Haven,

Code 418 Coldingham Bay sleeps 5 + 1

If it's a seaview you want this house is not too bad! It is part of a development, once a hotel. Most of the rooms look out to sea. There is a little path and steps down to a great sandy beach, popular with surfers.

Beach View,

Code 353 Boulmer sleeps 4

This bungalow is not far from Craster in the village of Boulmer. Lovely sea view from sitting room and double bedroom. It is literally seconds from the front door onto the beach.

Chantilly,

Code 359 Low Hauxley sleeps 2

It is possible to get a glimpse of the sea from the landing window but the main attraction of this cottage is the short distance to a huge expanse of golden sand.

Or if it is peace and tranquility you are seeking have a look at our cottages in the College Valley.
The College valley is a private estate with limited vehicular access for the public. It is right in the centre of the Cheviot hills with plenty of birdlife, fox and deer. There are also wild goats on the fells. We have lots of blog postings plus lovely photographs on this blog.
Just click here !

Dunsdale House

Code 355 sleeps 8
Dunsdale house is a little further into the College Valley than the Mill ( see below). However it offers generous accommodation for a large family or maybe several families together. Dunsdale is often used as a venue for family get togethers. It is hard to find accommodation of this standard, which will take so many guests. Having the beautiful countryside all around just makes it better value!

Hethpool Mill

Code 396 sleeps 4 + 2
There are records of a building on this site dating back to the 13th century. The situation is idyllic, there is no noise and absolutely minimal light pollution at night. The stars are guaranteed to be brighter!The garden is fenced and the large pebbled surrounds along with the bushes make it quite a good house if you have your dog with you.You can see a picture of the Mill taken from the neighbouring hill of Great Hetha...here.

Coldburn Cottage
Code 317 sleeps 4.

Coldburn is higher up the College Valley than the Hethpool Mill property. It is a cosy house set amongst stunning scenary. Popular with couples or small families it offers tranquility at a good price.

If you would like to discuss other options please call us on 016977 46777. We are here to help!

Craster harbour

2009-01-02T12:22:00.000-08:00

The inscription on the memorial at the harbour at Craster reads

Hodie Felix Craster ( happy day Craster?)

Craster Memorial Harbour

Constructed in memory of John Charles Pulleine Craster

46th Punjabis

Who fell in action during the Tibetan expedition

June 1904

He took a deep interest in the provision of a harbour

at Craster and his brothers and sister chose this way

of perpetuating his memory

AD 1906

Additional historic notes are here:

The 46th Punjabis were later redesignated as the 10th (Training batallion) within the 16th Punjab Regiment. After partition it was merged within the Pakistani army as the Punjab Regiment. This entry shows that they were still a separate unit throughout the 1st world war.

For a general overview of the Tibetan invasion see Wikipedia

Craster to Howick and back along the coast

2009-01-02T12:15:00.000-08:00

Our walk started at the car park just outside Craster.This is the site of an old dolerite quarry. From here it took us across fields with evidence of ancient field systems ( look for the terraces under the grass).

A little further on you pass Hips Heugh ridge on your left and then shortly we entered Howick Hall Gardens via a one way gate. After a brief stop beside a small lake we exited the gardens , again through a one way gate, onto the beach.

We then followed the coastal path northwards past the Bathing House, round the cliffs and into Craster.

All in all it took us about 3 hours, but we were a long time at Howick Hall and we dawdled along the cliff tops.

These are pictures we took

This ridge is called Hips Heugh...it lies just before the entrance to Howick Hall.A heugh is the name given to places where the Whin Sill makes a ridge.

After we had walked through Howick Hall gardens we came out at the coast on a small rather stony beach. Here we turned left ( or north) and started to climb up the cliff path

This is the view back to the small coastal bay where we came out after the gardens

These are one of the small bays along the coastal path heading north towards Craster.

The Bathing house ....

Craster harbour

With its memorial plaque

Sunset over the Cheviots, from Hethpool Mill,xmas 2008

2009-01-02T11:30:00.001-08:00

Sunset over the Cheviots, from Hethpool Mill,xmas 2008
Originally uploaded by Northumbria Byways

Sometimes we were really lucky and the sunsets over the College Valley were spectacular.

Hill Fort,Great Hetha, College Valley

2009-01-02T11:25:00.001-08:00

Hill Fort,Great Hetha, College Valley
Originally uploaded by Northumbria Byways

We climbed Great Hetha on a clear beautiful day over xmas 2008. On the top it took us a little time to realise where the hill fort was.It was all around us....too big to see with one view.

Walking down the north west side into the Valley of Trowupburn and then back to the Mill made us realise really how beautiful the College Valley is.