{"id":530,"date":"2014-04-29T12:19:42","date_gmt":"2014-04-29T12:19:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/budlebaycroft.co.uk\/?page_id=530"},"modified":"2024-03-26T18:12:20","modified_gmt":"2024-03-26T18:12:20","slug":"fun-stuff","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/budlebaycroft.co.uk\/?page_id=530","title":{"rendered":"Other Fun Stuff!"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]With so much to see and do, it is not surprising that Northumberland was voted the UK’s Best UK Family Destination<\/a>\u00a0and The Northumberland National Park was named The World’s Best National Park<\/a>. There really is something for everyone in Northumberland!<\/p>\n

Barter Books<\/a> in Alnwick is highly recommended! It is an experience, rather than\u00a0a book shop. Enjoy the incredible surroundings and cosy atmosphere.\u00a0Why not snuggle up in front of a fire while testing out your new book\u00a0or simply reading a paper while enjoying the lovely food and drinks on\u00a0offer? Barter Books is world famous, deservedly so, and is child and dog friendly\u00a0too! \u201cBack in April 1991, and in the face of a rather large overdraft, Mary\u00a0Manley decided to open a secondhand bookshop – one that would\u00a0be based on the swap system and called Barter Books. Her husband,\u00a0Stuart, immediately took to the idea and suggested that Mary open\u00a0the shop in the front room of what was then his small manufacturing\u00a0plant, located in the magnificent old Victorian railway station.\u00a0From that time a joint partnership was formed that would eventually\u00a0result in what the New Statesman magazine would call \u2018The British\u00a0Library of secondhand bookshops\u2019. The shop has many extra features:\u00a0open fires in the Winter, beloved by all; the Station Buffet with good\u00a0plain food, coffee, tea and cookies; a model railway acting as a link\u00a0between the book columns of the central room, along with poetry\u00a0lines; three stunning 40-foot murals.; a mini-cybercaf\u00e9 (well, two\u00a0computers!) and free wi-fi; numerous restored station features;\u00a0generous seating; a children\u2019s room with enough toys to allow parents\u00a0and grandparents to browse elsewhere in peace \u2013 provided one\u00a0guardian is left to look after the children; and a whole huge room lined\u00a0with over forty glass cases containing many of the more interesting\u00a0antiquarian books. A short history of the \u2018Keep Calm and Carry On<\/a>\u2019\u00a0poster! After being forgotten for more than half a century, a rare\u00a0original of the now famous WWII poster was rediscovered in a box of\u00a0old books bought at auction in one of the largest and most popular\u00a0secondhand bookshops in Britain – Barter Books. When the bookshop\u00a0owners had the poster framed and put up in the shop, customer\u00a0interest was so great that in 2001 the couple started producing\u00a0facsimile copies for sale – copies which were soon copied and recopied\u00a0to make of the Keep Calm poster one of the first truly iconic images of\u00a0the 21st century.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Cheviot Hills<\/a> are just a few miles from Budle Bay\u00a0Croft, and are located in the north of the Northumberland National\u00a0Park. They mark the border with Scotland and offer a wild, romantic\u00a0landscape of rounded hills and valleys. A picnic and a paddle in the\u00a0Breamish valley or the Harthope valley is a traditional day out trip. You\u00a0can share the shallow, clean rivers with dippers and otters, and even\u00a0park your car and sit close by on the riverbank. For the more energetic,\u00a0there are any number of walks<\/a>\u00a0and walking trails<\/a>\u00a0in the Cheviot Hills and surrounding areas \u2013 with\u00a0varied distance and difficulty. And if you fancy getting the best out of the geography, you could\u00a0join\u00a0one of the guided walks with Footsteps<\/a>, Navigate Northumberland<\/a> or \u00a0Shepherds Walks<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0And why not stop off at the Percy Arms Hotel<\/a> in Chatton for some delicious local food on the way home?<\/p>\n

Cragside<\/a>\u00a0is about 45\u00a0minutes drive from Budle Bay Croft, and certainly well worth a\u00a0visit. The home of Lord Armstong, world famous Victorian inventor,\u00a0landscape genius and innovator, Cragside was truly a marvel of its\u00a0time. This is the house where modern living began, with first examples of central heating, dishwashers and rotisseries, to name a few of the many early inventions – in fact it is\u00a0crammed full of ingenious inventions and gadgets, many still\u00a0working today – and in Victorian times, this would have wowed as a house of the future! This was also the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity, reinstated with the recent addition of an Archimedes screw. This is a 17 metre long galvanised turbine weighing several tonnes, recently officially started by local favourite Robson Green\u00a0as seen in ITV’s More Tales From Northumberland. \u00a0The Archimedes screw produces enough energy to light all the bulbs in the house, and enables Cragside to re-tell the story for which it is now famous. You can view this modern turbine system near Tumbleton Lake. \u00a0The Cragside gardens are also incredible and children will love the\u00a0adventure playground and exploring Nelly\u2019s Labyrinth!<\/p>\n

Ford and Etal<\/a>\u00a0is a great place to spend a day. Just a few miles from Budle Bay\u00a0Croft, you can explore the corn mill, walk the Flodden battlefield, ride\u00a0on the steam train, cycle and walk, climb, enjoy afternoon tea, wander\u00a0the estates or view the stunning pre-Raphaelite paintings. Truly\u00a0something for everyone.<\/p>\n

After visiting one oland Gazette<\/a>)f the many attractions at Ford and Etal, why not stop off for a glass of champers or a coffee and homemade cake at The Old Dairy<\/a>? This quirky concept store is full of vintage finds and architectural antiques and is worth a browse for that unusual holiday keepsake.<\/p>\n

Flodden<\/a> was the site of a major and brutal battle\u00a0between Scotland and England on September the 9th, 1513. The armies\u00a0of James IV of Scotland and the Earl of Surrey fought on the slopes of\u00a0Branxton Hill for 3 hours. By the end, King James, his nobel men and\u00a010,000 Scots lay dead. Today the battlefield is marked by a granite\u00a0cross. Perhaps the world’s smallest visitor’s centre<\/a> in a decommissioned\u00a0phone box offers maps, history and other interesting information.<\/p>\n

Hadrian\u2019s Wall<\/a> is one of Britain\u2019s\u00a0greatest landmarks and is a World Heritage Site. It stretches across\u00a0Northern England from Ravenglass on the west coast of Cumbria,\u00a0to Wallsend in Newcastle Upon Tyne. Hadrian\u2019s Wall has something for\u00a0everyone \u2013 of course the world class archaeology, but also spectacular\u00a0landscapes, vibrant cities, utter solitude, great pubs and people, and of\u00a0course, abundant wildlife. Hadrian\u2019s Wall can be visited as a day trip\u00a0from Budle Bay Croft, especially the interesting Vindolanda<\/a> which is only 90 minutes away. In an interview with American magazine Rolling Stone, author of Game of Thrones (GoT) George R.R. Martin said it was the Northumberland\u00a0landmark which first got him thinking about the plot and inspired The Wall, an integral part of the series.\u00a0Martin said \u201cThe Wall predates anything else. I can trace back the inspiration for that to 1981. I was in England visiting a friend, and as we approached the border of England and Scotland, we stopped to see Hadrian’s Wall. I stood up there and I tried to imagine what it was like to be a Roman legionary, standing on this wall, looking at these distant hills.\u00a0\u201cIt was a very profound feeling. For the Romans at that time, this was the end of civilisation; it was the end of the world. We know that there were Scots beyond the hills, but they didn\u2019t know that.\u00a0It could have been any kind of monster. It was the sense of this barrier against dark forces \u2013 it planted something in me. But when you write fantasy, everything is bigger and more colourful, so I took the Wall and made it three times as long and 700 feet high, and made it out of ice.\u201d\u00a0In the TV show, The Wall is a massive fortification which stretches for 300 miles along the northern border of the Seven Kingdoms, defending the realm from the wildlings who live beyond. The Wall is reported to be over 700 feet tall and is made of solid ice. GoT fans visit\u00a0and experience how George R.R. Martin felt \u2013 the profound sense of enormity and fear of the unknown that Roman centurions faced every day, not knowing what lay beyond the Wall.\u00a0Hadrian’s wall staff wear black cloaks like those worn by the Night\u2019s Watch in the TV programme. They not only keep staff warm, but are\u00a0available for the staunchest of GoT fans to recreate their own favourite \u2018wall\u2019 moment at Housesteads Roman Fort in Northumberland. \u00a0Go on. You know you want to!<\/p>\n

The Kielder Observatory<\/a> is only 2 hours\u00a0drive through breathtaking scenery yet offers perhaps the best views\u00a0of our sky in Europe. Although the night scape at Budle Bay Croft is\u00a0fantastic (we have the\u00a0Dark Sky Friendly Award), the views from Kielder observatory are simply astonishing.\u00a0Kielder Observatory is a public outreach astronomical facility located in\u00a0Kielder Forest<\/a>, in some of the darkest skies in Europe and the\u00a0third largest protected Dark Sky<\/a>\u00a0reserve in the world.\u00a0Located in\u00a0Northumberland, England.<\/a>\u00a0It is situated just half a mile from the Scottish border on Black Fell near James Turrell\u2019s\u00a0Kielder Skyspace<\/a>. The site was chosen as one of the locations in the UK which has the least amount of intrusive light pollution.<\/p>\n

Howick Hall and Gardens<\/a> is a great place to visit while walking the coastal route. Close to\u00a0Craster, the Hall is the home of Earl Grey tea, and the gardens are\u00a0amazing, voted top 5 coastal garden in the UK. There is a newly opened\u00a0family trek through the grounds, and after you have worked up an\u00a0appetite, how about afternoon tea in the Earl Grey Tearoom – highly\u00a0recommended!<\/p>\n

You couldn’t really get any closer to a National Trail than the King Charles III Coast Path<\/a> as it goes through the boundary of Budle Bay Croft! Located within the Bamburgh to the Scottish Borders stretch, this 38-mile section offers a delightful journey through numerous areas of natural and historical interest including the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (now the Northumberland Coast National Landscape<\/a>) and the Holy Island of Lindisfarne and gives spectacular views of Bamburgh Castle. Enter a world of wonder and adventure and let the crashing waves and salty air invigorate your spirit as you make your way through breathtaking landscapes and awe-inspiring vistas. Known for its wild sandy beaches and rolling dunes, along with the wide open inter-tidal mudflats seen at low tide, the coastline and its shores support an abundance of wildlife from wildflowers and seabirds to seals and dolphins. Running through a\u00a0land famed for its castles, ruins, and abbeys, each with their own story to tell \u2013 from towering ramparts to haunting ruins, these magnificent buildings echo with the history of the kings, monks and Vikings who lived and fought here. The trail leads to Holy Island Priory and connects to the lovely village of Bamburgh where the castle, the seat of the early Kings of Northumbria, sits high above the village green on one side and the beach on the other, dominating the skyline. Dotted with historic towns too, the spectacular coastline boasts rocky islands and pretty harbour villages where fisherman have landed their catches for generations. Beautiful beaches, the North Sea\u2019s clean, clear waters and big skies make it an ideal destination for anyone wanting to get their feet wet, get away from it all or seek out natural and historical wonders. Thoughtfully designed, the path respects sensitive, historic sites and the natural environment so that future generations can enjoy the area\u2019s beauty while preserving its heritage. Walking through Northumberland on the King Charles III England Coast Path is an experience you\u2019ll remember forever, an experience that will leave you with a deep appreciation for the precious heritage and outstanding natural\u00a0 beauty of this very special corner of England.<\/p>\n

Walk part of the incredible St. Cuthbert\u2019s Way<\/a> \u2013 very easily accessible from Budle Bay Croft, this historic walk\u00a0can be completed in sections, or you can enjoy any of the 24 shorter\u00a0walks. Ranging in length from 1 to 8 miles, and spread out along the\u00a0whole length of St. Cuthbert\u2019s Way, the short walks showcase some of\u00a0the best of the long distance walking route and offer opportunities to\u00a0explore the surrounding countryside, historic sites and other features\u00a0of interest in the Scottish Borders and Northumberland. The walks\u00a0have been developed to provide something for everyone, whatever\u00a0your interests, age or level of fitness, and to appeal to local people\u00a0as well as visitors. Each walk includes a section of St. Cuthbert\u2019s Way,\u00a0but beyond that the walks vary considerably, from a short stroll or\u00a0sheltered riverside walk suitable regardless of the weather, to more\u00a0exposed hill walks which are best appreciated on a fine day. Each\u00a0route is achievable in half a day, but how long you take is up to you,\u00a0depending on how fast you walk, and how long you have to stop and\u00a0enjoy the fantastic views, historical sites and other features along the\u00a0way. The routes are described west to east along St. Cuthbert\u2019s Way \u2013\u00a0the direction most people choose to walk the long distance route, but
\nthere\u2019s nothing to stop you reversing the route description and walking\u00a0in the opposite direction.<\/p>\n

Copies of the St Cuthbert\u2019s Way Official Short Walks Guide are\u00a0available from the online shop. Profits from the sale of the guidebook\u00a0will be reinvested on future maintenance of St. Cuthbert\u2019s Way.<\/p>\n

If golf is your thing, there are some great local golf clubs – more than one for every day of your stay even! \u00a0Belford Golf Club<\/a>\u00a02.8 miles;\u00a0Bamburgh Golf Course<\/a>\u00a03.3 miles; \u00a0Seahouses Golf Club<\/a>\u00a06.1 miles;\u00a0Goswick Golf Club\u00a0<\/a>\u00a010.8 miles\u00a0Dunstanburgh Castle Golf Club<\/a>\u00a013.5 miles;\u00a0Wooler Golf Club<\/a>\u00a013.6 miles;\u00a0Alnwick Golf Club<\/a>\u00a016.7 miles;\u00a0Magdelene Fields Golf Club<\/a>\u00a017.1 miles.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]\"Image
\nImage courtesy of Northumberland Tourism<\/p>\n

\"Image
\nImage courtesy\u00a0of Visit Northumberland<\/p>\n

\r\n\t

\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t
\r\n\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Robson_Green_and_the_new_Archimedes_Screw_at_Cragside_Budle_Bay_Croft\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Image\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
Image courtesy of National Trust<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div><\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t