The Geordie Tourist.

I’m forever on the lookout for walks next to where I live, so that I can take Poppy (my lab) to new places. I get bored, so I’m guessing she does too when we go on the same route time after time. I also love the outdoors as you can probably tell from the mountains of posts where I’m walking some muddy track, or showing you millions of pictures of trees. (Slight exaggeration maybe)

I went with her and my mam and we found a little opening in the hedges about five minutes from where we live. It’s called LamesleyPastures. I think it may be connected to Lamesley Reedbeds where I went walking a few weeks ago. (according to the map) I love when you pull up somewhere and it has those little boards that give you information about where you are and what you can see etc.

According to the sign Lamesley Pastures was bought by Gateshead Council in 2002. Who bought it to care for and improve the area for its wildlife, landscape, archaeological and historical interest and to enable people to explore this unique place. It has now been taken over by Durham Wildlife Trust (in 2014) 

New wildflower meadows and hedgerows are being planted to provide habitats for wildlife, including species that are getting rarer. There are also new wetlands that will attract wading birds etc. It’s fascinating learning about the history where you live and what used to be. For example did you know:

‘Most medieval remains have been destroyed by building or ploughing and the site at Lamesley is recognised as one of the best surviving examples of a medieval landscape in Tyne and Wear. Despite being close to the built up area of Gateshead, land around the village has largely escaped the effects of the industrial revolution, coal mining and modern development. The landscape has changed little in the past 150 years. Because of this, the Council has protected Lamesley by designating it as a Conservation area.’

I had no idea, there are so many other great facts on the leaflet I linked. If you are from around here or interested in Gateshead’s heritage it's worth a look.

I wouldn't say it was a very long walk. We managed to get to the end in about fifteen minutes. It was nice passing unseen countryside though. We went past the back of some nice looking houses. You could just see them in the distance along with The Angel of the North. There was also cows/sheep in the fields too.

There were different entrances to Lamesley Pastures, but we only went in the one we came across. One of them not too far away, said that there was a viewing station to watch birds and things, which might be good to see. (I don’t think I’m the bird watching type, but you never know.)

On our way back I spotted a tree that was growing through a wall by the looks of it. I was scared to get right up close to it, in case I fell down a ditch or something, but you could just see the hints of a doorway poking out from underneath. I’m always curious as to weather there's a tunnel or what places used to be like before time and nature took their toll. 

I'm not sure if I'd do this particular walk again. There's wasn't many things to see on the way. We did hear a lot of rustling next to some of the trees and they were moving a lot. I was hoping I'd spot a deer emerging, but we couldn't see anything. 

Places change with the seasons though, and who knows maybe just a short walk, when its pelting down with snow might be quite pleasant. 

Have any of you found any nature walks recently?

Now my mother is a newly married woman she needed to get herself a new passport sorted. So whilst she was waiting for it to get finalised and what not we decided to have a little wander around Durham (Which is where the passport office is, if you were wondering.) 

I've been to Durham on a few occasions; it just has a lovely feel about the place,the little bridges going over the water and the castle and cathedral that you can see in the distance. It’s quite archaic and traditional and I like going every now and again. One year we went to a Christmas market that was on and it was just lovely, it was right next to the cathedral too which was a nice touch, especially lit up in the dark.

We had the dog with us, so it was more about just about walking around and taking in a few of the sights. We did stop for breakfast at a place called Ciao Ciao, which is a Mediterranean deli and bakery. We grabbed a table outside to accommodate Poppy. We got a couple of bacon sandwiches with tea and what not.  My mam got some kind of cake that looked a bit like shredded wheat. I sneaked a bite and it was sweet and cinnamon flavoured. (Very nice indeed.)

Afterwards we just walked up towards Durham Castle and Durham Cathedral. I've been inside the cathedral before. It’s just amazing and I don’t think I could describe it. It’s definitely something you have to see for yourself. You can’t go to Durham without paying it a visit.

We took what I thought was a shortcut so we didn't have to go through the shops and things to get to them. It took us up some steep steps and onto some weird back alleyways. It did take us to a locked gate which I guess would have been open at some point and taken you straight there. Not the case when we were there, so if you see and shortcut sign, don’t bother. I think it did cut the time a bit and was more fun than the normal way. So what the hell, yeah go that way instead.

I've never been to the castle before, but just from the outside it looks like my kind of place. I love exploring old buildings and ornate gardens and things. There were plenty of little focal points beside the two landmarks (Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle) which caught my photographer’s eye. Just benches outside of regal looking buildings, or flowers nicely arranged in a pot. There's always something worth looking at.

On our way back down I spotted a gorgeous little cake shop that I’m dying to sample. Next time I go back I’ll have to leave Poppy at home. (Poor dog) I mean I’m all for dog walking, but cake is important too. That way I can go and explore Durham Castle as well. (Always thinking)

It’s definitely worth a look if you’ve never been to Durham before. I know they have the Lumiere Festival, which I’d also love to check out.

Have any of you been to Durham lately?

Last Thursday I jumped in the car with my gal pal Nic and we headed to Alnwick Castle for a magical night under the stars watching Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. (Sounds romantic, but there were lots of other people there, freezing their asses off along with us.)

The event was being hosted by The Luna Cinema which is the UK’s number one open air cinema brand. They have screenings all over the country, showing lots of different films. Most of them are nearer to London and things. They had a showing of Jaws that I was desperate to see, but it was just too far away. You get to sit in a rubber dinghy in a pool watching it, which would have just been purely amazing and terrifying at the same time.

We chose Alnwick though as it was the closest to us. Plus there’s just something cool about watching Harry Potter in the grounds that it was filmed in. When they’re having their first Quidditch lesson, you just can’t help but look around knowing you’re in the exact same spot they were.

The event was sponsored by DoubleTree by Hilton. We got VIP tickets which meant that we got a goody bag and could sit in a director’s style chair instead of blankets on the floor. We got a lanyard too and a glass of Prosecco which was very posh indeed. The goody bag had little packets of tic tacs, a poncho and a mini fan amongst other things. When you walked into the actual screening bit everyone got a cookie too which was a nice touch.

I've been to Alnwick castle before, but it’s been a while. It was great being there in the dark. It’s such a beautiful place. I will say that it was absolutely freezing though. I had so many layers on, hat, scarf and gloves and I was numb. It was raining too. I still managed to sit and eat popcorn though and enjoy the film. At the start it was still a bit too light and you couldn't see the screen for the first ten minutes or so, after that though it was all good. As long as you had your buddy/significant other/cuddly person there with you, you managed to stay warm. Or you could both laugh through the cold together, which kind of helped.

The Luna Cinema are adding new locations all of the time. I believe the season is nearly finished for this year, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they have extra venues and showings next year. If it’s your kind of thing I’d definitely sign up to their mailing list, as tickets for some of the shows sell out pretty quick.

I think we paid about £26 each for the VIP tickets which was worth it for the seat alone. It's the first time I've tried an open air cinema and I'd love to do it again. Maybe next time I'll venture further afield. It might be an excuse to explore somewhere new. Let's just hope the wind and rain stay at bay.

Did any of you experience Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone at Alnwick Castle?

Back for May Bank Holiday, when I was going through my ‘must walk 4 miles a day phase’ (It didn't last; the blisters alone were enough to make me stop.) I went with Poppy my little lab for a walk on the paths that take you to Tanfield Railway. You can check that out here.

This time Instead of starting from home and being knackered before we had even really gotten onto new territory, I took the car and parked next to the entrance way and we managed to walk all of the way up. Well, not to the railway, but to the next cut which is enough in itself. I think I've cycled up there before, but I don’t think me or Poppy had it in us to walk that far. I’m really curious to go to the railways though and have a good look, so maybe that might be a future trip.

The surroundings were different to last time, gone were the bright yellow fields and the orange flowered bushes. It was a nice sunny day unlike last time though.

This walk to me will always be remembered as the ‘butterfly walk’. There were just so many flying about.  One of them was massive and brightly coloured. I saw brown ones and little white ones. (So descriptive I know) I’m not a butterfly expert so don’t know any of the names for them. It was just nice watching them flutter by.  Half of the time they fly off  before you can even get near them for a decent shot, so I was glad I managed to get a couple.

Poppy got reunited with her favourite bench too. It’s this lovely carved high bench with intricate details on it. It looked great against the backdrop of the golden hues in the fields. We may have stopped for a while and chilled. I may have added my name to the others that had been scratched into it. (Ever so lightly though, I’m no vandal.) 

On our way back down from reaching the cut I saw a rabbit/hare sitting in a bush. You know when you just hear rustling and your eyes are immediately directed to something. I think it was startled and trying to hide, as I could just see it's rear sticking out. I left it in peace though, and Poppy was none the wiser.

It’s amazing how fast time goes. It doesn't seem like two minutes when it was January/February time and my mam and Geoff had decided to set a date for their wedding. I can’t actually believe that its came and gone. All the hard work and planning, now what? Well happy memories and not having to worry about fitting into a bridesmaid dress anymore. (Amen to that)

The day was perfect. Everything seemed to go by without a hitch. I may have slightly had a bit too much Asti on the morning and felt queasy. I might also have been sick a couple of minutes before walking down the aisle, but shhh let’s just keep that between us. (Classy lady.)

It was just lovely for me to see my mam so smiley. Geoff is a lovely man and he makes her very happy. They both deserve to be content and they both had an amazing day which is what it’s all about.

I didn't really take many pictures myself. I don’t even know how, I’m normally all over the photo taking, but I must have been preoccupied. I don’t even think I got a photo taken with the happy couple. (Never mind)

There were photographers on hand Beth and Emma, who were both fabulous. My mam just kind of told them some snaps she wanted taken and then they were let loose to do anything else they wanted. They had ones when we were all grouped together and throwing confetti which was a laugh.

The meal was one of the best parts of the day for me. (Me loving food…sounds about right.) That’s one thing I did manage to get some pictures of. It just tasted absolutely amazing. Just thinking about it now is making me hungry. They got married at The Angel View Inn which has the most delicious food anyways.

We had ham hock for starters. It came with a little bit of salad and had this amazing vinaigrette on it. I ate the lot, which I then regretted as soon as I saw the main. It was a chicken dinner with a massive Yorkshire pudding. There was ample amounts of veg and cottage cheese too. I was so stuffed so couldn't eat it all. The chicken was tender and the gravy, the best I've ever tasted.

Pudding was a chocolate tart, by this point I was way past being full. I could only manage a couple of mouthfuls. What I tasted was nice though.

The night time consisted of a few trips to the photo booth (daft props included) https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.485260504987554.1073742118.212407075606233&type=3
their theme was 80's so there was lots of cheesy music and a buffet worthy of the era.

All in all it was a great day. It's been forever since I went to a wedding, even longer since it was one of my parents. I'm just dying to see the professional pictures. I may have the foodie ones sorted, but as for everything else, well not quite so much...

Have any of you been to a great wedding this year?

My mam and Geoff got married last Saturday and the night before all of the girls decided that we would stay in a cottage right next to the wedding venue. They were getting married at The Angel View Inn. They have rooms there, but as there was so many of us (12 I think) we were able to get the cottage for the night.

‘Edrose Cottage’ the sign said. It was such a quaint little place. The outside was rustic and old looking, but inside was modern and clean. I loved that all of the rooms had their own en-suites. I was a little worried beforehand whether there would be enough mirrors and bathrooms for everyone getting ready on the morning of the wedding. (There were plenty and no major disasters thankfully.)

I had a little peek through the gardens too. I always turn into a little kid, wanting to explore the nature and things. The garden was amazing. There were just massive apple trees everywhere. The floor was littered with them. There was a plum tree and blackberry bushes too. It went on for ages and right at the end was a little fence and just beyond it you could see the Angel of the North. There were gorgeous flowers and a bird house too. Honestly just looking through the garden made the stay worth it.

The Angel View Inn is a gorgeous place anyways. They have a lovely bar area, serve great food and appear to be right in the countryside. There’s normally the odd horse in the fields too. I've been for Sunday lunch and a posh meal before and the food didn't disappoint.

As for the cottage, it was great to have everyone all together, especially all of the girls, there was family that I’d never seen in a while and it’s very rare that we all get to spend time together and do stuff. So it was a nice treat.

A lot of us spent most of the night up at the actual wedding venue as we were prepping for the big day, sorting out decorations and things. It was a laugh though and we even got a few bottles of bubbly to help us along.

Afterwards we all went back to the cottage for girly chit chat, lots of pizza and sweet things and a few more glasses of fizz. 

Although we were only there for one night (and most of the night was spent elsewhere) I really enjoyed my stay. Like I said, it was great chilling and catching up with everyone. It was also like a treat to make the wedding more special if that makes sense. Sure we could have got a posh car and went from home to the venue, but where's the fun in that.

Have any of you stayed at the Angel View Inn recently?