Where are we all

sel thanks am new at chat

I love the dolls houses at Wallington. They're doing a lot of work at Gibside in the near future, I believe. I was hoping to see the Red Kites when we were there in the summer, but they were hiding from me. Paxton House is one of my favourites; an artist called Judith Currie has an exhibition of her work there each summer, along with varying other artists. I've never really explored Berwick properly; did walk down to the harbour this year... very run down but still had a quaintness about it. Then there's Manderston [where they filmed that series about Edwardian Houses] and Floors Castle. I've never been to Durham .

london hmmm, ok then. You have it. It was just a vain attempt to move the thread West

sel yes the view across the bay is nice but a ment the beaches .

london sorry but must disagree on the most beautiful coastline. Morecambe Bay takes it - well, maybe not coastline but the view across the Bay is one of the most stunning in the country. Can't say the same for Morecambe!

am ashamed to say i have never been in durham cathedral and i belong 6 miles from it but love 2 go up craster way and them areas .and yes we do a think have the best coast line xx

Kitty, once when we went to Durham Cathedral, I went down in the crypt and left Ken sitting on a seat in the nave. While I was down there I heard this wonderful music echoing. Then it stopped.
When I went to join Ken I found I had missed a sound check for Sting, doing his If on a Winter's Night tour. Sounded really good down in the crypt, though.

Isthisallthereis, we used to have a guest house in York. We had lots of Australian and American guests with railcards who used to ask where to go.
I always told them to go to Durham, which is like York but with hills. Not quite the same, but you'll know what I mean. They always appreciated Durham.
The good thing is that the cathedral still does not charge. We went there last year on our 45th wedding anniversary, and even our grandchildren like the climb up the hill to see the cathedral and castle, and to look over the wall at the river.
Maniac, when people tell me they are going for their Summer holidays, I always joke that I hope they've chosen the right week. Fantastic beaches with nobody on them because of the wind.
Ken's mother lives in Broomhill, so we often go to Embleton and Druridge Bay. Ken was born at Stannington Hospital near Morpeth, but one of his brothers was born in Mona Taylor.
Ken and his older brother both went to King Edward Grammar School in Morpeth, but his younger brother went to Ashington Tech. Ken went to Charles Trevelyan College which is now Northumbria University. So we often go to Wallington.

maniac even in the cold winter its beautiful and worth another visit, Cragside, Gibside and Wallington are some of my favourite places to visit.

It's never been cold when I've been there [although I avoid the winter months]. The S.O.has a flat in Bamburgh which I totally take for granted. I'm very torn sometimes because my youth was spent in Cornwall [the misspent part of it] so my heart is very much in the south west. When I'm gone I don't think my spirit will know which end of the country to inhabit .

Jendurham I've so many happy memories of Northumberland.
My DD1 was born in Mona Taylor hospital,Bedlington. We lived in Morpeth for 3 years(our first house).I worked at St Georges hospital and various pharmacies.My DH taught at Ashington Tech.One of his students was Sheila Armstrong who went on to become an international operatic soprano.
Cragside,Bamburgh and Alnwick Castle -and the wonderful beaches.Pity its so cold up there and a long way fromSomerset where I live now.
I must make the effort to get up there next year.

kitty will just have to go and add Bryan Ferry to isthis 's other thread of desirable over 50's !

I echo how wonderful Durham Cathedral is - beautiful and also spiritual and peaceful. Brian Ferry was there when we last visited but I don't imagine that they arrange that for everyone!!

Jendurham just noticed yr screen name. Can all pls just celebrate what a beautiful place Durham is. If you've never been, go now! The Cathedral must be the most stunning in Britain, and superbly positioned next to the castle on a great rocky spur.

Thrilling place, well worth a day of gentle exploring.

Now I sound like the N-E Tourist Board!

Cycled up the Northumberland coast with a friend a few years ago. Glorious. Especially the kippers in Craster.

The whole ride I can strongly recommend. No big hills and very friendly bed & breakfasts. Just follow Sustrans Route One north from Newcastle and whatever you do don't even think of cycling on the A1. Even crossing it was traumatic!

www.coast-and-castles.co.uk

Scroll down to see a lovely interactive map that'll get you thinking happy thoughts!

I must admit that until we had a holiday in Northumberland in 1987, I`d always thought of the area as dark, miserable and industrial. Oh how wrong I was! It`s beautiful up there, and we`ve been back a couple of times since.

My husband was born in Ashibgton. His claim to fame was that he had tea with Jacky Charlton. He was in the same class as the younger Charlton, Tommy.
Our younger son was born at home in Cramlington, but we had to go to a nursing home in Seaton Sluice to be checked out as he was born in 20 minutes flat. Ken delivered him. The ambulance man in the corner said he did not know what to do as it was only his first case.
We once went to a medieval banquet at Seaton Delaval Hall. Would find it hard to go to one now, having been vegetarian for over 35 years!
I haven't read all of this thread as I've only just found it, but has Cragside been mentioned? It's a fantastic place, near Rothbury.
One of Ken's grandfathers was a miner involved in an accident. He had a pit prop fall on his back, and it broke his spine. He gave up mining then and became a spiritualist preacher. His other grandfather worked down the mine at Ashington. His dad was a foreman for the NCB and was responsible for the upkeep of all the pit houses in the area. You would hardly know that there had been mines in Northumberland now. It's all gently undulating fields full of sheep.
Not forgetting, of course, the fantastic beaches up there with all the castles, Dunstanburgh, Lindisfarne and Bamburgh, our family favourite.
I sound like a tourist information Centre.

Yes, I'm sure that's the one; the Hartley mining disaster, 1862. I was told about it by a man who showed me round the Hall, so the S.O. and I then drove to the memorial to pay our respects. I think it changed the way mines were made in that they then had to have two shafts. At the time they had only one because it was cheaper. I found it very moving to be there; all those names and some just children.

jane I would't live anywhere else through choice I feel very lucky.

crimson I remember seeing Kate Humble in 'Who Do You Think You are' her great-grandfather had been the manager at the pit where the disaster was ? Holywell ? Anyway he died a broken man because of the guilt he felt at all the lives lost.
glass we are so lucky aren't we? The Northeast has it all I think

jane I was just going to jump in but you beat me to it. If you have not visited the North East you will find lots of fantastic places to visit but shhhhhh we dont like to broadcast it too much

crimson have a look here
www.northtyneside.gov.uk/browse-display.shtml?p_ID=505960&p_subjectCategory=1234

Certainly not saying the NT are snobs, I meant the local NIMBY presidents.

For such a small place, Ashington has thrown up some amazing people [eg the Charlton brothers]. We saw the play before it went to the West End; also visited the hall that one of the painters stayed at [can't recall it's name]. We like to pick up on something and follow the thread wherever it takes us. Seaton Delaval took us to the site of the terrible mining disaster in the nearby village.

crimson I don't know the name if the Cullercoats painter either but the Ashington painters were amazing. I saw the play about them by Lee Hall at the National Theatre.
kitty Stoneywe ll sounds very interesting, must add it to the list

jane Stoneywell is in a quite exclusive bit of Charnwood Forest and the locals appear to be objecting to the 'hoards' of extra traffic that will be clogging up their exclusive, and really quite narrow, roads. Actually, there are probably about 30 houses in the whole area and one of them has been turned into a beautiful day centre for disabled groups to hire, I believe. Isthis Swithland Lane, Rothley, is the road with the most houses over £1m - presumably because there are more of them!!