Country Escape: PART TWO

What is it about being away from home that makes you want to kick the covers back, rush out of bed at the crack of dawn and spend the day exploring?

After being woken gently by the early morning sun shining through the window I found myself feeling bright and breezy at 7am. Sneaking downstairs to let the dogs out, I put the kettle on and made a start on breakfast for Emily and I. Since we were only dog-sitting at my friend's beautiful farmhouse for the weekend, we had a lot of exploring to do and it was time to crack on!

The pretty village of Warkworth is only a short drive from where we were staying, and since Emily the Southerner had never been, off we went in my canny car Little Blue in search of an adventure...

The backdrop of Warkworth is dominated by the medieval ruins of Warkworth Castle. The castle was once home to the Duke of Northumberland and members of the upstanding Percy family who now call its not-so-distant neighbour Alnwick Castle home.

After crossing the mighty threshold and into the ancient ruins, Emily and I set off to explore.

Delving deeper into the ruins, we tried to picture what the towers, turrets, chapels and great halls would have looked like.

As a self-confessed medieval history geek, my time spent devouring Philippa Gregory's Tudor tales and watching umpteen David Starkey documentaries meant I conjured up images of great feasts by the fire, intimate ceremonies in the chapel and the hustle and bustle of servants clambering up and down to the beer cellar pretty easily, and it wasn't long before we had made up our own imaginary family whose trials and tribulations took place under cover of these old stone walls.

Emily waiting for a long lost love to arrive on horseback over the grassy verge... 

While I kept an eye out for armies on the march to invade our land.... 

 It wasn't long before my inner geek came out in full force and I fell in love with the lighting and romance of the old castle, casting shadows on nooks and crannies just begging to be explored.

The view of rural old Northumberland wasn't half bad either.

After all that exploring it was definitely time to head into Warkworth and show Emily the cute collection of shops, starting of course, with my favourite: Cabosse Coffee Shop and Patisserie.

WARNING: Anyone on a diet should look probably away now....

There's nothing I love more than chocolate, so when I spied the chocolate fondue set, I obviously had to try it. Ladies and Gentlemen feast your eyes on a pot of melted Cabosse milk chocolate, sugar curls, chopped hazelnuts, fresh banana and cream all served on a silver platter for you to tuck in. I think you can probably tell from the picture how amazing it was, and best of all it's only £6.95! 

After lunch we wandered along the gently sloping streets, popping our heads in and out of the lovely little gift shops. Two places you absolutely must visit are Gray's of Warkworth - a girlie gift shop filled with pretty scarves, jewellery and handbags, and Fenwick Gallery and Gift Shop which sells the work of local artists, craftspeople and jewellery designers. Emily and I fell in love with just about everything.


All too quickly it was time to say goodbye to our farmhouse and head back to Newcastle ready for work in the morning. Let's hope it won't be too long before I'm back in my spiritual home!

Country Escape: PART ONE

Just look at that view. There's nothing like lush green grass, rolling fields and being surrounded by wildlife to make me feel really happy. 

As much as I love Newcastle and living in such a vibrant, busy city, my heart longs for my own farmhouse in the country. I love the sights, sounds and smells of the countryside as weird as that might be. I love the smell of the hay from hay bales, the smell of the grass and the fresh air. Nothing beats the sight of endless open spaces and boxing hares, snuffling hedgehogs and gently grazing sheep. So when a friend of mine asked me if I would dog sit her two lovely labradors Gus and Cinders at their farm for the weekend, I couldn't wait to get my wellies on and play farmer's wife. 

Bringing with me best friend Emily along for the ride, we said goodbye to Newcastle and headed for a small village called Felton near Morpeth. 

Gus and Cinders were pretty pleased to see us and it wasn't long before we settled ourselves into Julie's beautiful farmhouse. 

Since I was the only one out of the two of us who is from up North, I felt duty bound to show Emily just how gorgeous Northumberland is. Bundling the two big labradors into the back of my car, our first stop was Druridge Bay which looked picture perfect in the afternoon sun.

It was lovely to see the dogs enjoy themselves and run freely on the beach. Thankfully the weather stayed nice too so we didn't mind getting wet as we walked along the seafront in our wellies. 

After a good frolic on the beach and the obligatory 'write your name in the sand' photo, we bundled the smelly, wet dogs back into my car and headed for a drink at the beautiful Northumberland Arms. The pub overlooks the picturesque River Coquet and we couldn't resist stopping to say hello to the ducks before going inside. 

The pub was just the right kind of busy for us to take a seat by the fire, grab a drink and have a chat while the dogs lay by our feet. The interior was beautifully decorated and the food smelled amazing. We promised we'd come back for Sunday lunch another time!

Once we were back home we fired up the AGA (or Emily did) and made ourselves a feast. Playing the perfect farmer's wife I set the table for tea before we all piled into the sitting room to watch a dvd, eat chocolate and chatter until the early hours. 

With the dogs snuggled in their basket, we headed upstairs to bed, but it wasn't long before a certain someone decided he didn't want to sleep downstairs and hopped into bed with us. Being used to my two little bichons, I don't mind sharing my bed, but I have to say Gus took up a lot more room than expected! 

After a brilliant first day, I couldn't wait to show Emily more of Northumberland tomorrow.

Stay tuned for part two to see what we got up to! 

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

How do you feel about onesies?

If I’m entirely honest, my answer before I discovered The All In One Company was ‘hmm I'm not really bothered about them.’ Don’t get me wrong, I love being warm, but I thought it was a bit strange that people went outdoors in what is effectively a large baby-gro. That being said, my mam and I bought our first onesie as a joke Christmas present last year from Primark, turns out they came in pretty handy when our boiler decided to break and we had no heating for most of December! But all in all, my fetching dalmatian-style onesie was confined to the house.

Not my most fashionable look I have to say...

After receiving a PR email about the All In One Company, I have to say I began to look at onesies in a new light. 

The first thing that struck me about them was that they are a local company. Not only do they have a celebrity following, everything is handmade in Ashington, Northumberland by a team of skilled seamstresses, something which I’m very happy to support. I also liked the fact that you could design it yourself, meaning you no longer have to decide between a novelty dinosaur and dalmatian that is ten sizes too big. The company was founded by Kate Dawson in 2008 after she was unable to find all-in-ones for her kids on the high street. They make onesies for all ages and sizes, and everything is made to order so you can be sure your onesie will fit snugly. They’ve actually thought of everything - add a hood, ears, tails, feet, pockets and mittens. You can even add non-slip soles to the feet to prevent slips on smooth surfaces; kitchen floors (see, I told you they’d thought of everything).

The company’s eco credentials are good too – they donate off cuts of fabric to local schools and community projects so nothing is wasted. They’ve also been shortlisted for the Training Award and Apprenticeships Awards at the Northumberland Business Awards, so good luck to them!

The company invited me to design my own; confident they could change my mind, so I put them to the test!

To get started, simply choose whether you’d like a onesie for a man, woman or child.  Next, enter your individual measurements and choose your fabric. I have to say I struggled to choose a design there was just so many fabrics to pick from! It was a toss between the Cath Kidston-inspired strawberry print, a red and white Minnie Mouse polka dot ensemble or the very cool ‘Scandi-chic’ design I’d spied on their newsletter.

If you’re short on time or need a little inspiration then you can order a pre-designed onesie here

Maybe you fancy being the eye of the tiger?

Or a teddy bear?

I can honestly say that the quality, fit and whole experience of buying an All In One Company onesie is fantastic. Yes they're more expensive than the novelty high street onesies, but I tell you, it'll last forever. With the weather turning colder now is definitely the time to invest in a onesie for yourself or a loved one as a Christmas gift, it’s made from polar fleece and is SO warm. My favourite thing is the genius little extras like the ‘I-Poc-It’ to keep your ipod etc at hand and the option to have your name or a design embroidered on it. My onesie was made to order and came less than a week later. It fits so well and everyone I’ve shown it to loves it – I think I might have to order my mam one for Christmas!

What do you think?

I’d love to see your pictures of your designs, or why not share the post below to tell a friend about The All In One Company. 

The Secret Lives of Red Squirrels

WARNING: Ridiculously cute animals feature prominently in this blog post 

Calling all bookworms, photographers and animal lovers...

Don't miss the chance to see the unique and charming personalities of the red squirrel come alive in a brand new book!

'On The Trail of Red Squirrels' is a brand new book published by Will Nicholls, a good friend of mine who also happens to be a self-taught, award-winning local wildlife photographer. Having won a string of awards - namely RSPCA Young Photographer, Young British Wildlife Photographer and most recently the ZSL Animal Photographer Prize 2013 - Will's new book is his latest achievement and really does deserve the North East's support. 

''The first time the squirrel spotted the camera sitting idly on the woodland floor was a moment I will always remember'' 

Will spent six years feeding a family of red squirrels who live in a nearby wood in Northumberland. He set up his own hide and patiently tried to gain their trust so they’d make an appearance long enough for him to position his camera. Once in sight, Will strives to capture the unique personalities of the squirrels and has certainly succeeded in capturing the charming and sometimes cheeky poses of resident red squirrels. On The Trail Of Red Squirrels provides a fascinating and unique insight into the elusive, and sadly endangered red squirrel, thanks to Will's unrelenting passion (and patience!). Thanks to generous donations, Will was able to get his debut book published by local publishers Wagtail Press which is available to buy locally in Corbridge from Forum Books www.forumbooks.co.uk, Will's website www.willnicholls.co.uk and Amazon. 

''A squirrel will grab hold of a hazelnut between its paws, turning it several times to determine its contents. Sometimes it will find a bad nut and discard it''

Will hopes that his new book will provide a window into the secretive world of red squirrels as he shares his unique insight into their world. I have been lucky enough to receive a copy already and I can tell you that this glossy book is an absolute delight. Each image is more impressive and beautiful than the last and I love Will's honest and funny commentary throughout. I don't want to spoil it for you but I have a feeling you'll love the part about 'Lucky' just as much as I did! 

''My favourite characteristic of red squirrels is, of course, their beautiful red coats'' 

This blog is as much about celebrating local talent as it is independent businesses and places to visit, so I thought I'd share a few photos with you from this exciting new book. Will is currently on expedition in Cambodia, but you can follow his progress on his blog by clicking here, or by following him on twitter. 

And I Would Walk 20 Miles....

So, the big day finally arrived. Our party of six arrived at our beautiful starting point in the Cheviots, suited and booted ready for the gruelling 20 mile walk ahead.... 

Now I hasten to add at this point that I had never actually walked 20 miles, so the number felt like just that, an incongruous number that betrayed little about the mammoth task ahead. We would be walking a well-trodden route through the wild and wonderful Cheviots, along the Scottish border. Amongst our group were a few seasoned walkers and a few well meaning novices for good measure. After practising a well-timed emergency stop for Leanne to vomit at the side of the road with travel sickness (nothing to do with my driving ability, I swear) it was safe to say we had all been suitably introduced to each other. 

What on earth possessed us to embark on a 20 mile walk on our sunday I hear you ask, well we were raising money for a local charity who helps disabled children with funding for prosthetic limbs. One adorable little boy had lost both legs due to meningitis, and it reminded me of all those years ago (1996) of when my little brother contracted meningitis at the age of 3 but was incredibly lucky to recover relatively unscathed and with all limbs intact. The charity in question is also a nominated charity of mobile phone network EE where my boyfriend works, so the walk and charity meant something to everyone involved. 

As I breezily agreed to participate in this walk, I have now come to learn just how difficult walking 20 miles and 13 hours of constant cardio is. Fortunately, an exceptionally gruelling (yet strangely fun) walk in the Lake District with a few friends had prepared me somewhat for what lay ahead and I'm pleased to say the first 10 miles was fine. It wasn't until the rain poured making the ground boggy and hard to manouevre that things got difficult. Trudging through bog and pulling your soaked boot out for three ours started to take its toll. My blisters grew blisters and I'd ran out of replacement dry socks (rookie error). Poor Leanne had only brought trendy nike trainers so had practically developed trench foot at this point and my heroic boyfriend carried her across most of the bog.... I 'manned up' and pushed on of course. 

Despite the stormy weather and wet feet, the view was incredible. I love being outdoors and to be in the thick of it surrounded by nothing but fresh air and rolling hills, actually using my feet to get around instead of a car was exhilarating. I had a big smile on my face the whole time! I never thought I'd like walking (maybe not in my early twenties anyway) but I can see why people get addicted! I loved setting myself a challenge and overcoming pain or a particularly hard climb and fighting my way up the next bit (aided by a big bag of jelly babies of course). 

It was fantastic being able to get to know new people and talk about everything and anything. Suddenly these people are no longer strangers, but your best friends. You help each other up the side of the mountain, pick out the best route for them to follow or give them a helping hand over a gate. 

Around 16 miles in my feet really started to hurt. I was conscious of every step and my blisters showed no sign of bursting. I was also getting pretty sick of having to find a suitably shades spot to go to the toilet in! Nevertheless I knew there was nothing I could do but put my foot forward and carry on. Leanne was hilarious and both in considerable amounts of pain and absolute novice walkers we quite literally crawled to the finish line, arm in arm. The walk had taken just over 12 hours but I honestly can't tell you how fantastic it was. It was painful and pleasurable in equal measures and every time I went to whinge about my sore feet I reminded myself that the people we were doing this for would have given anything to be in my shoes (well, maybe not my sweaty wet walking boots but you know what I mean). 

After a well-deserved rest we got back in our cars and drove to a fantastic pub near Rothbury called The Anglers Arms for a strong drink and huge plate of home cooked food! Pulling up at the last drop off I felt sad saying goodbye to my new friends but as cheesy as it sounds, we shared an unforgettable experience together and I can't wait to do my next challege! Walking is one of the best ways to really experience our incredible countryside and for a city girl who dreams of open fields and a big old farmhouse, how can I resist?! 

A Bird's Eye View

Last night a few friends and I hit the road and headed far north to Seahouses, or more specifically to the Farne Islands in search of the high seas and a special kind of bird… Known affectionately amongst the locals here as the 'Tommy Noddy' or clowns of the sea, we came to visit the glorious puffins who nest on these islands every year. 

Now chances are you'll smell the islands before you see them, but this small cluster of craggy rocks is home to literally thousands of seabird colonies. The islands are so populated by Arctic terns, razorbills, guillemots and shags that often one bird has to leave their space before another can land! If you've never seen or heard of the spectacle before, I really urge you to go, unless you're scared of birds or water of course. 

Given how delicate and profound these islands are, they are now protected Nature Reserves so visitors are forbidden from setting foot on the islands, (good job as there literally isn't any space) but you can book yourself on one of the numerous boat tours that operate from the harbour and see them up close for yourself. So after what turned out to be a good hour and a half's drive thanks to pesky traffic, the four of us finally reached the harbour to meet our skipper George and hop aboard the family boat. As it turns out, we had picked the perfect night to visit the Farne Islands. The sky was brilliantly clear, the sea as smooth as glass and the weather, happily still warm. I know I say this a lot, but there is no better feeling than being on a boat, the wind whipping through your hair and rushing past your ears, your body relaxing to the ebb and flow of the water, I just love it. Needless to say I was in my absolutely element and grinned from ear to ear as we made the 30 minute journey to our first cluster of islands. 

Staple Island, one of the Outer Farne Islands was our first stop. Literally thousands of birds took to the skies, swooped under the water and sat elegantly on the waves. Naturally we took hundreds of photos, delighted at being able to see nature doing what it does best. It wasn't long before our arrival attracted the attention of some of the Farne Islands' other inhabitants… the grey seals!

Now I hasten to mention that the Farne Islands, which I'm sure you already know, is eternally famous as the site of Grace Darling's heroic rescue in 1838. Her story is of course familiar to generations of North East school children, but in case you're unaware, let me tell you. Grace and her family lived at Longstone Lighthouse and during one stormy night, a 22 year old Grace Darling awoke to find a shipwreck of a ship called the Forfarshire (the Titanic of its day) a short way off. Gathering her father and brother into the boat, she sailed a tiny rowing boat to rescue the survivors clinging to the rocks. As her father managed to secure nine survivors into the boat, Grace battled with the elements to keep the little coble boat afloat. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) awarded Grace and her father a silver medal for gallantry, making her the first ever woman to receive such an award. Consequently, Grace became a celebrity in her own right until her tragic death of TB only four years later. 

Goldengate Tours, the boat company we had chosen are the only licensed boat company in Seahouses to land at Longstone Lighthouse and take people inside, so if you're planning a visit it's worth booking with Goldengate. We climbed the 100+ stairs to the top and were rewarded with the most beautiful view! George told us a little more about the lighthouse (but I won't spoil it for you if you're planning a visit) and we retreated downstairs for a cup of tea. I never wanted to leave, the view was so incredible. Reluctantly getting in the boat to go back to dry land, I managed to sweet talk our captain into him letting me drive the boat home! Well… in open sea, but still, I loved it. 

The Farne Islands are without doubt one of my favourite places to visit in the North East. They're just unlike anything I've ever seen before and I get to indulge in my love of wildlife. Oh and of course get THE best fish and chips to eat on the way home! 

 Bon Voyage!