Mesolithic history in Northumberland

This story board from Maelmin talks about the mesolithic era. From 10,000 BC , when the ice sheets retreated, through to approximately 4,000 BC, when farming began to be established.This was the time of the hunter gatherers who wandered across the country side.

As the ice melted the sea levels rose and Britain became separated from Europe. Around 6500 BC the temperatures were at their highest, up to 2 degrees centigrade higher

than the present day. Vast broad leaf forests would have covered the landscape and the area would have been rich in fauna and flora.

We have beautiful cottages to rent across the fertile Northumberland plains. The area is tranquil and unhurried. From Bamburgh and Seahouses on the Northumberland Coast across to the Cheviot Hills you are guaranteed a lovely vacation.

Gliding, first time airborne

Your 1st take off is very exciting, its bumpy, like a go cart but because you are being towed you have no control, just sit back and enjoy it.

Looking back over 2009 i came across this photograph taken from the cockpit of the Glider as it being towed...just about to be airborne.

The aerodrome at Millfield is convenient for all our Northumberland Cottages in the Glendale area. Basically Glanton, Wooler, Rothbury , Akeld, and of course the College Valley.

Maelmin, ancient heritage trail near Millfield

Maelmin is a strange place. It's just off the A697 between Wooler and Coldstream and hiding behind a memorial to the fallen in WW2. Not an obvious place of interest.


Basically when excavating the nearby airfield a house from around 500 AD was unearthed. This house has been reconstructed here...


The site has the following attractions

A dark age house

A mesolithic hut.....pictured here

A henge





and lots of story boards.

Overall this is a much understated attraction.It's well worth a visit and the chances are you will be the only one here.

Other local attractions include Flodden and of course the College Valley.

Border Gliding

Great excitement, when we were up in the Cheviots we went Gliding!
It's quite a common sight at week ends to see these graceful sail planes gliding above the Millfield plain and over the foot hills of the Cheviot.

The Border Gliding Club is based just outside Millfield. Many times travelling north towards Coldstream we have seen the "beware of gliders" signpost, however this time we turned off and went flying.



So what was it like?

First you have to get into the glider.For a tall person this isn't always easy...shall we say its a tight fit.

The take off behind a "tug" is quick , a little bumpy but you are soon in the air.

Being towed up to 2,500 feet is the real scary part.It's quick but you bounce all over the place.
But the peace and quiet when the tow rope is released is truly amazing.Everything goes quiet and you just hang in the air ( as it were).

Unfortunately the lift wasn't great which meant a short flight.The landing , which we had expected to be the most difficult part ,was really quick and no problem for a passenger.

If you would like a house near to Millfield then why not try Croft Cottage.

College Valley - feral goats

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

So if you are interested in feral goats and how they survive in the wild then why not come to one of the remote cottages in the College Valley.

Burning heather

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

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

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.

Sunset over the Cheviots, from Hethpool Mill,xmas 2008

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

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.

Hethpool Mill from Great Hetha

P1010241
Originally uploaded by Northumbria Byways

This is a view from Great Hetha looking down towards the Mill house.Taken on a glorious day over christmas 2008.