Slowing down in Northumberland

Berwick-upon-Tweed is one of only eight UK towns to be a member of Cittaslow, a network of towns where quality of life is highly important.

Cittaslow, which is Italian for "slow city" or "slow town" is an international network of towns. A Cittaslow signs up to working towards a set of goals that aim to improve quality of life, and needs to pass an assessment before being admitted as a member of the Cittaslow network.

Cittaslow is a way of thinking. It is about caring for your town and the people who live and work in it or visit it. It is about protecting the environment, about promoting local goods and produce, and about avoiding the sense of sameness that afflicts too many towns in the modern world.

The Cittaslow movement has strong links with Slow Food, and began life in October 1999, during the food festival in Orvieto, Italy. While Slow Food is open for individuals to join as members, membership of Cittaslow is open to towns, which must have a population under 50,000. Organisations can also join as Cittaslow Supporters.

Berwick was awarded its Cittaslow status in May, 2007. Berwick Cittaslow encourages visitors to explore the town’s history and architecture with time and care. Fascinating architectural features include the barrack buildings and town walls.

Berwick's setting and beautiful, atmospheric light mean that it attracts artists from around the UK. The painter L.S. Lowry came to Berwick many times until the mid-1930s and The Lowry Trail allows art lovers to enjoy the places that Lowry made famous in his paintings.

Berwick has embraced the slow food movement and has an amazing variety of food and drink produced locally. Products include cheese, butter, ice cream, cereals, flours, honey, preserves, seafoods, mead and ale.

Dunstanburgh Castle from the air

A striking image of Dunstanburgh Castle from the air. This photo lets your imagination soar, and you can see how cold and isolated the castle would have been when occupied in the 14th century. Photo by David Allen.

Exploring hidden history

Lots of people who travel these days want to step off the beaten track and find out about unusual, lesser known places.

A new book called Northumberland's Hidden History will share with you many of the county's secrets. You can discover Northumberland's rock art, those ancient prehistoric works of art on rocks throughout the county. They are beautiful to see and intriguing and fascinating too.

Stan also writes about ecclesiastical wonders and natural phenomena. The book is beautifully written and includes poems and a rich selection photographs, some of which are very atmospheric.

Stan Beckensall is a top rock art expert and has written a number of articles and books on rock art. He is intriguied by cup and ring rock art.

Northumberland has more rock art than any other part of the UK. There are more than 1,000 recorded rock art panels and individual stones in the county, and Stan discovered many of them and visited the others.

Stan says that rock art was ignored until recently, but that it has caught the popular imagination. It has been the focus of research programmes involving volunteers, and is featured in many books. I think the popularity of rock art lies in many things such as intrigue - we don't know what it means or why it was created. It also has a beauty and naturalness to it that many people long for in today's world.

Northumberland's Hidden History can be read as a standalone volume, but it is in effect the latest in a long and great series of more than ten books that Stan has been writing for years about the North and in particular Northumberland. They include Northumberland: The Power of the Place, and Circles in Stone: A British Prehistoric Mystery.

If you are busy or an outdoors kind of person and want to see rock art without reading too much, you can find Northumberland locations here, and read about one of the most easily accessible sites, near Alnwick, here.

Northumberland’s Hidden History is published by Amberley Publishing, of Stroud, price £16.99 and can be ordered at your local bookshop or bought online.

Dunstanburgh Castle, near Craster

Dunstanburgh Castle is one of my favourite Castles in Northumberland. You'll find it near the village of Craster on the the coast. It's accessible only on foot and the walk offers breathtaking views of the sea and countryside. Find out more about the castle and its opening hours here.

St. Cuthbert's House, Seahouses

St. Cuthbert's House Bed & Breakfast is one of the most impressive buildings you will ever stay in.

It was built in 1810 as a Presbyterian Church. Owners Jeff and Jill Sutheran bought the church, and the adjoining manse next door, which became their family home in 1998when the church closed.

When you enter you arrive in the large, spectacular St. Cuthbert Room. At the same time this room is tranquil and warm. You can either sit and relax or explore the fascinating features, many of which are original.

The former church has been imaginatively and beautifully redesigned. The owners have retained much of the charm and character - like the pulpit which is a balcony viewing area, a communion table, and some of the original pillars. Much of the original timber, including the floorboards and some panelling, were carefully removed and have been re-integrated.

I loved the muted gold colour of this room, the warmth of the rugs and the fantastically comfortable sofas.

The bedrooms are equally impressive, offering that combination of luxury and warmth that can be hard to achieve. You feel you are in a special place but at the same time feel at home.

The owners are wonderful people who provide a great welcome and are lovely hosts. They offer not just a bed & breakfast but also the opportunity to take a themed stay, where you can take a course such a photography, explore Northumberland's Christian heritage, or enjoy bird watching with an expert. Other options are available too.

St. Cuthbert's House is four-star accommodation and also has a Gold award from Visit Britain for the attention to detail. It sits in the Coastal Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty just outside Seahouses and is a natural choice for anyone wanting to explore the coast of Northumberland.

The owners make travel easy. If you are coming from far away of even abroad, they are happy to help or even take care of travel arrangements from your point of arrival. Contact St. Cuthbert's House on + 44 (1)1665 720456.

Natural hay meadows flowering

Britain's bees are being offered a helping hand by Northumberland farmers, who are cultivating hay meadowes to help the endangered insects.

And the beautifully natural fields can be seen by visitors to the county who go to Northumberland National Park. Many meadows are located near Upper Croquetdale and on Barrowburn Farm in the Upper Coquet Valley of the Cheviot Hills.

Farmer Iain Tait is encouraging as many species as possible grow in his meadows, and other farmers are following his example.

This natural habitat will help bees, which are declining at a frightening rate around the world.

Northumberland National Park has embarked on a three-and-a-half-year project to collect seed from hay meadows like the one at Barrowburn and replant it where farmers have entered into an agreement to manage their hay meadows in a more traditional way.

To read more and find out how to get to Barrowburn, go here.

Northumberland art tour

In June and July 2009 Northumberland's most talented artists will open their doors and studios to the public for The Art Tour 2009.

The county is home to many artists who are very talented. Painters, sculprtors, glass artists and textile artists are active here. We are home to jewellery makers, printmakers and photographers too.

By taking a tour, you can discuss the creative process with an artist and find out more about their techniques and inspiration.

People are encouraged to make a day of their tour by planning in a few stops at cafes or pubs, visiting studios and seeing artists at work, all while enjoying one of the most beautiful counties in Britain.

Pick up a free brochure from tourist information centres, galleries, visitor centres and attractions, call 01661 852523, or log on here.

Network Artists was established in 1992 as an independent association of professional artists living and working in Northumberland. It's aim is to provide a service to the artists individually and collectively through networking and a programme of opportunities and events to aid and further their practise.