Latest news with #NorthPennines
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Boutique hotel near Brampton wins Small Hotel of the Year award
A boutique hotel near Brampton has been named Small Hotel of the Year. Farlam Hall, situated near the North Pennines and Hadrian's Wall, received the title at the Cumbria Tourism Awards during a ceremony in Kendal on Tuesday. The awards aim to celebrate excellence in the county's tourism sector, recognising businesses that deliver outstanding visitor experiences. Farlam Hall (Image: Supplied) Hrishi Desai, chef patron at Farlam Hall, said: "Winning Small Hotel of the Year is a tremendous honour for all of us at Farlam Hall. "It reflects the dedication and passion of our entire team in creating memorable experiences that showcase the very best of Cumbria—whether through our cuisine, our hospitality, or our deep connection to this beautiful landscape. "We are truly grateful for this recognition; it affirms how far we've come and inspires us to continue evolving, improving, and offering the very best to every guest who walks through our doors. "We look forward to continue welcoming them to our home." The Relais and Châteaux property offers 12 guest rooms and six Stable Suites. It is home to the Michelin-starred Cedar Tree Restaurant and HRISHI's Table chef's table experience. Karen Baybutt, finance director at Farlam Hall, said: "This award is a real testament to the collective effort from all of the team front of house and behind the scenes. "It's a proud moment for us all at Farlam Hall, and we're thrilled to be recognised for doing what we love in such a special part of the world." The hotel is now expected to represent Cumbria at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence in 2026.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Yahoo
5 reasons to visit the 'historic' County Durham town with links to ITV's Vera
A historic County Durham town with links to ITV's Vera has been described as 'well worth a visit' by web users. Set amid the rolling landscapes of the North Pennines, Stanhope is a historic market town that combines natural beauty, cultural heritage, and a welcoming village feel, according to visitors. Known as the gateway to Weardale, Stanhope is placed for both exploration and relaxation. Stanhope is no ordinary small town—it is layered with centuries of English history. The Parish Church of St Thomas is a must-see, showcasing Norman and Early English architecture with later restorations. The churchyard is home to a 320-million-year-old petrified tree stump, one of three discovered locally—another of which is now in Newcastle's Great North Museum. Another top site is Stanhope Castle, a striking 18th-century structure built in 1798 for Cuthbert Rippon, former MP for Gateshead. Standing on a possible medieval castle site, the present-day building has had many lives—including as a school—and today contains private residences. While not open to the public, its presence dominates the town centre and adds a dramatic architectural note. Stanhope lies within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)—the second largest in England and Wales. It's a landscape of moorland, river valleys, waterfalls, and dramatic uplands. From Stanhope, you can explore the River Wear via walking trails, picnic along its banks, or venture into surrounding areas like Ashes Quarry for sweeping panoramic views of the dale. And in the summer months, visitors can cool off in one of only two heated open-air swimming pools in the North East—right in Stanhope! The Durham Dales Centre, located near the town centre, is the ideal starting point for any visit. Housed in a lovingly converted historic building, the centre features a tourist information hub, an excellent tea room, and a collection of local craft and gift shops. It's a great place to meet artisans and pick up handmade goods inspired by the surrounding landscape. The centre also hosts seasonal events, exhibitions, and workshops, making it a cultural anchor for the town and a warm welcome for visitors. Stanhope is the current terminus of the Weardale Railway, a heritage line offering scenic weekend rides between Bishop Auckland and the Durham Dales, with stops at Frosterley, Wolsingham, and Witton-le-Wear. This preserved railway line brings the region's industrial past to life, giving passengers a relaxed and nostalgic way to experience the countryside. Read more: Rare clouds seen over Darlington and County Durham as Met Office explains phenomenon One injured after major A1(M) smash near Darlington Darlington woman's four-year wait for new dentures amid dentist crisis Stanhope station itself is charming, complete with a tearoom, and has even starred as 'Partlington Station' in the popular ITV drama Vera. Train lovers, families, and anyone craving a leisurely ride through some of England's most unspoiled upland scenery will find this heritage journey a highlight. Every September, the town hosts the Stanhope Agricultural Show, one of the oldest country shows in England, first held in 1834. This traditional event—paused only for world wars and the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak—celebrates local farming, rural life, and community spirit. Expect livestock competitions, craft displays, equestrian events, traditional music, and local food stalls. It's a vibrant and family-friendly celebration of Weardale's deep agricultural roots and an ideal opportunity to connect with the area's rural identity.
The Guardian
07-06-2025
- The Guardian
Country diary: This hardy survivor is brightening up the moors
From high on the Allendale moors, I can see right to the Scottish border and the soft blue outline of the Cheviot Hills. Below me, the West Allen Valley holds deeper colours, the land green and bounded with stone walls or dotted with small woods. Shadows thrown by the early evening light pick out every feature: streams, cleughs, barns and farms, mining spoil and ruins – a record of the land. The wind is warm, buffeting the cottongrass that stretches across the boggy ground and along the roadside ditch. It's a boom year for this beautiful plant, perhaps due to the dry spring putting the plants under stress. A sedge rather than a grass, Eriophorum angustifolium flourishes in its harsh moorland environment, sending out underground rhizomes where few other plants will grow; a line of snow poles shows what the winters are like. The plant's ability to survive here gives it the alternative name of bog cotton. Today, the wind sets every fluffy seedhead in bobbing motion, dancing with light like the choppy scintillations of waves. The discreet greenish flowers could be easily missed. It's those downy cottonwool plumes that enable wind dispersal that have been used to stuff pillows and make candle wicks, and dress wounds during the first world war. Plug plants of cottongrass are being planted by the North Pennines National Landscape to restore degraded blanket bog. Binding the surface of the peat together with their wandering roots, they prevent further erosion. In other benefits, the female black grouse that I occasionally see up here feed on the flower heads, giving them a source of protein and energy before laying eggs in spring. The larvae of large heath butterflies feed on a similar species, the hare's tail cottongrass Eriophorum vaginatum. For a brief time, the moor is transformed in white and I come up here to revel in the spectacle and feel the peace. Swallows swoop to pick up insects off the road. A hare lopes through the tussocks as a lark delivers a stream of notes above. Then a curlew lifts off, beats its wings before gliding, its ecstatic bubbling song ending in a drawn-out plaintive note. Under the Changing Skies: The Best of the Guardian's Country Diary, 2018-2024 is published by Guardian Faber; order at and get a 15% discount
BBC News
15-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Thousands of trees planted in Pennines Forest project
Almost 20,000 trees and shrubs have been planted in efforts to improve woodland in the North Pennines. North Pennines National Landscape (NPNL) said the three-year project involved working with about 120 landowners to identify 761 acres (308 hectares) as suitable for project focused on small woodlands and low-density wood pasture, with scrub and scattered canopy trees to work alongside farming systems, NPNL said the North Pennines was "one of the least wooded areas of England" and the initiative looked to "bridge the gap" between the existing Great Northumberland National Forest and the Northern Forest. The North Pennines covers much of the west of County Durham together with parts of Northumberland and Cumbria, according to Durham Landscapes. The NPNL said it worked with 37 landowners to secure funding for tree planting spanning 128 acres (52 hectares). NPNL advised the landowners to plant different species of native trees, including aspen, wild cherry and crab apple, and shrub such as group said it also identified areas where tree planting would have the least negative effect on wading bird populations, which rely on open landscapes. NPNL's Sarah Tooze said: "The project focused on the kinds of tree cover - small scale woodlands and low-density wood pasture with scrub and scattered canopy trees - which work alongside nature friendly farming systems and will improve the landscape for biodiversity and other public goods." Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
