Tanfield Railway 1940s weekend

Over the weekend, the Tanfield Steam Railway, in my ward and only 15 minutes walk from my house, held a 1940s weekend. I paid them a visit on Sunday. A great afternoon and I thoroughly enjoyed the talk given about food rationing and "make do and mend" (useful lessons as we move towards crashing out of the EU!)

A few shots of Bamburgh Castle

A few shots from Bamburgh Castle, 3rd September 2019

A few shots from the harbour at Seahouses

A few photos of the harbour area of Seahouses, 3rd September 2019

Neptune Restaurant, Seahouses

Seahouses on the Northumberland coast is famous for it its fish and chip shops. We had plenty of choice as to where to have lunch when we visited on 3rd September 2019. We opted for Neptune Restaurant. A good choice! Great food, freshly cooked, not overdone and not covered in oil or fat. Definitely worth a visit.

Visiting Bamburgh Castle and Seahouses

On Wednesday, wearing my Sunniside History Society chairman's hat, I went to Bamburgh Castle and Seahouses on our annual outing. 21 of us took the trip. A good time had by all. Photos from the trip are above.

The Hobson

We had a very pleasant lunch at The Hobson, on the A692 near Burnopfield, Co Durham, on Friday. Two points of particular interest: firstly the staff were very friendly and chatty; secondly the portion sizes were much bigger than we expected. Food was good quality and competitively priced. I'n not a veggie but there was a good selection of veggie meals.

Definitely worth a visit.

Halloumi cheese burger at the Pack Horse

We paid a visit to the Pack Horse in Burnopfield recently for lunch. I recommend trying the halloumi cheese burger!

Arson at Dunston Staiths

Last week there was an arson attack on the Dunston Staiths, Gateshead. The Staiths were built at the end of the Victorian period and were used to load coal onto ships. When the coal industry eventually died out in the North East, the Staiths remained in place. As the largest wooden structure in Europe they are an iconic part of the Tyneside landscape.

Quite what motivates people wantonly to destroy a major piece of our heritage is beyond me. The Staiths have already suffered another arson attack which destroyed a section the structure a decade ago. Fortunately the damage is less this time and is potentially able to be repaired. I walked past the Staiths earlier this week. I am hoping to go back shortly to get a closer look.

Tudor Rose in Dunston

We visited the Tudor Rose in Dunston, Gateshead recently. It was pleasantly quiet but the staff were very friendly. We were after a meal and opted for the veggie burgers from the menu. A good choice.