Bayberry Hollow

On the way back home from Chesters Roman fort on Saturday, we made a detour to Tanfield Lea, in Co. Durham, to visit a tea room and craft gallery called Bayberry Hollow. I think it used to be a pub. Pleasant and worth a visit. Lots of small craftwork and in the cafe, some very nice looking scones. Sadly, we had only tea or wine. We'd already eaten in Chollerford.

The George Hotel, Chollerford

The George Hotel at Chollerford, Northumberland, was our venue for lunch on Saturday after visiting the Roman fort at Chesters. Very pleasant surroundings on the banks of the North Tyne, and next to the Chollerford Bridge, it is one of those places where you just want to relax and enjoy the venue.











We simply had sandwiches for lunch. Roast beef and horseradish sauce was especially enjoyable.

Chollerford Bridge

We stopped at Chollerford on Saturday for lunch after visiting Chesters Roman Fort. The village is on the Military Road which crosses the River North Tyne at this point. Previously a medieval bridge stood here but the flood of 1771, which also swept away the medieval Tyne Bridge between Newcastle and Gateshead, put an end to it. The bridge we see now was built in the mid 1770s. It is not wide enough for two lanes of modern traffic so it has a single lane and traffic lights.



The Chollerford Bridge has survived history, unlike its sister at Newcastle. The replacement bridge there was itself demolished in the mid Victorian period to make way for the Swing Bridge which allowed ships to pass up river to the Armstrong factories, armament works and shipyards at Elswick. Chollerford on the other hand remained rural - and peaceful.

Brockbushes Farm, Northumberland

Brockbushes Farm is on the A69/A68 junction in Northumberland and we called in there on the way back from Chesters Roman Fort on Saturday. It has a shop and cafe but also a pick-your-own operation where you can pick soft fruit. We called in just to look around and try out the shop. I was particularly taken by the pond at the back which was teaming with newts.





There were plenty of people there so clearly it is a popular place to visit.

Another return to the Marquis

A friend was visiting us over the weekend so we decided to eat out. It meant another return trip to the Marquis of Granby near Streetgate, Sunniside on Friday evening. As always, food was good quality and competitively priced.

Leonardo at the Laing

The Laing art gallery is to host an exhibition of 10 drawings by Leonardo da Vinci next year. The drawings are owned by the Royal Collection Trust. I was part of the invited audience recently to hear about the exhibition which will be open from 13th February to 24th April 2016. Definitely one to visit.

Newcastle's Bigg Market

I had to be in the Bigg Market in Newcastle on Thursday morning last week at 8am to do an interview with the BBC. It has a reputation for being the centre of Newcastle's night time clubbing industry, or at least it used to. I have to confess as an old fuddy-duddy, I gave up on clubbing more years ago than I care to remember so I have no idea what the night life is like now in Newcastle. I remember the Bigg Market when it was an actual market. On Saturday mornings my parents took me there to buy fruit and veg. Sadly the market has long gone.