Since losing our beloved black Labrador Archibald in April, we have felt a huge gap in our lives. We felt that with the summer season upon us, we would add another four-legged friend to the Layside team. With a huge thank you to Dreamacres Gundogs, we welcome “Bart” to the family. Arriving yesterday at eight
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We can’t quite believe that it is June already. We are still blessed with some warm weather – the Northumberland moors and hills bathed in sunlight and lovely walking conditions. New to the breakfast menu for this month is a beef brisket hash – brined with spices over five days, slow cooked in the Aga,
It has been a busy start to the season at Layside and we are finally enjoying some glorious Northumberland sunshine. Last week we were delighted to welcome Helen Pickles to Layside, writing for the Telegraph online “Travel Destinations”, and featuring some great places to stay. We are honoured to be included in this listing which
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Not just a good read (The Cuckoo’s Calling – Robert Galbraith/J K Rowling), but a good listen too. We have heard a cuckoo nearby consistently over the past few days, and as per the well-known rhyme, May is the time to listen for the call. A bird to be admired, the cuckoo has been in
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We have been blessed with fine weather at Layside over the past few days, and the evening light especially is beautiful. Kevin and I have travelled to many places in the world, but I can honestly say that on a fine evening here in Northumberland, there is no other place that I would rather be.
Our resident Brown Hare can now be seen most days at Layside – the young leveret enjoying garden shrubs and spinach from the vegetable garden. It is believed that the hare was introduced to Britain by the Romans around 2000 years ago and it is good to see that recorded numbers of these beautiful animals
Despite the drop in temperature over the past few days, the sun is shining and the promise of summer hangs in the air. The swallows have returned to nest in the outhouses and the pied wagtails have again decided that it is a good idea to nest underneath Kev’s car, so journeys are kept short
The local market town of Hexham holds a Spring Festival every year – to be held this year on Saturday 28th April in the beautiful Abbey grounds. Organised by the Hexham Community Partnership, this family-friendly outdoor event will feature live music, food and craft stalls, dog agility and a falconry display. Closer to Layside, the
It is always a lovely sight to see spring lambs in the fields surrounding Layside. The weather has improved and these new arrivals are enjoying some long awaited sunshine. We took our first walk yesterday without Archie at our side. A ten minute walk up the road took us to The Sill, and it was
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It is with great sorrow that we had to say goodbye to our black labrador Archibald yesterday. He was not only a loyal companion, best friend (and of course “hairy brother” to Eddie), but he was our inspiration. We all fell in love with this part of Northumberland together with long walks along Hadrian’s Wall,
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