Scarecrows

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Scarecrow festivals are popular in the UK, where the use of the scarecrow as a protector of crops dates back hundreds of years. In medieval Britain, scarecrows were young boys who were tasked with the responsibility of scarring away birds, patrolling the fields with bags of stones to throw at the crows and starlings. The Great Plague of 1348, however, wiped out half the population and not enough boys could be found, so sacks were stuffed with straw and faces carved in turnips – and so was born the scarecrow as we know it today.

Every year, hundreds of villages all over Britain bring coolur, vibrancy and fun to the countryside by organising Scarecrow Festivals, where residents compete with each other to build the best scarecrow from whatever material they can lay their hands upon! Bardon Mill and Henshaw runs a scarecrow trail each year – a “scarecrow map” can be purchased from Mike’s Village shop in Bardon Mill, along with a voting form – a fun way to explore the Village and get to know the residents! For those wishing to participate, voting forms must be returned to the Village shop by 8th September, with the winners to be announced at the Presentation Night and BBQ at the Bardon Mill village hall on 15th September.

We have voted for our favourites – some of the best from past and present shown!

    

    

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New For August

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The summer is now well underway and with the warm weather continuing we wanted to add a fresh new breakfast special – light but tasty! Already a popular choice as we head in to the second week of August, we are serving a generous slice of toasted sourdough bread topped with an avocado and tomato smash – with a squeeze of lime for a little zing – and topped with crispy smoked bacon and a local free-range poached egg. Perfect for a summer morning!

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Changing Landscape

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After a good few weeks of sunshine and no rain, the landscape as seen from Layside has transformed from green to brown! The fields have now been cut and the grass made into hay bales for winter livestock fodder – much excitement felt by Eddie who has enjoyed watching the tractors at work – and we are now able to see the hares grazing again each evening. Wildlife seems to be flourishing in the warm weather too. Our second brood of swallows have just fledged and there are always voles to be seen running in and out of the dry stone walls – the tawny owls are clearly taking advantage, and can be heard close by through the night. It is a fantastic time of year with the nights never getting totally dark, but always something to see or hear!

 

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What a Difference a Year Makes!

It is hard to believe that a year ago today the construction of Layside B & B was just getting underway. With thanks to award-winning local architect Kevin Doonan, the team at KMC Joinery and the brilliant landscape gardener Allie Dale, Layside was created and on a day like today the views are unrivalled.

    

                     

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A New Face at Layside

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 weeks of age, he is settling in well and has already made his mark. Bart will not be without a challenge – he will take over from Archie in the role of testing out walks to then recommend to our visitors, and of course testing the “tea-tray treats” we offer to our four-legged guests. Bart has huge paws to fill, but even in the early stages we see a loyal companion who is already inseparable from Eddie, with a huge personality (and appetite) for such a small pup.

  

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The Cuckoo’s Calling

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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 decline in Britain over the past 20 years, possibly due to declining host birds, and due to dangers faced in migration. This is the second year in a row that we have heard a cuckoo close by – last year we even managed to capture a photo of this young bird resting on our front wall at Layside. We hope for another successful breeding season before the long and perilous return to Africa.

The cuckoo comes in April
She sings her song in May
In June she changes her tune
In July she prepares to fly
In August go she must.

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Evening Light

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. Fingers crossed for a good summer, and plentiful opportunities to sit out and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of this amazing area.

  

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May is here

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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 and to an absolute minimum! The evening light is beautiful and if you are lucky you may see our resident Northumberland Hare and it’s young – spotted over the past few evenings in close proximity to the vegetable patch.

For a “breakfast special” for May we have introduced a breakfast quiche, using local Bardon Mill free-range eggs, Cumberland sausage, smoked bacon and mushrooms, and finished with Northumberland cheese. Freshly baked to order and served warm from the Aga, this tasty addition to the breakfast menu combines all the elements of a traditional cooked breakfast in one, delivered to your door. Enjoy!

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New arrivals at Layside

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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 a glorious day to enjoy a cup of tea and a snack on the living roof, with fantastic sun-drenched views of the Whin Sill and Hadrian’s Wall. Planted to replicate the unique natural grasslands of the surrounding area, The Sill’s fully accessible living roof sweeps gently upwards, giving visitors a bird’s eye vantage point across one of the UK’s most magnificent landscapes and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hadrian’s Wall. Sad to be without our loyal companion, but uplifted by the sheer beauty of Northumberland on a sunny day.

  

 

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Goodbye to a dear friend

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, and his enthusiasm and energy was boundless. He was instrumental in our dream of setting up a B&B which was dog-friendly, and Layside will not be the same without him. Gone, but never forgotten.

  

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