The Morpeth Farmers’ Market will be celebrating all things British on Saturday May 7th.Victory in Europe Day is on May 8th - the same weekend as the market. To celebrate the event the Salvation Army Brass Band will be playing from 10am till 12pm at the heart of the market place and the market will be trimmed with Union Flag bunting.Local company the North East “Pig On A Spit” Hog Roast Company will be serving piping hot roast pork throughout the day.Also on the Market Place for the Day will be Morpeth Town Football Club with players and officials on hand to meet fans and sell Wembley scarves, hats and replica shirts all in support of their trip to the Wembley final later in the year!There will also be 21 stalls on the market place bringing the best of local produce to Morpeth. There will be fresh meat from Northumberland Poultry, fruit and veg from Julian and sausages from the ever popular Geordie Bangers all hoping to tempt taste buds on the day!Morpeth Market is managed by Northumberland County Council and Sanderson Arcade, working in partnership with Morpeth Town Council, Morpeth and District Chamber of Trade and other local organisations through the Morpeth market working group.The weekly Wednesday Market and The Farmers’ Market both run from 9am to 3pm at Morpeth Marketplace.

Bird lovers in Northumberland are celebrating an early start to their season with the earliest ever sighting of a bird on the Kielder Osprey nest and now the safe return of two pairs of birds.Yellow 37 – one of the ringed Kielder males - was first seen at Nest 2 on the 24 March, coinciding with one of the Osprey volunteer training days, an unexpected bonus sighting for the team of Northumberland Wildlife Trust volunteers who were busy preparing for the season ahead. Not only is it the earliest return of any Kielder Osprey to the nest, Yellow 37 was the second male home across all UK osprey projects.Since the first sighting, Nest 1 has seen the return of “YA”, on the 26 March, another record early return date for this male, with his partner arriving shortly after. Meanwhile, on Nest 2, Yellow 37 didn’t have to wait too long for his mate to arrive, with “Mrs 37” arriving safely back on the 30 March. This rare species were extinct in England for 150 years but have bred successfully in Kielder Water and Forest Park every season since they returned to north east England in 2009. Tom Dearnley, Ecologist at the Forestry Commission said:“It’s always a pleasure to see the ospreys return and to watch this fantastic species continue to recover in Northern England. We don’t know quite why ospreys are early this year, as other migrants such as chiffchaff aren’t showing the same pattern, but March is certainly earlier that we have come to expect.”Joanna Dailey, Kielder Osprey expert volunteer, said:“It’s really exciting for the whole volunteer team whenever the ospreys return, and even more so when it’s so unexpectedly early. Now the birds are back, we’re looking forward to another successful season for the birds and for all the visitors who enjoy following their progress via our blog and live camera feeds.” The birds can be watched by visitors through nestcams on Nest 1 and 2, with footage beamed to a screen at the Kielder Castle café. Kielder Osprey Watch will be open every weekend at Leaplish Visitor Centre, from when the eggs hatch to when the chicks fledge, manned by the team of Northumberland Wildlife Trust volunteers.The Osprey Watch is organised by Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust and Northumberland Wildlife Trust, with support from the RSPB. The partners are working hard to ensure that the ospreys are here to stay by maintaining a high quality habitat in Kielder Water & Forest Park and safeguarding and monitoring the nest site.Wildlife lovers can keep up to date with the story as it unfolds through the Kielder Osprey blog at kielderospreys.wordpress.com.The Kielder Ospreys will feature on Further Tales from Northumberland, broadcast on Monday 4 April, on ITV.

The 2016/17 edition of the popular Northumberland Coast AONB Visitor Guide will be available for the first time at the Alnwick Tourism Fair on Wednesday 16th March. This year the AONB Partnership has produced 10,000 extra copies to meet demand for this popular publication, which now has a print-run of 50,000.It is the fifth edition of the guide which is designed for post arrival use by visitors and contains information about the area and tips for enjoying your stay. This year’s guide includes articles on wildlife, historical features and geology as well as events, maps and places to visit in the AONB. The cover features a stunning photograph of Holy Island by local photographer Emma Rothera, who beat 103 other entries in the annual AONB photography competition to win this top spot.After the Alnwick Tourism Fair on 16th March, the guide will be available at Tourist Information Centres and other locations up and down the coast, and is downloadable now from the brand new Northumberland Coast AONB website (www.northumberlandcoastaonb.org). You can also contact the office on 01670 620306 for copies or to talk to us about advertising your tourism business in next year’s guide.Cllr Allan Hepple, Cabinet Member for Economic Growth said “I am delighted we have been able to produce an extra 10,000 copies of the Visitor Guide this year, as it has proved extremely popular with visitors in previous years and we are keen to ensure it is available all year.”Jeff Sutheran from the award-winning St Cuthbert’s House Bed and Breakfast in Seahouses said “The Visitor Guide is always very popular with our guests who use it to plan their time here, it’s a fantastic asset for the area”.

The team at Morpeth’s Sanderson Arcade have lined up a cracking day of Easter fun to kick start the Bank Holiday weekend. The fun starts from 11am until 3pm on Saturday 26th March where there will be a whole host of activities for children to take part in. There will be a craft tent where children can decorate Easter eggs to take home with them along with face painting where they can be turned into their favourite make believe character. There will also be the opportunity to pet and hold a variety of animals at Pets Corner including Easter chicks, rabbits and guinea pigs. Barnacre Alpacas will also be bringing their cria’s (baby Alpacas!) along for the day. Alice and the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland will also be on hand to meet and greet, and also help with the Easter Treat Trail from 11am which takes place around the Arcade with clues being hidden in the store windows! Finally there will also be the chance to win a super bumper Easter Hamper on the day! All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is simply guess how many chocolate eggs are in the giant glass bowl and the winner will be announced at 3pm! All activities throughout the day are free! There will be live music throughout the bank holiday weekend including The KEVI Monsoon Steel band on Good Friday. For more information on events happening at the Arcade please go to www.sandersonarcade.co.uk or search for Sanderson Arcade on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

Join us and help raise £10kAfter the huge success of our inaugural event in 2015, which saw over 650 join us for a feast of musical talent, the B Festival returns for a second year at Bamburgh. This a fantastic summer evening music festival that happens in the shadow (metaphorically speaking) of the iconic Bamburgh castle and the stunning Bamburgh coastline. The festival is a celebration of a multitude of genres of music from Classical through to Rock and many points in between.Our aim is to give you a great summer evening, lounging on picnic blankets or sitting in deck chairs, enjoying your own picnic, listening to some cool sounds and watching the sun set on Bamburgh castle – perhaps with a glass of chilled fizz or whatever tickles your fancy. We provide the venue, the music and the atmosphere, all you need to do is bring along the things you need to be comfortable - there can be few better ways to pass a late summer evening. VIP Brewery will be on hand to provide a Bar service, North Shore Coffee will be providing delicious freshly brewed coffee and Fantasy Prints will be selling very cool BFest T-shirts, printed while you wait with 50% of all sales being donated to HospiceCare - what’s not to love!Julie Frost, Marketing, PR & Corporate Co-ordinator for HospiceCare, who is organising the event said “we have an amazing line-up of musical talent again this year, offering a wide genre of music that will suit all tastes. We also have the added benefit of a dedicated BFestival website, which has been kindly donated and created by the Bamburgh based company ‘WebAuthors’. The website provides all the information you need to know about the B Festival – so why not take a sneak peek today: www.bfest.org.uk. Advanced tickets are now on sale at just £17.50 per adult with under 16’s FREE.Julie also said “last year the BFestival generated a profit of just under £7.5K, made possible by the generous sponsorship from Neil and Jackie Forsyth owners of local business ‘Staynorthumbria’, Their support enabled all ticket sales to go directly to the hospice and I’m delighted to say that they have kindly agreed to joined us again for 2016, which makes our target of £10k more achievable. HospiceCare is an amazing Palliative Care charity to have right on our doorstep here in North Northumberland, but it relies heavily on donations and fundraising. The B Festival offers everyone who attends the opportunity to not only have THE most special evening, but to also make a financial contribution to such a vital local service – which as they say ‘is music to my ears!”

This Easter, get into the great outdoors and explore all that’s on offer at the National Trust. The whole family can enjoy wide open spaces perfect for exploration, coast and countryside places brimming with wildlife and historic houses full of enchanting characters and stories; everything you need for great family fun during the holidays. If you want to try something new this Easter then the National Trust has plenty to offer. Get creative with craft events at Souter Lighthouse and Seaton Delaval Hall, become a lambing apprentice at Wallington or join the wild rangers club at Gibside. Plus, over the Easter weekend, the Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt (25 – 28 March) will be inviting families to unleash their inner explorer with adventurous quests taking place across the North East. Everyone will be rewarded with a delicious Cadbury chocolate treat at the end of each completed hunt, and every single Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt will help support special places looked after by the National Trust for future generations to explore. Here’s a round-up of great days out for all the family, both over the Easter weekend and throughout the holidays, in the North East: Top Easter weekend egg hunts: Cherryburn Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt Friday 25 – Monday 28 March, 11am – 3pm Thomas Bewick, a famous Northumberland artist who was born at Cherryburn, loved animals and went on to draw many of them. This Easter, your mission is to follow in Bewick's footprints and hunt for the hidden animals around the farmyard. If you can find them, you can claim your Easter prize. Each hunt costs £2 and normal admission charges apply. For more information telephone 01661 843276. Cragside Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt Friday 25 – Monday 28 March, 11am – 3pm Bunny has been up to all sorts of mischief at Cragside, hopping around Tumbleton Lake, hiding clues and chocolate surprises for you to find. See if you can help the bunnies into their burrows to receive a Cadbury chocolate reward! Each hunt costs £3 and normal admission charges apply. For more information telephone 01669 620333. Gibside Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt Friday 25 – Tuesday 29 March, 11am – 3pm Join us for an Easter adventure around Gibside as you hunt for clues and collect your Cadbury chocolate prize. Each hunt costs £2.50 and normal admission charges apply. For more information telephone 01207 541820. Northumberland Coast, Low Newton Easter Trail and Rockpool Ramble Sunday 27 & Monday 28 March, 10.30am – 2.30pm Join the National Trust Rangers on the beach for a free rock pool ramble, and take part in our seashore Easter Egg trail. It costs £2 per hunt and the rock pooling is free. For more information telephone 01665 576874 Seaton Delaval Hall Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt Saturday 26 –Monday 28 March, 11am – 4pm Bunny has been up to all sorts of mischief, hiding clues and treats that lead to a chocolatey surprise! Follow the hunt around the gardens and woodland to be rewarded with a Cadbury chocolate treat! It costs £2 per hunt, and normal admission charges apply. For more information telephone 0191 2379100. Souter Lighthouse and The Leas Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt Friday 25 – Monday 28 March, 11am – 4pm An Easter adventure with a chocolate reward. Follow the clues to earn your delicious Cadbury prize! It costs £3 per child, for more information telephone 0191 5293161. Wallington Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt Friday 25 March – Sunday 10 April, 11am – 4pm Visit Wallington, home of the adventurous Trevelyan family and follow our Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt through the West Wood to claim your yummy Cadbury chocolate reward. It costs £2.50 per hunt and normal property admission charges apply. For more information telephone 01670 773600. Washington Old Hall Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt Friday 25 – Monday 28 March, 11am – 4pm Follow the creature footprints around the garden to win your Cadbury chocolate surprise. It costs £1 per hunt and normal admission applies. For more information, telephone 0191 4166789. Other great family events and activities over Easter Cragside Eggsperiment with Eggs! Thursday 31 March, 11am – 4pm Experiment with different methods of dying paste eggs and see which brings out the best colours and patterns. Then decorate your hard-boiled egg with your favourite method. The event is free but normal admission charges apply. For more information telephone 01669 620333. Cragside Help Bunny cross the lake Thursday 7 April, 11am – 3pm Can you help Bunny cross Tumbleton Lake? Come along and design a boat to help him get across safely. Can you design the best boat? The events Is free but normal admission charges apply. Drop in at the Young Engineer's zone to take part. For more information telephone 01669 620333. Gibside Easter Holiday Fun Wednesday 30 March – Friday 8 April, 11am – 3pm Free family activities and outdoor adventures during the school holidays. Join us for Explorer Monday, Foodie Tuesday, Wildlife Wednesday, Adventure Thursday and Fit Friday. Each event is free but normal admission charges apply. For more information telephone 01207 541820. Gibside Wild Ranger Club 31 March, 1, 7 & 8 April Drop your kids off at Gibside to join our adventure filled club. Become a wild ranger, learn to track wildlife, get hands-on looking after habitats, learn some bushcraft skills and discover some of nature's secrets. Each day costs £7.50 per child and normal admission charges apply. For more information telephone 01207 541820. Seaton Delaval Hall Make and Do for Easter Wednesday 30 March & Wednesday 6 April, 11am – 1pm Try your hand at children's craft activities during the Easter holidays for only 50p per child. Normal admission charges apply, for more information telephone 0191 2379100. Souter Lighthouse and The Leas Get Crafty! 30 & 31 March, 5 & 6 April Keep the kids busy this spring - get hands on and creative, let your imagination run wild! Suitable for ages 3 and upwards. It costs £3 per craft, for more information telephone 0191 5293161. Wallington Broomhouse Farm Event – Lambing Shed Live! Friday 25 March – Sunday 10 April, 12.30 – 2pm & 2 – 3.30pm Take a short scenic tractor trailer ride through the Wallington estate to Broomhouse Farm where you will get a close-up experience of lambing on a working farm. Enjoy a guided tour of the lambing shed, visit the' lamb hospital' to see how we look after new born lambs in intensive care and help to bottle feed the lambs..........you might even see a lamb being born! £6 adult, £5 child, booking essential via www.broomhousefarm.co.uk Wallington Broomhouse Farm Event – Lambing Apprentice Friday 25 March – Sunday 10 April, 2 – 4pm Join the lambing team at Broomhouse Farm for an afternoon shift, caring for the pregnant ewes and new born lambs, helping with all of the routine tasks in the lambing shed and getting hands-on experience. This is the only place in the North East where you can be part of a team lambing a large commercial flock and places are limited to two people per session, to ensure you get the best quality experience. No experience needed. Suitable for ages 10+ (under 16s must be accompanied by an adult). £30 per person, booking essential via www.broomhousefarm.co.uk For more information about great days out in the North East with the National Trust over Easter, visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/northeast    

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural Lindisfarne Festival, the 2016 event for over 18s promises to be even bigger and better, while still retaining its independence, intimacy and fun atmosphere. Held on Beal Farm, Northumberland from the 1st to 4th September 2016, organisers are delighted to announce their first wave of acts. On the bill includes Reef, The Cuban Brothers, Beardyman, Little Comets, Molotov Jukebox (including lead singer Natalia Tena from Game of Thrones and Harry Potter), Mercury nominated C Duncan, world renowned and Northumbrian born Kathryn Tickell & Superfolkus, Lisbon and Shields amongst many more.Reef will play the headline slot on the Saturday night with Friday’s headliner and many more major acts still to be announced. Other artists include The Church, Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5, Bridie Jackson & The Arbour, Blue Rose Code, Elephant Sessions, Funkliners, Pinact, Cattle & Cain, Ms Mcq, M1 Dukebox, The Happy Cats and Hip Hop Hooray. The line-up plays host to a number of critically acclaimed artists across genres including indie, funk, rock, soul, jazz, hip-hop, dance and folk alongside a great showcase of North East talent.The niche camping festival for over 18s, which overlooks the mystical Holy Island will also feature a range of DJ’s, holistic therapies, creative arts and a wide selection of high quality local food and ale. If a giggle is what you are after, festival goers won’t be disappointed with the comedy and poetry tent promising to offer up a variety of talent. This year campers will also be given the opportunity to arrive early on the Thursday evening, 1st September to settle in, pitch their tents and enjoy some light entertainment before the main event starts on the Friday afternoon. Entertainment will be on until 4am for anyone wanting to dance till dawn.Conleth Maenpaa, Owner of Nokomis and Bor Events and Founder of Lindisfarne Festival commented: “We were completely overwhelmed by the feedback and support received for Lindisfarne Festival last year and we are working hard to build on this success for 2016. We were so proud the North East got behind us to make this happen and being shortlisted for Best New Festival at the UK Festival Awards 2015 was simply the icing on the cake, giving us a real platform to grow from.Our plan this year is to build on what we have created, growing capacity slightly as demand increases but still retaining the cool, intimate and friendly vibe we have become renowned for. We have a few surprises up our sleeves but can’t reveal too much at this stage! We also want to encourage more first time festival goers to come along as we had quite a number who attended last year and once there wondered why they hadn’t come to one sooner.Conleth Maenpaa added:“We are really excited by our line-up and are working hard to secure more great acts with further announcements to be made in due course. We urge people to buy their tickets early as we anticipate higher demand this year. Tier 3 tickets will be available to buy from Monday 22nd February at £85 for a weekend ticket and £50 for a Saturday ticket. We also have a buy 10 for the price of 8 offer for group bookings and all tickets include free camping. Our line up and information about ticket sales can be found on our facebook, twitter page and website http://www.lindisfarnefestival.com/. We hope people will join us on our journey to make this yet another truly magical event that we can be proud of.”

Sanderson Arcade’s team of Beadles are stepping out in style this week in their new look uniform inspired by Northumberland’s rich heritage.The brand new bespoke uniform has been designed and supplied by the London tailors Joseph Alan and is the first time the Beadles outfit has been updated since the Arcade was officially opened by Joanna Lumley OBE in November 2009.The Beadles are the Arcade’s customer service team who are also a great source of local knowledge and information and always on hand to help visitors and shoppers to Sanderson Arcade.The smart new uniform will help customers to easily identify the staff and has been designed to tie in with the colours of Northumberland. The red and gold of the county’s flag is reflected in the jacket and the uniform also includes a black and white traditional Northumbrian tartan tie and waistcoat. The traditional top hat and waistcoat will remain part of the smart new look in keeping with the Arcade’s Edwardian style architecture.Medi Parry, Centre Manager for Sanderson Arcade said: "The Beadles are a great asset to the Arcade and a big part of the community here in Morpeth. When we decided to update the uniform we thought it would be nice to reflect the local area in the colours which we chose. “It’s important that our customer service team stand out and are smart and approachable – we think they look fantastic and we hope our will shoppers agree."For more information about news and events at Sanderson Arcade visit www.sandersonarcade.co.uk

Attractions from North Northumberland struck gold in the 2015 regional tourism awards. Visitor attractions and tourism businesses from across Northumbria will be eager to build on that success in 2016 as they welcome hospitality providers to this year’s North Tourism Fairs in Alnwick and Hexham.The Alnwick Tourism Fair will take place on Wednesday 16th March at Willowburn Sports & Leisure Centre serving North Northumberland and the Borders, followed by the Hexham Tourism Fair at Hexham Mart on Thursday 17th March serving the Heart of Northumberland and the Tyne Valley.Jude Leitch, General Manager of Northumberland Tourism says: “Last year was another great year for visitors to Northumberland. The county is full of contrasts, a magical place filled with ancient castles, hidden gardens, unspoilt golden sandy beaches, rolling hills, rugged moorland, sweeping views, and friendly market towns and villages. Small wonder that it remains a favoured location for film and tv dramas. As we prepare for the 2016 season the North Tourism Fairs are excellent networking events and a chance to showcase why Northumberland is so highly rated as a domestic holiday destination.”Bruce Hewison of the Alnwick Tourism Association says: “The Tourism Fairs herald the beginning of a new season for many of our members. Holidaying at home is becoming the preferred choice for many people, and Northumberland ranks amongst the best in the country as a destination. Tourism is the second largest employer in the county and plays a vital role in our regional economy.”“Northumberland’s natural assets feature regularly in film and tv, and the Robson Green tv series has encouraged even more people to discover for themselves the delights North Northumberland”, adds Jeff Sutheran of the North Northumberland Tourism Association. “We are proud of local award-winners, St Cuthbert’s House B & B and the Bamburgh Castle Inn. We are looking forward to another busy summer season in 2016.”Hospitality providers from around the county and the Borders will be welcomed at the events which will take place from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm. Members of the public are also welcome. Refreshments provided by Alnwick’s Olive Branch café will be available throughout the day and admission is free."We regularly register over 100 exhibitors at Alnwick. At Hexham this year will have the added attraction of the Meet the Maker event taking place at the same venue on the same day.” says Philip Angier of event organiser, Local Living. "The Tourism Fairs are a ‘don’t miss’ date in the calendar for accommodation providers to collect information about local attractions for their guests. And they are also a great way for local people to find out about festivals and events in 2016 and family days out.”

Northumberland National Park is urging the region and National Park lovers everywhere to get voting and help ensure it wins the prestigious accolade of National Park of The Year in the BBC Countryfile Magazine Awards 2015/16.Northumberland National Park was nominated for the award by BBC presenter Ellie Harrison after the magazine asked experts to draw up a shortlist of nominees for each category. The nomination highlights the National Park’s “meadows, moorland, peat bogs, ancient woodlands and still-wild coastline” and its “vivid history, solitude, dark skies and superb wildlife such as stoats, black grouse and red squirrels.”Now it needs your support to win by voting online via the BBC Countryfile Magazine website: http://www.countryfile.com/awards2015-16. Voting closes on Sunday 31 January.The awards, now in their fifth year, are a celebration of Britain’s countryside and its people from great heritage attractions and favourite holiday destinations, to the best nature reserves and the finest rural pubs.Glen Sanderson, chairman of Northumberland National Park Authority, said: “This nomination is a great achievement for Northumberland National Park and once again recognises the county’s outstanding natural beauty on a national stage. “The variety we have on offer in our National Park is totally unique. We’ve just celebrated the second anniversary of our designation as an International Dark Skies Park, which puts us firmly on the global map as one of the very best places to enjoy the glittering treasures of the night sky. And where else can you go that will take you from walking in the footsteps of the Romans to stepping further back in time at Iron Age Hillforts, enjoying panoramic views into Scotland from the Border Ridge, or trying local produce and crafts made by the park’s many skilled artisans?“We’ve already had some fantastic support from our partners, visitors and companies across the region to help us spread the word and urge people to vote for us. If we win this award I’ve no doubt that the national recognition will provide a great boost to our region’s tourism industry. Whatever you’re looking for – flora, fauna, countryside activities, star-gazing, history, culture, or just somewhere to escape from it all – we have it in abundance. Your vote can help us to secure this prestigious accolade and enable lots more visitors to enjoy our stunning destination.”Last year 1.69 million people visited the park and surrounding areas. The most popular reasons for visiting were a long walk (48%) and a short walk (45%). Next is eating out (27%), visiting a historic site (26%), visiting an attraction (21%), photography (15%), car touring (8%) and cycling/mountain biking (7%).With fewer than 2,000 inhabitants, Northumberland National Park is the most sparsely populated UK National Park at 0.02 people per hectare. Open access land accounts for 72% of the park and there are 1,140km of public rights of way and a further 90km of permissive routes.Other National Parks nominated in the category are Cairngorms, Pembrokeshire Coast, Norfolk Broads and New Forest.The winners will be announced in an online ceremony in March and will appear in the May issue of the magazine (on sale 8 April). Postal votes are also accepted; write to BBC Countryfile Magazine Awards, BBC Countryfile Magazine, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN.

National Trust 2015 review highlights how the weather has affected wildlifeWarm spell in early spring sees Frogs and Roe Deer flourishCold snap in late spring restricts food source for native birdsStormy weather batters breeding birds on Farne IslandsStrong autumn winds and milder weather results in unusual sightings2015 was another challenging year for wildlife, with many new issues coming to the fore, say experts at the National Trust as part of its annual weather and wildlife review.The conservation charity, which looks after almost 250,000 hectares of land in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, conducts the review across its places every year to help paint a picture of how the year’s weather has affected the nation’s wildlife against a long-term backdrop of decline for 60% of species in the UK.The year started well with the sunniest winter on record providing a stark contrast to the stormy weather which kicked off 2014. Spring arrived late, however, and summer migrant birds were held up by northerly winds. Despite the sunniest April on record since recording began in 1929, the weather quickly deteriorated in May as the jet stream jumped south.The cold month that followed led to a generally wet and remarkably windy summer, notably in the north. After which a milder September and October was followed with autumn rains arriving only after the warmest November day on record (01 November).The flooding and destruction caused by storm Desmond at the beginning of December, particularly in Cumbria and the North East, showed the intensity of extreme weather events that are likely to increase in frequency thanks to climate change. Experts at the National Trust say that not enough is yet know about the impact of storms like this on life in rivers and on land that has been flooded.Stephen Morley, wildlife and countryside Adviser for the National Trust in the North said:“It’s been a mixed year for wildlife across the country due to the weather, and it’s no different in the North East. The sunny weather in early spring allowed some native species to get off to a flying start, notably Roe Deer and Frogs in the North East. The cold, wet weather that followed has a negative impact on our native and breeding seabirds as their ability to feed was hugely restricted. Milder weather later in the year saw many species recover, but also some unusually unseasonal sightings including Cowslips flowering in November.”Matthew Oates, nature and wildlife expert for the National Trust said: “Every year our wildlife has to deal with our weather’s highs and lows, and this year was certainly no different. This summary illustrates how our wildlife has fared over the last year, but long-term trends show the enormous challenges we face to reverse the worrying rate of decline”Weather and wildlife in the North East:1) Without any late frosts to catch them out, most of the Frog spawn at Wallington was successful with thousands of little Froglets hatching.2) A dry sunny start to spring has led to an increase in sightings of Roe Deer juveniles at Wallington this year.3) The cold snap in late spring had an impact on the food available for native birds. Bird ringing volunteers at Gibside reported poor survival rates of the Great, Blue and Coal Tit chicks, and the rangers at Allen Banks and Staward Gorge noticed lots of abandoned nests.4) A storm in early May saw south-easterly winds batter the Farne Islands, destroying many of the eggs laid by cliff-nesting species including Shags and Guillemots.5) Swallows arrived for summer later than usual this year at Wallington, with far fewer making it back than in previous years.6) Rhododendrons at Cragside, which usually cover the estate in bloom from late May, flowered up to three weeks later than usual this year.7) Mid-July saw 31.5ml of rain fall on the Farne Islands. Puffin burrows were flooded, Kittiwake nests were washed clean off the cliffs and many Arctic Tern chicks died in the rain. 8) Strong westerly-winds are thought to have blown the Buff-Breasted Sandpiper spotted on The Leas in September, across the Atlantic. The wading bird breeds in Alaska and North Canada and usually overwinters in South America.9) Bats in a newly discovered roost at Gibside Stables were active into November this year, when they’d usually have moved to their winter hibernation site.10) The mild autumnal weather could be the cause of some un-seasonal sightings along The Leas in November when rangers spotted a Cowslip in bloom and a Red Admiral Butterfly.11) Strong easterly winds in late October bought an influx of Goldcrests on their autumn migration to The Leas near Souter Lighthouse where rangers ringed a total of 238 birds.Other wildlife news this year from across the North East1) In January rangers captured the first ever video footage of an Otter family at Allen Banks and Staward Gorge. Several Otters have also been spotted at Cragside this year and the head gardener at Wallington spotted an Otter in the Walled Garden for the first time in his 25 years working there.2) A total of 49 Little Terns fledged at their nesting site at Long Nanny on the Northumberland Coast where five National Trust rangers camp out for three months over the summer to protect this rare species from land predators.3) It’s been a poor summer for Butterflies with rangers at both Gibside and Wallington reporting decreased sightings during annual surveys and whilst out working.4) Regular surveys of Dormice nest boxes at Allen Banks and Staward Gorge have ended with no sightings this year, but rangers are hopeful that the species has not disappeared from the area all together, and that they have just moved from their previous nesting grounds.5) The results are in from the annual breeding seabird surveys on the Farne Islands. Headlines from the survey confirmed that Guillemots have had another record year with 53,461 counted despite the storms in May, but the Arctic Tern saw 600 less breeding pairs this year due to the stormy weather.6) This year rangers on the Farne Islands have had a record breaking year for cetaceans with 157 separate sightings. Highlights include 30 sightings of White-Beaked Dolphins and a Basking Shark.

Living the wild life is on the agenda for visitors to Kielder Water & Forest Park thanks to a National Lottery funding boost.The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has awarded Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust an initial grant of £17,700 to develop its ‘Living Wild at Kielder’ project.The project will help people experience and learn about the area’s special animals and plants through the development of ‘nature hubs’ and a year round events and activity programme.Wildlife trails will be created from Stonehaugh, Falstone and Greenhaugh villages with support from the local community, while wildlife ambassadors and volunteers will inspire and engage with visitors.The Trust will also work with businesses to increase the number of people taking part in wildlife events and activities.There are plans to improve visitor interpretation and support the long-term protection of the Park’s wildlife, particularly at Bakethin Nature Reserve which provides an important sanctuary for local plants, birds and other wildlife.Kielder Salmon Centre, which has been a major contributor to turning the River Tyne into the best salmon fishing river in England and Wales, will also benefit from the project by seeing improved visitor facilities at the site.Lynn Turner, Director of Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust, said: “We’re home to the largest man-made lake in northern Europe and England’s largest working forest, so it’s no wonder we attract such impressive and diverse wildlife with the sheer variety of habitats on offer.“We’re delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund have given us the support for our ‘Living Wild at Kielder’ project, and it’s great to know that we are a step closer to animating the Park’s amazing wildlife for the benefit of our visitors and the local community.”The award-winning Park is home to 60% of the UK's native red squirrel population and in 2009, ospreys returned to the area following an absence of more than 200 years in Northumberland.Mike Pratt, Chief Executive of Northumberland Wildlife Trust, said: “This is a great opportunity to really bring to life the amazing variety of wildlife that lives in and around Kielder Water & Forest Park, which is one of the main reasons people visit to the area.“A wild day out at Kielder can include seeing everything from raptors to red squirrels, ospreys to badgers and owls, and there is a real sense of being in a really wild place.This funding will help people find out about the wildlife spectacle that is Kielder.”Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust plans to progress an application for a full grant of £341,500 from Heritage Lottery Fund in spring 2016.Ivor Crowther, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund North East, said: “Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, we’re delighted to offer our support to this project which will transform the way visitors can experience the fantastic natural heritage at one of Northumberland’s key attractions. We look forward to seeing the plans develop.”Northumbrian Water, Forestry Commission, Northumberland Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency will help deliver the project with the Trust, with the support of Northumberland National Park Authority and Newcastle University.