CLOSURE NOTICE!Due to extreme weather conditions, The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre will be CLOSED on Wednesday 28th February and Thursday 1st March.For emergency shelter, go next door to The Twice Brewed Inn, Bardon Mill, Hexham, NE47 7AN. For more visitor information and updates, please call 01434 611521 (9am - 5pm) or check the website www.thesill.org.uk Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens and Warkworth Castle To celebrate the release of Oscar®-winning Nick Park’s upcoming film EARLY MAN, English Heritage is teaming up with award-winning animation studio Aardman, creators of Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run and Shaun the Sheep, to bring a brand-new half term quest to its sites at Belsay Hall and Warkworth Castle this half term.Set at the dawn of time, when prehistoric creatures and woolly mammoths roamed the earth, Early Man tells the story of how plucky caveman Dug (Eddie Redmayne), along with sidekick Hognob unites his tribe against the mighty Lord Nooth (Tom Hiddleston) and the Bronze Age to save their home.Visitors to English Heritage sites can take part in a special trail, following clues to reach the end, and receive an Aardman Model Making kit, as well as entry into a special competition to win tickets to a VIP screening of the film at Stonehenge. Early Man is released in UK cinemas on 26 January by Studiocanal.Find our more the EarlyMan Quest at Belsay: http://bit.ly/EMQuestBelsayFind our more the EarlyMan Quest at Warkworth: http://bit.ly/QuestWarkworthImage courtesy of Aardman/Studiocanal

If the runaway success of ITV’s Britain’s Favourite Walks has inspired you to dust off your walking boots, then head for an Inn Collection Group pub and enjoy some of the UK’s best walks on your doorstep.A trailblazing nine routes close to the group’s pubs with rooms, made it into the programme’s top 100, with the North – and especially coastal walks – coming out top among voters. Around 8,000 people voted for their favourite walks for the programme, presented by Julia Bradbury and Ore Oduba, with famous faces and keen hikers profiling their own favourite paths.The Inn Collection Group’s operations director Sean Donkin said: “It’s no surprise that people love to walk in the North. We have the best beaches, more castles than any other county in England, rugged hill country and showstopper viewpoints – all interspersed with amazing local history and attractions. “Our inns, which span the North of England, including Northumberland, County Durham and North Yorkshire, pride themselves on welcoming in walkers. Our staff are keen hikers themselves. Myself, along with general managers from the whole group have just walked the route from Dunstanburgh to Craster – the very route which made the show’s final ten in the whole of the country.“We welcome muddy boots, have wash down facilities, help with drying wet gear – and staff are always happy to share local knowledge of nearby routes, facilities, accessibility, public transport and what people can see and do along the way – they will even drop off and collect walkers from their routes, if they can.”To celebrate the wealth of walks around their inns, the group has introduced Walk Inn breaks at several walking hotspots.Including bed and breakfast, a welcome drink on arrival, dinner, a pack of 20 waterproofed O/S walks around the inn of your choice, and a packed lunch, Walk Inn start from £40 per person on top of standard room rates.Walk Inn breaks are available at the following Northumberland inns:The Bamburgh Castle Inn at Seahouses, Northumberland The Lindisfarne Inn at Beal, near Holy Island, NorthumberlandThe Hog’s Head Inn at Alnwick, NorthumberlandThe Commissioners Quay Inn at Blyth, Northumberland See walks from ITV’s Britain’s Favourite Walks – Top 100 here.

WOMEN in Northumberland are being urged to pull on their hiking boots and join the fight against cancer as Cancer Research UK launches an exciting new event in the county.The Race for Life Hike at Hadrian’s Wall, Brampton, will take place on Saturday 10 June for second ever time. Just eight iconic locations in the UK have been selected to hold Race for Life Hike events, which take place between June and September.Race for Life Hike is a series of one-day, long-distance walking events open to women of all ages and abilities. It offers participants an ideal opportunity to get out in the fresh air, take on a new challenge and help raise money for life-saving research.The Hadrian’s Wall event offers a challenging and technical hike starting at the ancient remains of Brocolitia Fort and finishing at the stunning Lanercost Priory. The route takes in iconic sections of the wall, including Sycamore Gap, with impressive views across the Northumberland Country Park throughout. Cancer Research UK is calling on women in Northumberland to join like-minded ladies committed to the cause and sign up right now at www.raceforlife.org. Money raised will help Cancer Research UK scientists find new ways to treat cancer and save more lives.With each route offering stunning scenery and breath-taking views - from the unspoilt Sussex coastline to the dramatic backdrops of the Peak District - participants will be able to explore the great outdoors whilst raising money for a worthwhile cause. Each route is between 20 and 26 miles, involving a mix of challenging terrains, with an expected walking time of 8 to 12 hours. The routes are fully planned with maps provided at registration. Participants will also be treated to a hot meal, glass of bubbly and a medal at the finish line.Laura Taylor, Cancer Research UK’s Event Manager, said: “We’re so excited to bring Race for Life Hike to Northumberland for the second year. The route promises to take in stunning local landscapes so it’s the perfect opportunity for ladies to make the most of the great outdoors, right on their doorstep. We’re calling on women to put their best foot forward and sign up now. We’ve no doubt that they’ve got the motivation to go the distance and help beat cancer.“Participants will have access to training guidance and fundraising advice before the event, and there’ll be plenty of support points along the route offering tea, coffee and snacks to help keep them going. The atmosphere on the day promises to be electric as women come together to join the fight against the disease.”Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with Tesco, is an inspiring women-only series of 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy, Marathon and Hiking events which raise millions of pounds every year to help beat cancer sooner by funding vital research.Cancer Research UK’s life-saving work relies on the public’s support. Thanks to the generosity of its supporters, the charity was able to spend over £4 million last year in the North East on some of the UK’s leading scientific and clinical research - helping more men, women and children survive. One in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer at some stage in their lives, but the good news is more people are surviving the disease now than ever before. Survival rates have doubled since the early 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress.Laura continued: “Race for Life Hike has all the fun and camaraderie of our much loved 5k, 10k and Pretty Muddy events. Whether participants plan to ramble along the route or charge their way around the course, every step they take will help to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.“Every week, around 40 people are diagnosed with cancer in Northumberland*. That’s why we’re calling on women to sign up right now. By taking part in Race for Life, they can make a real difference. Together, we can stop this devastating disease in its tracks.”The entry fee for Race for Life Hike is £30 and there’s a suggested fundraising target of £200. Women who sign up will be given a Race for Life Season Pass, offering free entry into unlimited 5k and 10k events to support their training.To enter Race for Life Hike today go to raceforlife.org or call 0300 123 0770. BOX OUT:Race for Life Hike will take place at the following locations:• Hadrian’s Wall - 10 June 2017• Jurassic Coast - 24 June 2017 • South Downs Way - 2 September 2017• North Norfolk Coast - 2 September 2017• Peak District - 9 September 2017

St Valery in Almmouth, Northumberland has been awarded the title of Waggiest Welcome PetsPyjamas 2017 Dog-Friendly Travel Awards, as part of the UK’s leading pet-friendly holiday company’s recognition for the special destinations, who lead the way by offering a truly pet-friendly experience for customers and their Very Important Pets. With the Guide Dogs Great British Dog Survey 2017 revealing that 70% of pet owners like to take their dog on holiday, the Year of the Dog is most certainly set to be the Year of the Holiday Dog, with St Valery and the other 11 award-winning dog-friendly hotspots to choose from. Setting their standard of excellence to be met by all their travel partners - from five-star hotels to cottages, country houses and stylish pub inns with rooms, PetsPyjamas’ travel awards recognise only the very best, so St Valery and the 11 other winners were judged on the following criteria: 1. Super dog-loving atmosphere and staff at all times; 2. Three or more dog-friendly rooms available to book; 3. Dogs have access to some communal areas and are able to dine with their owners – a special doggie menu would be a bonus!; 4. Dogs are provided with beds, bowls and treats in the hotel room or cottage; 5. Nearby dog-friendly attractions, for example fabulous long doggie walks or a dog-friendly beach. Described by customers as a dog lover’s paradise, St Valery’s resident dog Roxy welcomes every canine and makes sure there are treats waiting in their room. Furry friends are also provided with beds, bowls and towels to dry off after walks on their neighbouring heritage coast and designated National Landscape. St Valery owner, Harvey Roberts says: “Having a dog of my own, I completely understand how difficult it can be sometimes to find good quality accommodation when you are away with your dog, so being dog-friendly was really important to me when I was setting up the business nearly two years ago. Northumberland is such a dog- friendly county and the beach we have here in Alnmouth is dog-friendly all year round, which we love sharing with other dog owners.” Commenting on their win he adds: “I’m really proud of what the team here at St Valery has achieved in less than two years since we first opened and winning the Waggiest Welcome award is absolutely brilliant. Clearly most (if not all) the credit has to be placed firmly at the paws of the most important member of the team – Roxy the resident house dog. Well done Roxy, and keep wagging that tail!” Co-founder of PetsPyjamas, Karen Hanton comments: “Having sent thousands of dogs and their owners on getaways since the launch of our dog-friendly division in 2014, we understand exactly what is needed to delight canine guests and their owners. We work closely with accommodation partners to create exclusive packages, all-inclusive deals and extras just for the dog, and our awards celebrate this new level of customer service and understanding in the hospitality industry. We believe dogs are very much part of the family and that holidays are much more fun when Fido comes too. The properties we work with share this ethos and have proved themselves to be truly dog-welcoming, going that extra mile with special touches to excite our two and four-legged customers.” She adds: “We’re thrilled to share and reward those properties that have particularly excelled this year with their own unique brand of dog-friendliness, and St Valery are such deserved winners of the Waggiest Welcome award.” A who’s who of dog-friendly hotspot, the other winners of The PetsPyjamas 2017 Dog-Friendly Travel Awards winners include Best Dog-friendly Pub with Rooms – The Fontmell, Dorset; Best Luxury Dog-friendly Hotel Award - Whatley Manor Hotel & Spa, Wiltshire; Pampered Pet Award - The Devonshire Arms Hotel & Spa, Skipton, North Yorkshire; Best for Walkies Award - The Arundell Arms, Devon; Home from Home Award - Moat Cottage at Wilderness, Suffolk; Fido’s Family Award – Fowey Hall Hotel, Cornwall; Best Unique Stay Award - Scamper Holidays, Swansea, Wales; Gourmet Hotel Award - Cliveden House, Berkshire; Best Dog-friendly European Destination - Abbaye de la Bussiere, France; Best Newcomer - Widbrook Grange, Wiltshire and Top Resident Dog - Ston Easton Park, Somerset. PetsPyjamas is Europe’s number one online pet lifestyle destination where people who love their pets can book from 1,500 truly pet-welcoming hotels, cottages, manor houses,cosy inns and stylish B&Bs around the UK and Europe, with new properties signing up almost every day. With a net promoter score of 77, PetsPyjamas is the leading pet friendly holiday bookers with something for every breed and budget from just £60 and unique dog-friendly weekend break packages you won’t find anywhere else. Pets go free and a complimentary pet travel kit worth £20 are standard for all stays, and all breaks are bookable via PetsPyjamas’ expert Pet Concierges - a dedicated pack of dog lovers and experts, who help their furry customers and owners find the perfect break for them. PetsPyjamas also offers a fabulous collection of over 10,000 pet accessories – all handpicked by in-house pet stylists and curated by breed. For more information on a pet friendly Northumberland stay, visit our dog friendly adventures page.

As Royal wedding fever sweeps across the country, Macdonald Linden Hall Golf & Country Club’s reputation as the North East’s perfect wedding destination continues to grow.The luxury four-star hotel, located in the heart of Northumberland, has delivered its third consecutive year of growth for weddings, after reporting a 20% year-on-year increase in bookings to date for the 2018/19 financial year.Macdonald Linden Hall Golf & Country Club’s wedding bookings have risen by more than a third over the past three years as the hotel cements its position as one of the UK’s most prestigious country house wedding destinations.The 450-acre private estate is set in idyllic countryside with a championship 18-hole golf course and luxurious spa facilities. The manicured estate is home to 50 bedrooms and Northumberland’s largest hotel wedding suite with exclusive banqueting facilities complete with a separate entrance, providing a private atmosphere for weddings. The famous Linden Tree Pub also provides the opportunity for wedding parties to start the festivities early with an intimate dinner the night before the big day. Situated just off the A1 and half an hour north of Newcastle, the secluded location feels a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city. At the end of a tree-lined avenue lies an elegant mansion house, radiating charm and sophistication and providing the ideal backdrop for photographs.Built in 1812, the original manor house has since been transformed into a stylish hotel. This magical venue, replete with ornate ceilings, roaring log fires and marble cherubs, boasts state-of-the-art spa facilities, a fitness centre, a cocktail bar, Dobson’s AA Rosette-award winning restaurant and a cozy gastro pub.Denis Frucot, General Manager at Macdonald Linden Hall Golf & Country Club, said: “At Macdonald Linden Hall Golf & Country Club we have experienced a significant increase in wedding bookings in the last few years, underpinned by our continual investment in the hotel’s facilities and our hard working and flexible team who go the extra mile to ensure a magical day for our brides and grooms. Our award-winning restaurant, luxurious hotel and knowledgeable staff provide the ideal surroundings for the perfect wedding.”Winter packages, midweek offers, small intimate weddings and the use of outdoor woodland areas are all available at Macdonald Linden Hall Golf & Country Club. For further information, visit http://www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/our-hotels/macdonald-linden-hall-golf-country-club/

Leading pub company The Inn Collection Group has been confirmed as operators of a multi-million pound Northumberland pub with rooms development, set to open in October 2018.Arch, developers of the site in the marina town of Amble, selected The Inn Collection Group as operators ahead of national competition. The seven-site company will now add the Northumberland development to its acquisition portfolio of pubs with rooms, which includes new build schemes The Commissioners Quay Inn at Blyth and The Hog’s Head Inn at Alnwick. The addition of the 30-bedroom Amble development to the group’s estate takes their total bedroom number to 232, making the Kings Park Capital backed operator one of the north east’s largest independent accommodation providers.Construction of the inn started last month, generating an anticipated 60 jobs during the build element, with a further 35 positions created once the inn opens. Keith Liddell, chief executive of The Inn Collection Group, said: “We are delighted that The Inn Collection Group has been selected to operate this exciting new leisure development in Amble. Our brand is synonymous with delivering a value-for-money, quality service and attention to detail, principles we look forward to applying in Amble.“Our eat, drink, sleep and explore model will be a tremendous addition to Amble and the surrounding area’s leisure and business markets and we are looking forward to revealing further details about the inn in due course. “The Amble development will be an excellent asset to our portfolio and cements our positioning as a leader in the leisure operator sector. With growing investment and regeneration in Amble there is a shortage of accommodation of this nature in Amble. The new development will undoubtedly fill this current gap in the market, offering much-need accommodation in the town to visitors so they can extend their stay locally, fuelling more trade for local businesses. “In both the short and long term, the new development will give a boost to Amble’s economy, both from the jobs created during construction and the 35 permanent, full time positions the inn will generate.”Located on Amble’s Coquet Enterprise Park Quay Road, an area earmarked for redevelopment, the two-storey building has been designed to provide an attractive venue for daytime and evening trade. The development will compliment recent investment in the marina town’s harbour regeneration. Richard Wearmouth Chair of Arch said: "This development will bring quality, new accommodation which would undoubtedly mean more visitors and therefore more business for Amble. The inn will not only enhance Coquet Enterprise Park as part of our long-term plans for the area but it will bring much needed jobs to Amble. It’s developments like this which increase the potential for attracting inward investment to benefit Northumberland as a whole.”Colin Bell, Business Growth Director at the North East LEP, said: “This is a significant investment in Amble and the surrounding area. The inn will contribute to the town’s leisure and commercial capability by increasing the area’s accommodation offer and helping to attract valuable additional overnight visitors.” The development has been designed with a mix of 30 double, twin, accessible and family bedrooms across two floors. A ground floor bar and eatery area will provide covers for up to 150 diners inside with a further 100 covers outside and offer informal meeting spaces. There will be on site parking and cycle spaces. The Amble scheme will operate on The Inn Collection Group’s model of providing value-for-money accommodation, quality beverages – with a focus on provenance and local real ales, and home made pub fare served all day, 365 days a year.Construction of the development will be delivered by Tolent Living Ltd.

Battlesteads Hotel & Restaurant in Wark, Northumberland, is celebrating after being named Hotel of the Year at the 2017 North East England Tourism Awards.Held at The Boiler Shop in Newcastle on Thursday 16 November, the North East England Tourism Awards celebrate the very best tourism businesses in the region.Sustainable hotel, restaurant and observatory Battlesteads, which was also shortlisted in the Best Small Attraction and Dog Friendly Business Categories, will now go on to represent the North East at the Visit England Awards for Excellence in 2018.Katie Meyrick-Scott, general manager of Battlesteads Hotel and Restaurant, said: “We are thrilled to be named Hotel of the Year, in a category where we were up against three other really fantastic businesses. Battlesteads is a proud champion of the tourism industry in the North East, and we are looking forward to representing the region at the national Visit England Awards for Excellence.”The North East England Tourism Awards are organised and delivered by the NewcastleGateshead Initiative in partnership with the Northern Tourism Alliance. The winner of each category is automatically entered into the annual VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, which will take place in April 2018.Sarah Stewart, chief executive at destination management and marketing organisation NewcastleGateshead Initiative, said: “Huge congratulations to all of tonight’s winners. It’s been another brilliant year for entries and we received a high standard of entrants across all categories. “The tourism sector in the North East of England continues to thrive, from our buzzing city centres to our beautiful coastline and varied countryside. Next year promises to be another exciting one for the region as we welcome the Great Exhibition of the North which will have a major impact on our visitor, and wider, economy.”More information about the awards can be found at www.newcastlegateshead.com/tourism-awards. For more information about Battlesteads Hotel, Restaurant & Observatory, visit www.battlesteads.com or call 01434 230 039.

An ambitious project to repair a stone footpath along one of Northumberland’s most popular walking routes has been carried out by Northumberland National Park Authority.Over 400 metres of flagged and pitched stone has been installed between Lordenshaws and The Beacon along the eastern slope of the Simonside Ridge near Rothbury.Due to the site’s remote location, the National Park had to enlist the help of a helicopter to fly the stone and building materials to Simonside in order to carry out the project. A total of 191 loads, each weighing around 1 tonne were carried to the site, overseen by a specialist team from the National Park.Famous for its spectacular rock formations and vivid purple heather during the summer months, the Simonside Hills are a popular spot in the north of the National Park with hill walkers and tourists who flock to the area each year to enjoy the panoramic views of the Cheviot Hills and North Sea coastline from the topmost ridge. The new pathway, which is now open to the public, will enable more people to enjoy the beauty of Simonside without compromising the area’s natural habitats, which are home to key wildlife species including the curlew, red grouse and red squirrels.Lorna Lazarri, Access and National Trails Officer at Northumberland National Park Authority, said:“The Simonside Ridge is an outstanding and well-known walking route which attracts lots of visitors throughout the year. It’s a key asset for the tourism industry of the National Park and the wider region. “Although the remote location and terrain presented us with some technical challenges, it has been fantastic to see the project come together. Watching the stone being delivered to the site by helicopter was really something special!“The work we have carried out on the footpath will enable even more people to visit Simonside and also ensure that the area’s natural vegetation and wildlife habitats are preserved for the future.”Public reaction to the new footpath has been very positive. Alan Walker, a visiting hill walker, commented:“What a fantastic job is being done to create the stone pathways at Simonside. It must be a colossal labour for somebody and although I suspect it is being done primarily to stop erosion, it is a tremendous and very much appreciated boon to a hill walker who is getting on a bit!”Another visitor, Jane Bertelson, emailed her comments to the National Park in praise of the new walkway, she said: “Today we visited the Simonside Hills. We would just like to thank you for the excellently-marked walk and the effort made to make paths for walkers and to reduce erosion. We had a wonderful day out and felt so grateful for our National Park network.”The repairs to the footpath were made possible by a generous donation in memory of the late Dr Alan Reece, the pioneering North East-based lecturer, engineer and entrepreneur who founded a number of major subsea manufacturing companies during his lifetime.A benefactor has placed a commemorative stone within the footpath dedicated to Dr Reece and the students of the Agricultural Engineering Department at Newcastle University who took part in the annual fresher’s ‘Great Downhill Race’ on Simonside’s northern slopes.Anthony Braithwaite, Chairman of Northumberland National Park Foundation, said: “The work carried out at Simonside would not have been possible without the generosity of our local benefactor and for this, we are truly grateful.“It is acts of kindness like this, facilitated through the Northumberland National Park Foundation, that can help the Park to make vast improvements to remote sites like Simonside, which not only help to improve the overall visitor experience, but also enable us to safely conserve ancient monuments and areas of special scientific interest for future generations to enjoy.”The Northumberland National Park Foundation is a registered charity which is dedicated to supporting initiatives across the National Park and beyond that help to enhance and protect the beautiful landscapes of Northumberland.To find out more about the Foundation, or to make a donation, visit www.nnpa.org.uk/about-us/northumberland-national-park-foundation/.Image Credit - A Mackenzie

With hundreds of festivalgoers as well as local businesses pledging financial support in exchange for ticket rewards and sponsorship packages, Lindisfarne Festival’s future is looking bright as it closes in on it’s record-breaking £70k festival crowdfunding target.With it’s ‘all or nothing’ crowdfunding campaign drawing to a close next week, the festival has revealed the first wave of acts it has lined up for the 3 day music, arts & wellness festival, which hopes to return to the Northumberland coast from 30th August – 2nd September 2018.Despite a hugely successful 2017 event, which saw a 38% increase in attendees and resulted in two UK Festival Award nominations, organisers firmly stated that the festival would only be guaranteed to return for it’s 4th consecutive year if they could obtain a minimum of £70k funding via Crowdfunder, to help cover some of the upfront costs for the 2018 event.Offering festivalgoers the benefit of heavily discounted tickets and exclusive reward packages, the 6 week Crowdfunder campaign, which ends at 7pm on 31st October, was launched last month to help secure the future of the independent North East festival, which relies heavily on early ticket sales in order to secure it’s 100-strong lineup of local and world renowned acts.Conleth Maenpaa, Founder of Lindisfarne Festival commented: “With only a few days until our Crowdfunder deadline, this really is make or break for the festival. As a largely self-funded event, we set the crowdfunding campaign up this year to ensure we have the funds to cover some of the expenses for the 2018 festival, as we cannot shoulder the financial burden alone anymore. There comes a point when we have to lay it on the table and ask for support to make sure the show can go on. We wanted to be as transparent as possible and allow the public to see what is required in order for the festival to go again.We’re doing very well but we’re still a few thousand pounds shy of our target needed to proceed with next year’s festival. If we can hit £70k by Tuesday, not only will Lindisfarne Festival 2018 be full speed ahead – we’ll also break a Crowdfunder record, officially making us the most successfully crowdfunded festival!”Acts already geared up to perform at 2018’s festival include the newly reformed Detroit Social Club, Bessie & the Zinc Buckets, Bombskare, Colonel Mustard & the Dijon 5 and Hip Hop Hooray. Should the festival reach it’s fundraising target next week, the full music & comedy lineups will be secured and announced early next year, featuring some highly anticipated headliners.Previous acts who have played at the festival, which takes place at Beal Farm overlooking Holy Island include The Fratellis, The View, Reef, British Sea Power, Reverend & the Makers, Craig Charles & Norman Jay MBE.Conleth contined;“Each year we have seen the festival evolve and our lineup strengthen and this year’s festival was nothing short of incredible! As an event on the whole, it will be hard to top but if we’re able to go ahead in 2018, we promise we will come back stronger again and will deliver an even better festival next year.”With exciting plans already formulating and new partnerships in the pipeline, we are raring to go. We’ve already got some brilliant acts provisionally lined up and taking on board all of our festivalgoers suggestions we’ve got a load more ready on speed dial! It’s been wonderful to see so many people rallying behind us and pledging to buy their tickets early so that the festival can continue. We’re so close making it happen, we just need a few more ticket sales and sponsorship pledges to enable us to continue to develop an amazing, nationally acclaimed festival that the North East really deserves.”Independent, affordable and unpretentious, Lindisfarne Festival differentiates itself by offering a boutique festival experience without the expensive price-tag. With 3 successful festivals behind them, the over 18’s event has become revered for being the perfect value for money party festival – a chance to escape everyday responsibility with friends and immerse yourself in a weekend of great music, arts and entertainment, surrounded by spectacular scenery.

Northumberland National Park Authority has confirmed its £14.8m state-of-the-art visitor centre and youth hostel on Hadrian’s Wall is thriving when it comes to encouraging more people to enjoy the countryside.Since opening its doors to the public on 29 July, The Sill, which is the UK’s first National Landscape Discovery Centre, welcomed over 51,000 visitors during August and September.Its performance has far exceeded the National Park Authority’s ambitious projections by achieving almost half the expected visitor numbers for an average year in its first two months.Over 98% of visitors providing written feedback at the centre said they’d had a positive experience and more than 2,000 guests have stayed at its world-class 86-bed youth hostel.Named after the nearby Great Whin Sill; The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre is one of the biggest projects ever undertaken by an English National Park and the result of an innovative partnership between Northumberland National Park, YHA (England & Wales) and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) through a £7.8m grant made possible by National Lottery players.The building is a celebration of landscape, culture and heritage with fixed and temporary exhibitions, learning and event spaces, a 90-seater café showcasing local produce, YHA accommodation and a gift shop packed with local produce, arts and crafts.It also boasts a fully accessible Whin Sill grassland roof, the only one of its kind in the world, which offers inspirational views across the National Park and Hadrian’s Wall UNESCO World Heritage Site.Tony Gates, chief executive of the Northumberland National Park Authority, said: “The centre has been transformational for us. It has been a very successful start with extremely positive visitor feedback.“When we opened at the height of the holidays we welcomed lots of families and since the new school year started the profile of our visitors has changed but we have remained busy.“Now we are starting to see different patterns of visitors using the building including university students, school children and a large proportion of international visitors which is very pleasing.“As this is our opening period we fully expected to be busy, and whilst our performance is ahead of target, it will be interesting to see how visitor patterns work out across the year. We have received a lot of visitor feedback, most of which is extremely positive, but also includes some aspects that they feel we could improve upon.“Our plan is to carry on listening as we keep moving forward. We already have plans to further develop the centre to keep the visitor experience fresh and inclusive. This includes weekly activities such as Sill Sundays, meet-the-maker events in partnership with local beer, gin and cheese producers and seasonal events like Dark Sky evenings and a Christmas Craft Fair.“It has been an exciting start but we know there are ways to keep improving. We want the centre to be the best it can be and see it evolve.”The Sill’s main exhibition champions all of the benefits the landscape brings, from producing food to improving health. Its close proximity to the Hadrian’s Wall corridor and other landmarks including Steel Rigg, Sycamore Gap and Crag Lough make it a great hub for exploring the National Park.Glen Sanderson, chairman of Northumberland National Park Authority, adds: “We want the centre to inspire a new generation of landscape enthusiasts. A key target for us is to have every child from a school in Northumberland spend a day in the National Park. We want young people to enjoy going to the countryside and understand it. The centre is a big step to being able to achieve that.“The Sill is already making a significant contribution to the local economy just weeks after opening. In this, our first year, we are expecting 50% more visitors than in a normal operating year. So far our numbers have exceeded this.“Our café partners Fresh Element, who are committed to sourcing and serving local food, now employ over 15 staff and have recorded daily sales which far outweigh the projections set out before the opening.“Local suppliers stocking produce in our shop have also reported an upturn in sales from being featured at The Sill and some have gone on to gain other local contracts. There are many early positive signs for the long-term economic impact of The Sill.”When construction began in November 2015, Northumberland National Park Authority also launched The Sill Activity programme to engage people of all ages throughout the region in the project. To date, there have been over 400 Sill-related events providing a range of educational and volunteering opportunities connected to the landscape and heritage of the Park.

The VisitEngland ROSE Awards were designed to showcase establishments that provide the warmest of welcomes.Each year VisitEngland choose 100 accommodation businesses in England where the owners, managers and staff really know how to delight their customers, irrespective of their star rating, style or type of accommodation. Recipients are all VisitEngland assessed accommodation providers. Now in its second year, out of the six accommodation businesses awarded a ROSE Award in the North East, four are in Northumberland. Please see the list below. Jude Leitch, director of Northumberland Tourism, said: “Northumberland is the place everyone wants to visit right now, so quality accommodation is an important part of our offering to tourists.We’re thrilled that Kielder Waterside, Calvert Trust Kielder, Swansdown at Amble, and Todburn East at Rothbury have achieved a prestigious ROSE Award. They are raising the bar for accommodation providers in Northumberland, and in the wider North East area. We hope to see more venues following their lead.”North EastKielder Waterside, Hexham (Holiday Park)www.kielderwaterside.comCalvert Trust Kielder, Hexham (Self-catering)www.calvert-trust.org.uk/kielder/kielderSwansdown at Amble, Amble (Self-catering)www.coquetcottages.co.uk/northumberland-holiday-cottages/swansdownTodburn East, Rothbury (Self-catering)www.cottages.com/cottages/todburn-east-uk3100The Lighthouse Guest House, Whitley Bay (Guest Accommodation)www.lighthouseguesthouse.co.ukOscar’s Barn, Darlington (Self-catering)www.cottages.com/cottages/oscarrsquosbarn-w44108