With just days to go until Northumberland is alive with the sights and sounds of the Ovo Energy Tour of Britain, spectators are being urged to arrive in plenty of time to catch the action.The Ovo Energy Tour of Britain, the UK’s premier road cycling event, is coming to the county on Monday 4 September, with world class riders cycling over 200 kms between Kielder and Blyth, passing through 28 communities along the route.To minimise disruption across the county, all roads on the route will be closed using a rolling roadblock system for around 40 minutes - both 20 minutes before and after the cyclists are expected to pass through each community.The closures are required to ensure the safety of spectators and competitors and will be managed by police motorcycle escorts. While the closures are in place, pedestrian access will be maintained as will vehicle access for emergency services.In some key parts of the race, including Rothbury to Alnwick, Belford to Seahouses, Lesbury to Warkworth, the centre of Morpeth and in Blyth town centre there will be full road closures which will have a greater impact on travel.Although the road closures will be kept in place for as short a time as possible, they will inevitably cause some disruption to both car and bus journeys. Spectators are advised to arrive in plenty of time to watch the race and residents who are going about their daily business on race day are being asked to plan their journeys around the race, take a different route, or allow extra travel time.Some key points and estimated timings along the route:10.15am - Start on Kielder Dam11am - First King of the Mountains climb starts outside Elsdon, climbing to the Winter’s Gibbet11:45am - Riders approach Rothbury followed by King of the Mountains hill climbs up Debdon Bank and Corby Crag12:10pm - Riders approach Alnwick1pm - Riders approach Belford and head to Bamburgh1.20 pm - Sprint through Seahouses2pm -Sprint through Warkworth2.40pm - Arrive in Morpeth via Amble, Widdrington and Ulgham2:50pm - Arrive in Bedlington via Guide Post and Choppington3pm - Riders pass through Blyth for the first time 3:10pm - Sprint through Seaton Sluice 3:30pm- Riders race back through Blyth for the finishDeputy Leader of Northumberland County Council, Councillor Wayne Daley said:“The preparation is almost complete and we’re ready to welcome the Tour of Britain, which will attract many visitors to the county, boost the local economy and showcase Northumberland’s magnificent landscape to a worldwide television audience. “ The council has worked hard to minimise disruption for its residents while the race takes place but this is a major international event so there will be a number of road closures in place to ensure the race can take place safely. “We will be working hard to ensure any disruption is kept to a minimum and would ask residents to familiarise themselves with some of the details and timings of the route so they can plan ahead. ”Access to Morpeth Bus Station, Morpeth Railway Station and public car parks in the centre of Morpeth will all be affected by the road closure between 2pm - 3.30pm so visitors should plan their journeys around these times as routes around Morpeth are likely to be busy during this period.There will be disruption to other bus journeys on 4 September, particularly with afternoon services. Details of all affected services are available via www.nlandtob.com All health services will remain open and fully functioning during the Tour and access to hospitals and GP practices along the route will be maintained, although in some cases diversions may be in place. Patients and visitors are advised to allow extra time for their journey. Professor Chris Gray, medical director at NHS England Cumbria and the North East, said: “The Tour of Britain is sure to be an exciting event, but with the added influx of people in the area, this may put additional pressure on health services.“If you are unfortunate enough to have a minor injury or illness, such as a sprain, strain, cut or fall, there are lots of options – ranging from pharmacist advice and basic first aid treatment to GP surgeries and NHS 111. Please keep A&E for life-threatening injuries and severe symptoms which come on suddenly.”For more details about Stage Two of the Tour of Britain, including maps detailing the route, road closures and estimated arrival times of the race, plus information about events going on in your local area, visit www.nlandtob.com

An exciting new tool to attract a greater number of international visitors to the English coast has been awarded funding by VisitEngland’s Discover England Fund.Developed by The National Coastal Tourism Academy (NCTA), ‘England’s Coast’ will focus on attracting German, Dutch and French visitors to coastal destinations including Northumberland, Brighton and Eastbourne, Devon and Cornwall, and the Jurassic Coast. Using interactive video technology created as part of a previous NCTA project, ‘England’s Coast’ will give holidaymakers the ability to create their own itineraries.The itinerary builder will enable accommodation, activity and attraction providers, retailers and destinations across the relevant stretches of coastline to add their businesses so that international visitors can create bespoke personalised itineraries.Jude Leitch, director of Northumberland Tourism, said: “The Northumberland Coast is a jewel in our county’s crown, spectacular whatever the weather. Endless beaches and secret coves, rugged dunes and rock-pools; dramatic cliffs topped with castles, where the ancient Whin Sill splits the land to meet the sea. We’re delighted to be a part of such an innovative project, and certainly welcome more international visitors to try a Northumberland holiday.”The scope of the project will also be expanded to target group travel through FIT (Fully Independent Travel) and group itineraries showcasing the very best of England’s coast. A series of online learning programmes will be available to educate international travel trade about the coast, as well as product knowledge and customer service courses for local businesses on the coast.Speaking about ‘England’s Coast’, NCTA Academy Director Samantha Richardson said: “The award from VisitEngland’s Discover England Fund is a fantastic opportunity to develop and connect product on England’s coast into bookable itineraries for international visitors.“We now know from our pilot on the East coast that the coast appeals to international visitors once they are made aware of the product and England’s Coast provides a new reason for many seasoned travellers to discover England. Our primary focus will initially be the German market, whilst also continuing to work with the Dutch, building on our East coast project. “Our research demonstrates that although the number of international visitors to the coast has historically been relatively low, this is largely because international consumers simply aren’t aware of what the coast offers or how to book.“The project will create bookable short-break itineraries to highlight the very best on the coast and focus on couples travelling without children to encourage trips off-peak and help to reduce seasonality. It supports the wider Vision for the Visitor Economy on the Coast and the project will work with a number of partners from both the public and private sectors, including P&O Ferries, Hertz, Green Traveller, and a number of destination management organisations on the coast.”

Cycling fans are in store for a wheelie great weekend at Kielder Water & Forest Park ahead of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain coming to the region.In preparation for the UK’s biggest and most prestigious cycle race coming to Northumberland, Northumbrian Water is holding its first ever ‘Kielderfest’ at its Kielder Waterside site.The two day cycle themed festival will take place on Saturday, September 2, and Sunday, September 3, is free to attend and includes live music, street food and a whole host of cycling related activities and events to help get people of all ages and abilities in the mood for the big day on Monday.Events include:A pop up velodrome cycling track being run by the team at Street Velodrome. Festival goers will be able to challenge themselves on the track and get tips and advice from the pros. Stunt performances and shows by the world record holding 3Sixty Cycle Stunt Team. A number of live bands will be playing on a main stage over the two days including; Groove Allstars, Glen Roughead, Diablo, High Tide, Shaka and The Sublimes. Outdoor ‘deck chair’ giant HD cinema on the banks of Kielder Water showing Back To The Future on Saturday night and Grease on Sunday night. There will also be mountain bike coaching sessions, pop up street food stalls and a full range of GO ACTIVE activities including Water Walkers, Crazy Carts, Crazy Trikes, Hoverball Archery, Crossbows and Segways.David Hall, Head of Leisure, Strategy and Transformation at Northumbrian Water said: “We are well and truly getting into the spirit of the Tour of Britain with KielderFest and have an action packed weekend of events planned for guests, visitors and cycling fans.“People will be in for a real treat with fantastic local food stalls, live local bands playing on our main stage and superb entertainment and hands-on demonstrations from the likes of Street Velodrome and the 3Sixty Cycle Stunt Team.“KielderFest is completely free to attend and everyone is welcome to join us, whether it’s for one day or the full weekend. We have accommodation available at our luxurious new lodges but there is also a park and ride operating for visitors.“We are delighted and very proud to be playing our part in welcoming the Tour of Britain to the region and there’s no doubt that KielderFest will help get us all get ready for the action on Monday.”Northumberland County Councillor Cath Homer, cabinet member with responsibility for leisure said: “This promises to be a fantastic weekend of free family entertainment to celebrate the arrival of the Tour. Kielder Water is the most beautiful of settings and I'd urge local residents to go along and get involved."The second stage of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain cycle race will start at 10:15am on Monday, September 4, on Kielder dam, before traveling through the heart of Northumberland, passing through 28 communities and covering 117 miles of the county.For more information on KielderFest visit www.kielderwaterside.com or Kielder Waterside Facebook page.Postcode for parking at the Kielder Waterside site on the day is NE48 1BT and the car park is just across from the Waterside site. There is park and ride service available for visitors.Full Northumberland route details for the ToB can be found at www.nlandtob.com, or for further information about the National Tour, please visit: www.tourofbritain.co.uk/home.php

People thinking of entering events at Kielder Marathon Weekend are being urged to do so quickly, as places for Britain’s most beautiful races are filling up fast.The 2017 Active Northumberland Kielder Marathon Weekend is being held at Northumbrian Water’s Kielder Waterside and Reservoir site on the weekend of October 7/8.Places in the Run Bike Run event are almost full, with the Marathon, Half Marathon, 10k and the children’s events not far behind.Race organisers are urging anyone thinking of applying to take part in any of the events to do so now, to avoid missing out on a place and being disappointed.Race director Steve Cram said: “There’s been a fantastic response to this year’s events from all across the country and if you want to bag your place on the start line for the marathon, half marathon, 10k or Run Bike Run then get your application in now before it’s too late.“The Active Northumberland Kielder Marathon has become one of the key events in the running diary and although it’s a challenging course there is something for all runners, whatever your ability.”David Hall, Head of Leisure Strategy at Northumbrian Water, said: “We are just six weeks away from the Active Northumberland Kielder Marathon Weekend and can’t wait to host Britain’s most beautiful marathon for another year.“Looking at the entries for this year it’s clear we are in for another busy one, so I would urge anyone who’s been thinking of entering to get signed up quickly so they don’t miss out on a place.”The Active Northumberland Kielder Marathon Weekend 2017 is run by Events of the North, a company led by Olympians Steve Cram and Allison Curbishley, in conjunction with Northumbrian Water, Active Northumberland, and Northumberland County Council.The quickest and easiest way to enter any of the Kielder Marathon 2017 events is online.Visit www.kieldermarathon.com and book your place now.

On Saturday 29 July, Northumberland National Park Authority officially opened the doors to The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre.The crowning jewel in the UK National Parks Week celebrations, National Park staff reported that the new £14.8m state-of-the-art visitor centre and world-class youth hostel attracted over 5,000 visitors in its first weekend.Over the course of the weekend, The Sill, which was partially funded by the National Lottery through a £7.8m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), played host to a range of activities for visitors of all ages to enjoy. The opening weekend itinerary included guided tours of the unique Whin Sill Grassland roof and Youth Hostel (YHA The Sill at Hadrian’s Wall), musical entertainment from traditional Northumbrian pipers, bush craft activities with the National Park Rangers, storytelling with Taffy Thomas and vintage country bus rides between The Sill site at Once Brewed on Hadrian’s Wall and Walltown Country Park, which had been transformed for the weekend into a giant children’s playground.Dr Sarah Glynn, Sill Manager, said:“We were absolutely delighted to officially welcome the first visitors to The Sill. “All things considered, the opening weekend ran very smoothly and the feedback we have received from the public has been incredibly positive.“As the UK’s first dedicated National Landscape Discovery Centre, The Sill is designed to excite, inspire and enable people of all ages to understand and explore the landscapes, history, culture and heritage of Northumberland. “The opening weekend was just the very first stepping stone towards achieving this vision and we are very much looking forward to welcoming many more visitors in the weeks, months and years to come.”Boasting a 90-seater café, 86-bed Youth Hostel, gift shop, fixed and temporary exhibition spaces, a rural business hub, learning and event spaces, a national park information point and a fully accessible Whin Sill Grassland roof, The Sill is open daily between 9.30am and 6pm.For more information, visit https://www.thesill.org.uk/.

THE 50 day countdown to the arrival of the British Masters supported by Sky Sports at Close House begins today (Wednesday 09 August) as the region prepares to host one of golf’s biggest tournaments.Taking place in the North East for the first time in 45 years and set to be one of the largest sporting events in the region in 2017, the European Tour will welcome some of the world’s leading golfers, including Masters Champion Sergio Garcia, as announced by tournament host Lee Westwood last month.The golfing greats including Westwood and Garcia - who will return to the British Masters for the first time since 1998 following winning a Green Jacket at Augusta National in April this year and his first Major Championship, are set to take to the green at the Heddon-on-the-Wall course from 28 September to 01 October.As part of the highly anticipated event, sporting heroes including Alan Shearer will also be teeing up alongside some of European Tour’s leading players during the Hero Pro-Am on Thursday 27 September in aid of the Graham Wylie Foundation, the tournament’s official charity.All proceeds from this day will go to the foundation, which was set up by Close House’s owner Graham Wylie to inspire and educate children across the North East.The tournament promises to offer entertainment for all ages, whether golf fans, families or groups of friends, with a series of exciting announcements yet to come including key players, sponsors and things to see and do.Rory Colville, Championship Director of the British Masters supported by Sky Sports said: “The British Masters supported by Sky Sports has been a hugely popular event with fans over the last couple of years. The response of fans in the North East and beyond has been simply incredible.”Tickets for the British Masters supported by Sky Sports and the Hero Pro-Am are available now and can be purchased by clicking here. Hospitality packages for The Colt Pavilion are also available which will overlook the 18th hole at Close House. Prices start at £275 + VAT per person.For further information visit britishmasters.europeantour.com or to request a brochure call 01344 840 681 or email [email protected].

The Kielder ospreys have now fledged 50 chicks since they began nesting at Kielder Water & Forest Park in 2009.This year, nine chicks have fledged from four nests including Archer from Nest 3, who is officially the 50th bird to take its first flight at Kielder.This year is the second most successful breeding season ever for the Kielder Ospreys, with only 2016 producing more fledged chicks, a record-breaking 11 of them. However, this year’s success has been tinged with sadness. One of the 13 eggs one failed to hatch and three of the chicks died before they had a chance to fledge.Extremely wet weather at times has affected a number of UK osprey nests this season, including Kielder. The overall productivity of just over two fledges per nest is still above the average for many UK osprey projects.Joanna Dailey, Kielder Osprey expert volunteer, said: “Kielder Water & Forest Park has proved to be a successful home for ospreys, with excellent habitat and food supply. A special pleasure this year has been seeing the Nest 3 adults, breeding here since 2014, raise three chicks for the first time. It is apt that the official 50th Kielder fledge is from that nest.”Visitors can still watch the antics of the birds until late August through nest cameras broadcasting at Kielder Castle Café. For a chance to see these magnificent birds, join Northumberland Wildlife Trust volunteers at Northumbrian Water’s Kielder Waterside every Saturday, Sunday and Monday to view Nest 1A and 2 through a scope and see live footage broadcast from the nest to a screen in the cabin.Fans of the famous birds can also keep up to date with them by checking the blog at https://kielderospreys.wordpress.com/Kielder Osprey Watch is a partnership between Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust, Forestry Commission, RSPB, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Northumbrian Water and Calvert Trust Kielder. 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 sites. To find out more, go to www.visitkielder.com.

The Chillingham Wild Cattle Association (CWCA) has announced a rare experience for the public to visit parts of The Wild Cattle Park not usually seen by visitors. This opportunity will take place on one day only, at The Chillingham Wild Cattle Open Day on Friday 28th July, giving visitors the chance to get up close and personal with Britain’s only wild cattle herd. The Chillingham Wild Cattle have a unique place in British fauna. It is one of the very few herds of cattle anywhere in the world that have a natural sex ratio and age distribution with minimal human interference.When you visit the park you can also experience a tractor trailer ride, with resident expert Stephen Hall, Professor of Animal Science at the University of Lincoln and a Trustee of the CWCA. Stephen will take visitors closer than ever before to the iconic Wild Cattle where they will be given detailed information on the history of the cattle and the park. In addition to the trailer rides, there will be Northumberland’s very own chainsaw carving expert Ross McNeil. Not only will Ross be displaying his work, but he will be transforming fallen wood gathered from the park into magnificent works of art. These will be up for sale so a lucky few will take home their very own piece of The Wild Cattle Park, their very own piece of Northumbrian history, from the home of the UK’s oldest herd.Rounding off the day, Bella, the heavy horse, will be doing timber extraction demonstrations, taking the park back in time to when tractors were not the norm. Roy Murray will be in the park with Bella, and there will be an opportunity to discuss this traditional work with Roy. Speaking in advance, Ellie Waddington, CWCA Park Warden said: “This is an excellent opportunity to witness first-hand the world renowned Wild Cattle which have made the park their home for hundreds of years without human interference. We are delighted to be able to welcome people to visit the unseen areas of the park, and to allow members of the public to get the true wild beast experience! These cattle are genetically identical, and they are said to go back to the Aurochs that roamed the European plains for thousands of years.” In addition to the trailer rides, the walking tours will continue as normal at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00. There is no need to book the walking tour but, due to limited space on the trailer, rides must be booked. More information on the day, the park and the cattle can be found at: www.chillinghamwildcattle.com.The CWCA has over 350 members, all absolutely passionate about the preservation of such a distinct and notable herd, which is steeped in history and a real Northumbrian icon. It is a charitable organisation which was set up in 1939 specifically to preserve the herd, and today its survival is very much dependent upon public interest and support. All money raised on the day will be used for the welfare of the cattle. Last year the park attracted thousands of visitors from across the globe. Chillingham Park is currently open to visitors all day Monday to Friday, as well as Sunday morning, with tours presented by warden, Ellie Waddington, throughout the day. For more information on the tours, and for opening times, please visit www.chillinghamwildcattle.com.

Battlesteads Hotel & Restaurant in Wark, Northumberland, has been named winner of the Tourism and Hospitality Award at the second annual North East Rural Awards, held at Linden Hall on Thursday 29 June.The win comes hot on the heels of the eco hotel scooping the awards for Best Hotel and Overall Winner at the Northumberland Tourism Awards on 22 June.Organised by the Newcastle Journal and Newcastle Chronicle, the North East Rural Awards are the only awards dedicated to championing the rural communities in the region.Darren Thwaites, Trinity Mirror North East editor-in-chief, opened the awards by saying: “Rural life is such an important part of North East culture - and it’s also a hugely important part of our economy. With the general uncertainty around Brexit and the political environment in general, it’s never been more important to champion rural issues and shout about our achievements.”Battlesteads is one of the country’s leading sustainable tourism businesses, and having been recently recognised on a national stage winning Gold at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, the hotel and restaurant is championing Northumberland as a year-round tourism destination.The hotel features 22 en-suite bedrooms including five eco-lodges, recently refurbished restaurant and bar, extensive kitchen gardens and polytunnels and is the only hotel in the UK with its own on-site observatory.Owner of Battlesteads Hotel, Richard Slade, said: “At Battlesteads we love our local area and we play an important role at the heart of our local community, offering special lunches for pensioners and providing low-cost school meals for local children, as well as being a welcoming place for locals to pop in for a drink or something to eat. It’s fantastic for us to be recognised for this at the North East’s only awards for the rural communities and we look forward to continuing to represent tourism in the North East on a national scale.” Previous awards won by Battlesteads include the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence Sustainable Business Gold, the Hotel Catey Award for Best Sustainable Hotel, the AA Hospitality Award for Eco Hotel of the Year, the People.Energy.Action award for eco-friendly travel business and the Good Hotel Guide Editor’s Choice Award for Best Green Hotel.For more information about Battlesteads Hotel & Restaurant visit www.battlesteads.co

Building on the success of the last two years, Lindisfarne Festival 2017 is gearing up to be an even bigger and better showcase of music, comedy, culture and creative arts. With Glastonbury 2017 now underway and festival fever in full swing, Lindisfarne Festival organisers are delighted to be showcasing a number of same name acts at their Northumberland event including DJ Norman Jay MBE, Huey Morgan, The Showhawk Duo, Beans on Toast, The Pale White, Backyard Rhythm Orchestra and Little Mammoths.With tickets sales already ahead by 55% compared to the same time last year, the team are equally delighted to welcome comedian and Punch Drunk founder Kai Humphries to the festival, who along with hosting the main comedy tent at Glastonbury will also be curating this year’s Lindisfarne Festival comedy line-up. With a stellar list of stand-up talent soon to be announced, full details of the line-up will be revealed at their sold-out Punch Drunk event in Blyth on 3rd July featuring Britain’s Got Talent finalist Daliso Chaponda.Comedian Kai Humphries said:“Punch-Drunk Comedy has had an outrageous start to 2017, welcoming the likes of Zoe Lyons (LIVE AT The Apollo), Dave Johns (I, Daniel Blake), and Paul Sinha (The Chase) to our stages in Blyth, Bedlington, Ashington, and Cramlington. We absolutely can’t wait for Lindisfarne Festival and are buzzing to have our very own Punch Drunk Comedy tent! A sizeable crowd will be coming with us and we’ve got a destroyer of a lineup, which we can’t wait to share with everyone!”The 3- day camping festival which promises its strongest line up & entertainment schedule to date will be held once again on Beal Farm, Northumberland from 31st Aug -3rd September 2017 overlooking Holy Island and will play host to recently announced Friday night headliner The View and The Fratellis who will be taking centre stage on Saturday evening.For those unable to secure tickets to the Somerset showcase, Lindisfarne Festival provides the ideal opportunity to kick-back and enjoy a more intimate, party weekend without fear of being lost in the crowd! A chance to get up close to the music and entertainment, enveloped in a spectacular setting in an area of outstanding natural beauty overlooking Holy Island.With recent funding confirmed from Arts Council England’s ‘Grants for the Arts’ programme and sponsorship from The Alnwick Brewery who will be supporting the event’s main beer tent, organisers will be investing this year in even better on site facilities, music and entertainment to make 2017 the best yet.Paul Stephenson, General Manager of The Alnwick Brewery said;"We are delighted to be associated with what has become a fantastic annual showcase of local and international talent right here in Northumberland. The festival is great for the region, providing an ideal platform for local businesses and musicians. Alongside a range of local ales and beers we will be serving up our famous Lindisfarne Mead and newly launched White Knight rum.”A regular finalist at the UK Festival Awards, the independent Northumberland festival, which prides itself on championing local talent, will also see another strong line up of North East acts including Smoove & Turrell, Dansi, Beth Macari, The Skapones, The Warehouse Announcement, Talk Like Tigers and Hip Hop Hooray. BBC Introducing will also feature prominently at the event, taking over a stage again this year to help put the spotlight on local, unsigned talent.Conleth Maenpaa, Founder of Lindisfarne Festival commented:“We are delighted to have a secured such a strong line- up of entertainment for 2017 -it’s certainly our best yet. Now in its 3rd year, our aim is to grow Lindisfarne Festival into something the region can enjoy for years to come. The UK is home to some truly amazing festivals but we feel very proud to have something special in our own back yard that the North East can call their own.It’s encouraging to see a huge number of returning ticket buyers year on year indicating we must be doing something right. This year we have invested a lot into entertainment, onsite facilities and design and we are grateful for the support from the Arts Council and The Alnwick Brewery in helping us make this happen.”With the festival anticipated to be a sell out, people are being urged to buy their tickets early. June will also be the last month to buy one of the instalment tickets that can be purchased for as little as £29 a month for Saturday tickets and £44.50 a month for weekend tickets.The festival is also offering a range of sponsorship opportunities for local businesses who if interested should contact Danielle Young on [email protected] for details.

Pictures show the newborn osprey chicks. Please click on the image below to download the image.The arrival of a dozen chicks has made 2017 another record breaking year for the Kielder ospreys.Eight years after ospreys returned and began nesting at Kielder Water & Forest Park, the birds continue to be a popular attraction for visitors to Northumberland.2016 saw a record 11 chicks fledge and, with the hatching of 2017’s 12th new arrival, that is hoped to once more be eclipsed in the coming weeks as the 2017 chicks fledge, and take their first flights.The chicks will now begin building their strength for what is always a challenging first year of life that will include solo migration flights, normally to Africa.If visitors aren’t fortunate enough to spot of the birds directly, they can tune into the soap opera in the sky via webcams streamed to the Forestry Commission’s Kielder Castle and Northumbrian Water’s Kielder Waterside.Joanna Dailey, Kielder Osprey expert volunteer, said: “It’s proving to be another rewarding season for all involved with the Kielder ospreys, with another record hatching proving the icing on the cake so far. It’s fantastic to see the species thriving here once more, after an absence spanning more than 200 years. Now, they are here for all to see, thanks to cameras on the nests and the ability to catch a glimpse as the ospreys go hunting for fish to bring back to their families.”Osprey Watch volunteer co-ordinator Katy Smart said: “The Kielder ospreys are once more proving very popular with visitors as interest has grown year on year since the re-colonisation in 2009. Osprey Watch itself has expanded this year, so that visitors can take part in activities every weekend and Monday until the birds migrate in mid to late August.”Wildlife lovers can keep up to date with the story of the Kielder ospreys as it unfolds through the blog at kielderospreys.wordpress.com.ENDSFor further media information, call 0191 3015678.1. Historically ospreys lived in Northumberland, hunting on the once extensive network of marshes. However, records going back more than 200 years fail to mention any ospreys breeding in the county. Ospreys were once distributed widely, but persecution resulted in the species becoming extinct in England as a breeding bird in 1847 and in Scotland in 1916. Some birds re-colonised in Scotland in 1954 and by 2001 there were nearly 160 breeding pairs (today about 200). The same year saw the first successful osprey nests in England for 160 years by re-colonising birds in the Lake District and re-introduced ones at Rutland Water in the East Midlands.2. Osprey Fact File:• Ospreys are migratory and arrive in late March and April and leave again for Iberia or Africa in August and September.• The bird is an Amber List species because of its historical decline (due to illegal killing and egg theft) and low breeding numbers.• Ospreys normally breed for the first time when they are aged between 4-5 years old.• They are largely monogamous and faithful both to nest and mate.• The nest is generally built on the top of a large tree.• Females lay two or three eggs at 1-3 day intervals which are incubated for about 38 - 42 days per egg.• Ospreys divide the nesting duties between the pair. The female does most of the incubating, brooding and direct feeding of the young. She guards them throughout the nesting period and will share the hunting at later stages when the chicks are larger. The male is the major provider of fish for the female and chicks.• Chicks fledge about seven weeks after hatching.3. Kielder Water & Forest Park, which spans 250 square miles, is home to the largest working forest in England and the largest man-made lake in northern Europe. It was awarded the number one tourism experience in England by VisitEngland 2013, and the most tranquil place in England by the Campaign to Protect Rural England. Together with Northumberland National Park, it was granted gold tier Dark Sky Park status in December 2013. For more information see www.visitkielder.com.4. Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust is a registered charity working at Kielder to promote sustainable development, provide recreational facilities, improve knowledge of the natural environment and encourage the arts. The Trust works with the range of communities to benefit from these activities. Members, who have appointed directors/trustees to serve on the board, are Northumbrian Water, Forestry Commission, Calvert Trust Kielder, Kielder Observatory Astronomical Society , Northumberland National Park Authority and Northumberland County Council. Affiliate organisations that are not members but have a close working relationship with KWFPDT include Arts Council England, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Environment Agency, The Scout Association and local decision making bodies such as the parish councils.5. Northumberland Wildlife Trust is the largest environmental charity in the region working to safeguard native wildlife. One of 47 Wildlife Trusts across the UK, Northumberland Wildlife Trust has campaigned for nature conservation for over 40 years. It aims to inform, educate and involve people of all ages and backgrounds in protecting their environment in favour of wildlife and conservation. Supported by over 13,000 individual and 56 corporate members in the Region, Northumberland Wildlife Trust manages and protects critical species and habitats at over 60 nature reserves throughout Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland.6. The Forestry Commission is the government department responsible in England for protecting, expanding and promoting the sustainable management of woods and forests and increasing their value to society and the environment. Forestry makes a real contribution to sustainable development, providing social and environmental benefits arising from planting and managing attractive, as well as productive, woodlands. Further information can be found at www.forestry.gov.uk.

(Photo credit: Conchie & Co)The natural world and new technology are coming together to help people explore Kielder Water & Forest Park and learn about wildlife and habitats.People visiting the Park can now get involved in a brand new geocaching project, taking them on a GPS-led treasure hunt around the area.As part of the Heritage Lottery-funded ‘Living Wild at Kielder’ project, four new wildlife-themed geocaches have been placed around the Park’s ‘Wilder Walk’ route, which links some of the beautiful natural habitats and tranquil spaces between Kielder Castle and Bakethin Nature Reserve.Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game, played using GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS co-ordinates and then attempt to find the geocache container hidden at the location.Once there, they can find out why that location is so special.All of the spots have been selected by members of the Forestry Commission and Environment Agency teams, who chose some of their favourite sites on special locations among the woodlands.Despite the poor phone reception in the area, people can still take part by turning on the ‘location’ function on their device, turning it into a GPS receiver.Two “trackable” creatures, a red squirrel and a salmon, have been placed in the geocaches, with instructions for players on how they can help them achieve their mission of moving around the Park and beyond.‘Living Wild at Kielder’ is a project that 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.It is delivered by Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Northumbrian Water, Forestry Commission and the Environment Agency, with support from Newcastle University and Northumberland National Park Authority.Lynn Turner, Director of the Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust, said: “Geocaching is something brand new for the Trust and a great way to integrate technology with the natural world and really get people of all ages excited about exploring.“We can’t wait to see how people get on, and how they can help our red squirrel ‘trackable’ achieve its mission of visiting all the caches, and aiding the salmon in its migration up and down the Tyne.”To find out more, sign up to geocaching.com and find caches and trackables placed by VisitKielder.