Saturday 31 December 2011

Bring on the North




In the 'bit' between Christmas and New I was lucky enough to stay in one of the Falstone Barns in Northumberland.
Flastone is a small village at the bottom of the Kielder reservoir.

The surrounding countryside is beautiful and offers plenty of walks for every type of person. As it was December when I was there the weather was changeable but there were enough clear spells to make the most of the footpaths and scenery. Kielder reservoir itself is lovely. About a 20 minute drive from Falstone but well worth it. You can take a walk around the waterside and enjoy the evergreen forest which surrounds it.

When you visit that part of the country you have to be aware that not much is around in the way of amenities. But believe me that's not a problem when you find out how many pubs are in the surrounding area. In Falstone the local pub is called the Blackcock Inn. It wasn't open during the day but perked up around 7:30pm. It's a really friendly pub with an open fire and a pool table. You can't ask for much really. I did manage to drink the place out of Whisky Mac but I don't hold a grudge. Literally 2 minutes down the road and round the corner is a pub called The Pheasant which is another traditional country pub. The food is superb, the fire is warm and the locals are friendly.

Breathtaking views, no phone signal, great pubs and great accommodation. Falstone is a winner.



No comments:

Post a Comment