Last week saw the completion of the second year of the “Employability Scheme” at South Tynedale Railway, Alston after a successful pilot in 2015.Six pupils from Samuel Kings School, Alston, were chosen from ten applicants to spend a week at the railway. They worked across three strands of the organisation, being assessed against competencies; Operating, Engineering and Business.The students enjoyed gaining experience in the shop, café, guards’ van, signal box and on the footplate – no doubt some parents would have enjoyed the same!Their Certificate of Employability, which is to be presented by the General Manager, can be used as part of their portfolio when applying for employment. The scheme helps to fulfill the aims of South Tynedale Railway’s Youth Development Scheme* and, hopefully, offers an opportunity for participants to return to the railway as volunteers.Here’s a snapshot of their busy week from David Baker, 14, who lives in Nenthead:When I came here on Monday we were getting shown around and got talked through the safety procedures and what narrow gauge and standard gauge is all about …On Tuesday we were taken over to the shop, the café, the offices, the trains, the workshops, the signal box …On Wednesday we had to do the PTS exam in the morning… then we went to the Discovery Centre and learnt about levers and steam trains and internal combustion engines. Martin used a model to show how it all works.Then we went to the loco shed and hauled out Barber … we all had boiler suits on and we cleaned out the fire box so the loco was ready to use. You can’t do it the same day it’s used, because it’s far too hot. While we were there some rails were delivered and a new coach arrived…We did some marketing with Kim in the afternoon, walking around and looking at areas such as picnic areas and shop and working out how to market them. Then later we did a booklet lay out, and put a post about the café on FB. This afternoon I’m in the signal box with Paul learning how that works.Tomorrow we’ll be going to Slaggyford … and we’ll get shown what’s happening there by Heather …General Manager Heather Palmer said: “The employability scheme is designed around the STEM curriculum and we hope that some of the young people involved will be engaged by what we have here and, in addition to gaining valuable insight into a modern workplace, will join our youth group. This in turn will help feed our apprenticeships and seasonal jobs as well as our management team for the future.”STR Youth Development Scheme has four specific aims:•To offer to young people learning enrichment and personal development, adding value to their schooling, particularly with regard to their future employability and role as citizens.•To develop and promote skills and interests in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (“STEM”) in the future workforce.•To generate understanding of the STR’s role in tourism and leisure and local history and culture, creating an interest in varied types of volunteer work by a younger generation.•To increase public understanding of rail transport, with particular reference to environmental sustainability and energy efficiency in transport.

Now in its 6th year, the Battlesteads Beer Festival returns to Wark from Thursday 21 to Sunday 24 July, celebrating the best beers, ales, lagers and ciders from across the country.One of the highlights of the calendar for beer-lovers in the North East, the four-day festival will feature over 20 beers, ciders and foreign lagers to sample along with a speciality gin bar that’s new for 2016.There will be a range of favourite local ales returning to the pump, alongside a selection of speciality beers handpicked by the expert bar team at Battlesteads to satisfy the thirst of anyone looking to try something new.The festival will feature live music and entertainment, with The Stax Brothers headlining on Friday 22 and The Mudskippers and Alive and Kicking playing on Saturday 23.Recently named the Best Pub in the North East at the National Pub & Bar Awards, Battlesteads is as famous for its welcoming hospitality as its selection of local and national beers, ciders and wines.General manager of Battlesteads Katie Meyrick said: “The annual beer festival has become the most popular event of the year for us, attracting hundreds of people across the four days to try the wide selection of beers, ciders and lagers on offer. We are continually improving the event and in light of the surge in popularity of gin in recent years we are introducing the new gin bar, with a selection of 8 fabulous gins for visitors who want to try something different. The festival is a great celebration with a brilliant atmosphere, raising money for a worthy charity – what more could you ask for.”Admission to the festival on Thursday 21 is free from 6pm until 11pm. Tickets for Friday and Saturday, 12 noon until 11pm, are £4 per person including a commemorative glass or £3 for CAMRA members and entry on Sunday is free from 12pm until the beer runs out. All profits from the festival go to local charity The Great North Air Ambulance Service.For more information about Battlesteads and to book tickets, visit www.battlesteads.com

Open air performance of Sherlock Holmes & the Hound of the Baskervilles to take place in the grounds of luxury Northumbrian HallIt has just been announced today that Doxford Hall Hotel, part of the Robert Parker Collection of hotels, will welcome back the Chapterhouse Theatre Company for the second summer running. This year’s open air performance of Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles is to take place in the walled garden on 14th July.Back by popular demand, last year the Chapterhouse Theatre Company performed Shakespeare’s A Mid Summer Night’s Dream to a packed audience at the renowned country house hotel. The Company have been delighting audiences since 1999 with their inventive open air shows around the UK and Ireland.Mark Booth, General Manager of Doxford Hall, commenting on their return said: “Last year was such a huge success, and enjoyed by all who attended, so we are delighted to welcome back the Chapterhouse Theatre Company. I think the beautiful grounds of the hotel will be the perfect setting for Arthur Conan Doyle’s brooding mystery and I for one am looking forward to the performance.”Bring a picnic and your best detective skills for an unforgettable evening of mystery, suspense and theatre under the stars. The performance will begin at 5.30pm, and anyone interested in purchasing tickets should contact Doxford Hall on 01665 589 700.Doxford Hall, located less than 10 miles North of Alnwick, is one of the more recent additions to the hotel sector in Northumberland and has received much acclaim in the six years since it opened. With ample parking and wonderful grounds Doxford is the natural location for such an exciting event.Tickets, which can be booked online at Chapterhouse’s website, or via the Hotel are Adults £14; Children £10; and a Family of 2 adults and 2 children £42.Go to http://www.chapterhouse.org/news.html, or ring Doxford Hall on 01665 589 700.Chapterhouse Theatre is based in Lincoln, and was formed as a vehicle for touring Open-air productions of Shakespeare, under its director Richard Main, who is a Jaz Musician as well as an actor-director. As the Sage says: “What Chapterhouse does is theatre at the coalface, carried by the power of acting, cheeky engagement with the audience and a refreshing absence of anything technical, and they do it with distinction.”

Tourism bosses have launched the 2016 North East England Tourism Awards, calling on businesses across the region to enter and celebrate their achievements and success.This year sees three new categories; ‘Guided Tour of the Year’, ‘Self Catering Property of the Year’ and a new ‘Dog Friendly Business’ category which is included to celebrate tourism businesses which go the extra mile to ensure that both visitors and their pooches have an unforgettable experience.Sarah Stewart, chief executive at NewcastleGateshead Initiative, said: “The past year has been both busy and exciting for the tourism sector. A year packed with sporting highlights in the North East has included Rugby World Cup 2015, Magic Weekend (in 2015 and 2016), the Westfield Health British Transplant Games, the Tour of Britain and the annual Great North Run – all attracting day and overnight visitors to the North East.“The tourism sector is an important part of the local economy, supporting over 55,000 jobs. The awards provide a great platform to celebrate the success of tourism businesses across the region whilst reinforcing the importance of the industry in the North East.“I would like to encourage all visitor economy businesses, from hotels and pubs to attractions and eateries, to consider entering this year’s awards – applications are now open.”The North East England Tourism Awards, which are free to enter, are organised and delivered by destination marketing agency NewcastleGateshead Initiative in partnership with the Northern Tourism Alliance and local authorities across the region. Entries close at 4pm on Friday 9 September and the awards ceremony will take place on Tuesday 22 November 2016 at Newcastle Civic Centre.Northumbrian Water has announced they will be supporting the awards for the fourth consecutive year, joined by Gateshead College as headlines sponsors for 2016.David Hall, head of leisure, strategy and transformation at Northumbrian Water, said: “We are delighted to yet again be supporting the awards and are proud to aid in shining a light on and celebrating the success of the hard working tourism industry. The new ‘Dog Friendly Business’ category comes as exciting news as we are currently redeveloping our dog friendly offering at our very own Leaplish Waterside Park.”Judith Doyle, principal and chief executive at Gateshead College, said: “The North East Tourism Awards is a fantastic celebration of all the amazing experiences that our region has to offer and they would not be able to do so if they did not have talented, enthusiastic employees. At Gateshead College we are working with many of our local tourism businesses to ensure they have the skilled workforce they need to thrive and ultimately boost economic growth for the North East. We are delighted to support the awards especially because it will also create opportunities for our students to gain some inspirational work experience and inspire them to pursue their future careers here in the region.”Winners at the North East England Tourism Awards 2016 will have the chance to compete nationally at VisitEngland’s Excellence Awards. Earlier this year, six North East businesses went on to see success nationally following the 2015 Awards – they were Rockliffe Hall (Large Hotel of the Year - gold), St Cuthbert’s House (Sustainable Tourism Award – bronze and Bed & Breakfast / Guest Accommodation of the Year – highly commended), Beamish, The Living Museum of the North (Large Visitor Attraction of the Year – bronze), Martineau Guest House (Taste of England Award – highly commended), Seaham Hall (Business Tourism Award – highly commended), Magna Carta & the changing Face of Revolt, Durham University (Tourism Event of the Year - highly commended).More information on the North East England Tourism Awards can be found at www.NorthEastTourismAwards.com, where applications are available to download.The Northern Tourism Alliance is a collaboration of the region’s tourism bodies who work together on projects that will benefit the tourism industry across the region. The founding members of the alliance are NewcastleGateshead Initiative, Northumberland Tourism, Visit County Durham, and The North East Hotels Association. The North East England Tourism Awards are also supported by Northumberland County Council, South Tyneside Council, North Tyneside Council and Sunderland City Council.

The Kielder Ospreys have made 2016 a record-breaking year with a healthy hatching of nine chicks – the most ever recorded since ospreys re-colonised in Northumberland seven years ago.The latest arrival on Kielder’s Nest 2 has completed the “new brood”, topping the area’s previous record fledging of eight in 2014. This includes four healthy chicks on Kielder’s Nest 1A, one of only two public nests in the UK to have hatched so many eggs this year.Joanna Dailey, Kielder Osprey expert volunteer, said: “It has been so exciting to watch the nests and see these eggs hatch, and the public visiting the web cams have been equally enthralled.“To have four chicks on one nest is very rare, a one in a hundred occurrence, so that’s particularly great to see.”There are now four chicks on Nest 1A, three on Nest 2 and two on Nest 3.Joanna said: “To have a record number of healthy chicks at Kielder is very rewarding for all involved. Ospreys re-colonised in Northumberland in 2009, following an absence from the region spanning more than 200 years, and we are seeing the species flourish here once again. The work the Forestry Commission Wildlife Rangers put into establishing these platforms is now so rewarding for everyone involved.”Wildlife lovers can keep up to date with all the stories as they unfold through the Kielder osprey blog at kielderospreys.wordpress.com

The Old Boat House in Amble has won the prestigious title of Coastal Fish Restaurant of the Year in the 2016 Fishing News Awards. The awards, held in Aberdeen last Thursday, celebrate excellence across all areas of the fishing industry. The Old Boat House Food Group, who also operate Blyth Boathouse restaurant and the newly opened Fish Shack at the Sea Quest in Amble hope the recognition from the awards helps encourage more people to visit the Northumberland region and to enjoy its produce. Owner Martin Charlton said, “We’re incredibly proud of the award win and to see our hard work recognised. The proud people of Northumberland and the North East really got behind us on this and we’re overwhelmed and humbled by the support. It’s really showed off what this region and our county has to offer.” The Old Boat House is committed using sustainable local produce and boast a fish licence that allows them to buy fresh catches straight from Amble’s fishing boats. The award’s host, TV Chef Simon Rimmer said, “The Old Boat House puts a lot of emphasis on creating sumptuous meals from a variety of whichever fantastic fish are available on the day. Their philosophy behind serving seafood is something restaurants up and down the country would do well to take note of.”

Our inaugural Picnic Games has been a huge success, with our iconic steam locomotive Barber inspiring fans both young and old to pay us a visit and bask in the warm weather that we ordered especially for the weekend. Our fabulous live music gave life to the platform, with brilliant local musicians playing for us over the weekend. Many visitors spent their whole day with us, nourishing both their body with extensive offerings from our Buffer Stop Café; and their soul, playing croquet in the marquee, and pitting their wits in a game of giant dominoes, noughts and crosses, and skittles. After a beautiful scenic train ride, taking in all of the glory that the South Tyne Valley countryside has to offer, and an enthusiastic exploration round our station on our treasure hunt, parents and grandparents were able to sit and relax with a well-deserved beverage, while the little (and some big) ones enjoyed our craft retreat. Our Picnic Games quiz added a sense of Mastermind to the event, with 'games' being a loose specialist subject, and inspiring some friendly debate on the answers. Our Discovery Centre was a cool haven from the bustle of the platform, with informative displays on the commemoration of the closure of the line, and the permanent display of the 'rise, fall, and rise again' of the railway. We hope we have inspired some lawn game athletes of the future, and look forward to welcoming visitors for our 2017 Picnic Games.

As Northumberland National Park celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, local businessman and outdoor enthusiast David Wilson, is taking on the epic challenge of walking the entire length of the Park, non-stop, to celebrate!Setting off at the crack of dawn this Friday 27 May, the 70 mile route will take him from the most northerly tip of the Park at Kilham, across the Cheviots, down the Pennine Way and eventually join Hadrian’s Wall to finish at Walltown. The route covers stunning areas including Yeavering Bell and Newton Tors along with practical areas that allow him to access food, water and other supplies.David, from Cramlington, is a Park volunteer when he’s not busy running his own financial advice company in Newcastle. He aims to use the challenge to encourage more people to enjoy the great outdoors by showcasing some of the most beautiful, remote and uninhabited countryside in England.“After living in the county all my life I still find hidden treasures in the Park and places I’ve never seen or heard of before. I hope that through my ‘Walk in the Park’ challenge I can show people that Northumberland National Park is on their doorstep and encourage them to go out and explore their own little piece of it.“Northumberland is a wonderful place, steeped in history and culture and I want to use the walk to showcase it from my perspective. I’m 37, running my own business while juggling family life with two young children and I hope this challenge will demonstrate that we can all find a bit of adventure and see and do amazing things right here without the need to travel for miles outside the area,” explains David.The trek is expected to take him 28-hours and the final route was created with the help of Northumberland National Park’s GIS Officer Ed Hudspeth using new Ordinance Survey (OS) data called the Detailed Path Network (DPN). The DPN will feed into an OS tracking map embedded on the Northumberland National Park website so people can follow David’s progress during the challenge in real-time.David has already clocked up a long list of achievements, including running the Great North Run twice in one day, walking the entire length of Hadrian’s Wall non-stop and volunteering to use the Google Trekker in the National Park last year to capture imagery for Google’s Street View service. David was responsible for catching one of the most iconic shots in the National Park; Sycamore Gap on Hadrian’s Wall.“I did the Hadrian’s Wall Challenge back in 2012 and felt the need to try something new ever since. The fact it’s the Park’s 60th anniversary this year presented the perfect opportunity. I’m a huge supporter of the National Park movement and having a young family I feel it’s very important to highlight the work they do to to make sure they are conserved and enhanced for generations to enjoy,” said David.Tony Gates, Chief Executive at Northumberland National Park, which was recently declared National Park of the Year in a public vote, said: “David is a wonderful ambassador for the Park. He’s worked with us on a number of occasions. It is fantastic that his experience and passion for the landscape has inspired him to show people how much there is to explore and do in and around Northumberland. He’s about to put himself through an enormous physical challenge and we all wish him every success in his endeavour.”David will be setting off on his non-stop trek from the north of the Park at 7am on Friday 27 May and is hoping to arrive at the Walltown site at the southern-most tip of the Park at 10am on Saturday 28 May. You can follow David and track his latest position on the Northumberland National Park website at: www.northnorthumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/walkinthepark .The team at the Park will also be sharing photos and links to the each of the areas David passes through and running a number of giveaways on Facebook and Twitter. You can follow on Twitter @NlandNP using the hashtag #WalkinthePark and on Facebook at Northumberland National Park.

Over the bank holiday weekend South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society commemorated 40 years since the closure by British Rail of the Haltwhistle to Alston branch line. As on the 1st May 1976, the weather was inclement but the staff and volunteers were delighted to see so many people brave the wind and rain to join in. Bishop Auckland District Pipe and Drum Band in full regalia, played throughout the day heralding each train as it arrived at and left Alston station. Barber, the steam loco, was decorated with a beautiful floral wreath to pay tribute to that final journey. The wreath scattered a few flowers along the track which added to the reflective note of the occasion South Tynedale Railway volunteers on the platform shared reminiscences with visitors, some of whom had been present back in ’76 to make that final journey and who remembered both the closure of the line and the birth of the Society which was created to reestablish contact with the Haltwhistle main line. As well as travelling along the first part of the line visitors were able to view the exhibition and videos about the old line in the Discovery Centre. The South Tynedale Railway “Futures Coach” rolled into the platform each time the passenger train departed to inform visitors about the future development of the railway enabled by the Heritage Lottery Fund Project. The information included plans and detailed what will be happening in the next twelve months when the Society opens at Slaggyford in April 2017. Quote from Heather Palmer, General Manager: "This was a very special weekend for the Society as it is our final year with Alston as our only station of the original five that closed in 1976. Easter 2017 will see us opening Slaggyford, the second station down the old Haltwhistle to Alston branch line. To have so many memories from people who were present at the closure was extremely moving and we are most grateful for their input to this event."

The North Northumberland Tourism Association (NNTA) has released a series of short films celebrating the beauty of the wildlife and landscapes of north Northumberland.Three short films have been produced, showing Spring & Summer, Autumn, and Winter in the wild and unspoilt landscapes of the ‘Secret Kingdom’, and a flagship version of the films amalgamates them into a 7-minute showcase.NNTA Chair Jeff Sutheran said: “We set out to create something visually stunning, to illustrate the unique and beautiful landscapes and wildlife of our area. Filming across a whole year, looking for specific events such as migrations and breeding seasons, has been an exacting and demanding process. But now we’re absolutely thrilled with the resulting films, and from those who have seen the final versions there has been one common response – ‘Wow!’”The films have been produced by local film-maker Cain Scrimgeour, and the project was supported with funds from the Northumberland National Park Authority and the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership, as well as monies from the Tourism Association itself.County Councillor John Woodman, Chair of the AONB Partnership said: “We want to attract visitors who come specifically to enjoy and appreciate the natural beauty of this area, and these gorgeous films illustrate that beauty more clearly than any words ever could. Importantly, they show the beauty of our surroundings at times outside the main holiday seasons, which are times we particularly want to encourage visitors, so we can spread the economic benefit throughout the year. The imagery is just stunning, and I’m sure they will be very powerful in attracting and informing visitors.”NNTA member Ian Kille added: “The way that we all research our holidays and short breaks has changed beyond all recognition in recent years, and we now expect to be able to see first-hand what we will experience, when planning a visit. Online video is very important in reaching visitors, and I’m so pleased that our Association has been able to steer this project to such a satisfying conclusion. These films will undoubtedly be good for businesses in North Northumberland.”The Association is keen for the films to be shared and promoted widely. “We know that social media is one of the best ways to enthuse people about our area, and so we’re really hoping that local residents and businesses alike will want to celebrate the gorgeous area we’re privileged to live in, by sharing these films in their social media streams” said Jeff Sutheran.The full version of the film is 7 minutes long, and can be viewed online: bit.ly/northumberlandseasons

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.