Projects

Honesty Shop

July 2024

The Honesty Shop is a simple concept – take what you need, in return for a charitable donation.

We use our honesty shop to raise funds for the North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team, one of two MR teams operating on Hadrian’s Wall. The team do vital work to protect and rescue walkers, climbers and sightseers if they encounter injury, illness or other difficulty while they are out enjoying the natural beauty of our area.

There are plenty of essentials on offer, from spare bootlaces to insect repellant – and of course, our best-selling blister plasters.

We are so grateful to our guests who give so generously – this season so far we have raised £100 for our MR team, and we’re hoping to raise even more before the season is out.

You never know when you might need to call on Mountain Rescue – a fun outdoor situation can easily turn into an emergency with a change of weather or an unfortunate accident. The best way to avoid a call-out is to be prepared; you can find tips on how to best prepare for your adventure at adventuresmart.uk

If you find yourself in need of Mountain Rescue, call 999 or 112, and ask for the Police, then Mountain Rescue. Do not change your position. To use the emergencySMS service: Text 999 and send ‘Police’ + details of incident + location

If you have any questions about the route, the weather, or your kit – please ask us! We are keen walkers and sometime mountaineers, and we know our section of the Hadrian’s Wall Path really well, so we’re likely to know the answer to any queries.

Written by Lydia

Solar Energy

June 23

One of the cornerstones of our project at Bridge House is sustainability. Along with phrases such as ‘net zero’, this is something that is often expressed as much as an aspiration, but what does it actually mean in practice? At Bridge House we see this as an ongoing commitment rather than a one-off action, learning and adapting as we go. 

A good example is the investment we have made in generating a proportion of our electricity using solar power. Just before opening to our first guests, we installed a 5 kW/p array on our two south-facing roofs, using a Hexham-based contractor. The aim was both to reduce our reliance on the grid by harnessing some of the abundant (and free!) Northumberland sunshine*, but also to collect some data to inform future decision-making on how best to reduce our carbon footprint.

In practice, we expect a 5 kW/p system to provide around 40% of our annual electricity usage. In the summer months, this rises to nearer 80%, so long as we make sure we are using discretionary electricity-hungry appliances such as washing machines during the day, when the sun is shining. No sun means no power of course, but we’ve also learned that lots of sun means wasted power, to us anyway, in theory this gets exported back to the grid. As such, an immediate lesson has been that we need to save up for a battery, so any excess power is stored for use in the evening. We’re still in data-gathering mode for now. Another option for example will be to add more panels, probably on the sloping south face of the new facility we’re building this winter.

But it’s not all about optimising efficiency. The app that ‘speaks’ to the inverter in our loft also provides data on how many trees we’ve saved and how much CO2 we’ve saved. It turns out that in the first two months of operation, we’ve saved nearly three quarters of a tree – make of that what you will. Perhaps more tangible will be the trees we intend to plant in our paddock as another part of our ongoing sustainability plans; watch this space for updates.

* Sorry to break it to the sceptics, but since installing our panels, the North East has enjoyed more sunshine than Cornwall.

Written by Nick

Quoits Pitch

Kitchen Garden & Meadow

The No-Dig Experiment Begins… – May 24

Digging can be therapeutic, but it can also be a pain; especially if you have the sort of heavy clay soil we have at Bridge House. As such, anything that reduces the need for digging is to be welcomed. We’re therefore conducting a little experiment this year: two types of ‘no dig’ cultivation, planting exactly the same crops in two different types of bed to see which works best.

The two approaches we’re testing are a straight ‘no dig’ and a permeable membrane, both in one metre by ten metre strips. The straight no dig is essentially a layer of soil and well-rotted manure set on a bed of cardboard, whilst the membrane is just a strip with holes below filled with the same soil/compost mixture and marked with sticks so we know where to plant. Both are designed to retain moisture and suppress weeds, with drainage facilitated by the fact that both are on a slope.

Research suggests crops such as brussels, squash and corn should do well, so that’s where we’ve started. We also planted some rhubarb at the base of each bed, but an early finding has been that these haven’t thrived. One is still alive, but it’s not happy. Other early learning has been the need for protection, both from our own ducks as they patrol the paddock, and from local bird life. Netting and bird scare tape have therefore been deployed. 

So far, we’ve put a limited number of brussels and corn in just to make sure they get established (so far, so good), but there’s no shortage of squash plants raised from seed, so they’ll be the next in.

Watch this space for updates and further learning …

Written by Nick

Making Hay – Aug 23

Previous blogs have lauded the good weather we’ve had since starting here at Bridge House, but perhaps we spoke too soon? Like most of the rest of the country (and unlike the rest of Europe), July has been wet, wet, wet. This has had implications for the management of both our paddock and wildflower meadow.

We are lucky enough to have a local farmer, Tom (we can just see his house from our site) who comes to cut the paddock once a year. The deal is, he cuts it for free and gets the resulting hay. On reaching out to him, he replied that he was just waiting for two consecutive dry days. Weren’t we all? Eventually, in the middle of August, the forecasters promised us two days of sunshine and he duly came out and cut the paddock. As a favour, he also cut the wildflower meadow at the top of the drive. We’d started to do this with a strimmer, and watching his tractor get to work was like watching hours of time being freed up.

His work done, we tidied up with the strimmer and walked away, leaving the grass to dry and for all the precious seeds within to drop. After a couple of weeks we’ll gather the hay up and sow some of the yellow rattle gathered from the paddock (see earlier blog) onto bare earth.

Now, the waiting game begins. What will the meadow look like next year? Not knowing is all part of the fun – we can’t wait (but we’re going to have to!).

Written by Nick

Yellow Rattle Update – July 23

When we wrote our recent Wildflower blog, we thought we’d be harvesting our Yellow Rattle seeds in late July. What we didn’t anticipate at the time of writing – remember, we’re new to the North East and inexperienced when it comes to the weather – was a spectacular hot spell, with temperatures hitting the high 20s Celcius. As a result, the Yellow Rattle has flowered and, in many cases, begun to rattle its seeds.

As a result, we’ve been out a-harvesting. This has involved picking the brown seed heads, notably those which seem on the point of bursting, and collecting them in a large plastic crate. After a little encouragement (tossing them around a bit, crumpling them in our hands), a film of seeds appears. These look a bit like dried tomato seeds: see above.

A process of winnowing follows, after which the seed heads are discarded. The result is a nice handful of seeds for scattering later in the year. These seeds are a bit like gold dust. So far, we’ve collected about 100g worth, less than a small tupperware, but worth at least £25 if bought. Maybe we should go out and collect some more … if only the sun would show its face again …

Written by Nick

Keeping It Wild – June 23

If you’ve read our blog about Marvellous Marvin, you’ll know that when it comes to the lawn here, we’re all about keeping it practical. We’re also very much into protecting and enhancing the natural beauty of the surroundings we’re lucky enough to live amongst. 

A great example of this is the rewilding we’ve embarked upon at the top of our drive. 

It’s said you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and we’re keen that guests and visitors get an immediate idea of what we’re about as soon as they enter the site. Before we took over Bridge House, the area at the top of the front lawn was cut using a push lawnmower. Sitting as it does on a steep bank, this must have been a hard job, and a dangerous one using a gas-guzzling ride-on machine. As such, we decided to allow this area to flourish naturally, using a mix of hard work and serendipity.

The hard work involved raking out much of the moss that covered the bank and sowing native seeds and plants. This was done in November/December, with seed laid on bare soil and trodden in before being watered. A key player here was deemed to be yellow rattle, an annual, but fast-growing plant whose roots suppress grasses close by, allowing the natural seed bank some space to thrive, so we invested in some (expensive!) seeds and plug plants.

Once the grass started to grow around April, an undulating path was cut through the bank, avoiding the sticks placed to mark where seeds and plants had been laid. The plan was to allow people to wander amongst the flowers rather than just admire them from afar. By May, the first flowers began to emerge, mostly buttercups and dandelions, but also the delicate pink of the cuckoo flower or lady’s smock, all much appreciated by the local insect and bird life. By June, the bank was glorious, an impressive display ranging from yellow and white oxeye daisies through to little gems such as purple marsh orchids, red clover and the yellow of bird’s foot trefoil, as well as the delicate violets of Heal All and Common Vetch, to name but a few.

This array of colour has been matched in the neighbouring paddock, but the bank seems to have been particularly blessed. Is this because of the seeds we sowed, or were all these plants sitting formant in the lawn all the time? We don’t know and in a sense we don’t care, we’re too busy enjoying it. We’re still learning. The yellow rattle doesn’t seem to have thrived, but is more established in the paddock. As such, we plan to harvest this in late July for sowing later in the year. How do you know when to harvest? When it rattles of course! 

We’re now waiting to see what else pops up before the inevitable once a year cut towards the end of the summer. Meanwhile, our meadow remains very much a work in progress, each year will be different and that’s half the fun!

Written By Nick

Polytunnel – May 23

One of the many differences we’ve found since moving to the North East is the change in climate. Longer days during the summer (it was still light at nearly 11 during the solstice), but shorter ones in the winter – although these do bring more opportunities to enjoy our dark skies. Friends and family based in the south of England also teased that we’d freeze up here although, so far at least, the laugh has been on us, as our first winter was milder than theirs and we’ve enjoyed a glorious Spring. Maybe it’s global warming? Who knows?

One other thing to take into consideration is the shorter growing season we get here, and seeing as our kitchen garden is a key part of our sustainability goals, this required action. On the surface, the solution seemed simple: a greenhouse. Or, as it turned out, not so simple.

On approaching local greenhouse suppliers, we were told that they only supplied toughened glass, rather than the thinner horticultural variety we were more used to. It seemed that around these parts the wind can frequently blow ‘a hoolie’, which didn’t sound good. By January, we could confirm this. The strong preference then was for a polytunnel, especially on the relatively exposed site we’d selected on the paddock. Even then pegging it down with a net in the winter was recommended. Okay, it was plastic, but rather that than broken glass all over the paddock, and hopefully it would last a fair while.

Next up was the issue of planning. The paddock is on the half of our site which lies within the border of Northumberland National Park; it’s also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Buffer Zone, something which is as complicated as it sounds. We decided to include the proposed polytunnel in a wider application to the National Park Authority which was required for alterations to the Field Shelter.

Permission granted, we duly bought our polytunnel and awaited delivery. It arrived in a number of unmarked boxes and only minimal, illustrations-only, instructions. Our final, and greatest, challenge remained: erecting it. By the end of a boiling hot May Bank Holiday (yep, definitely global warming), Nick, Lydia and Ed had managed to negotiate their way to a near complete structure – the doors continued to flummox us, so despite Annette putting in regular shifts in supplying us with drinks during the day, we retired to the pub.

Working with fresh eyes and energy, we finished it off a week later. Six by three meters, and complete with a soakaway perimeter, dug beds and a path down the middle of recycled tree chippings over gravel, the polytunnel is now up and running. We’re experimenting with tomatoes, peppers, chillis, aubergines, squash and cucamelons (as well as companion planting of radishes, basil and spring onions) in the first year, and so far they all seem to be thriving. Well who wouldn’t, given their very own micro-climate?

Written by Nick

Marvellous Marvin – April 23

Welcome to the newest member of the Bridge House team: Marvin the Mower. 

In recent weeks, guests enjoying a breakfast in our Green Room overlooking the garden have been intrigued by the sight of a strange black and orange machine moving up and down the lawn, following a seemingly random pattern. This is Marvin, our new robot mower, and he’s doing sterling work saving us time whilst keeping the lawn nicely trimmed. 

Here at Bridge House we’re not really into neat stripes and putting green perfection (impossible given the slope we have here anyway). Marvin’s role is to keep the grass under control, rather than us using effort and petrol on sporadic cuts with a lawnmower. In the three weeks he’s been with us, Marvin has been out for 186 hours, with 96% of that time spent actually cutting. The rest of the time is spent searching, with a wire dug in around the lawn to guide him. During that time, he’s covered an amazing 415km, travelling at an average of just over 2km/hr, so early bird guests do have to watch their feet.

A Husqvarna 450X, Marvin emerges from his home at six in the morning and cuts the grass until his batteries start to run down (around four hours), before returning to charge up, using power generated from our solar panels. If he feels there’s more work to be done, he’ll go out again, but we like to leave it up to his discretion. All we know is we’re delighted with the results so far, and as for that saved time – well, the kitchen garden always needs some attention …

Written by Nick

The Green Room

The Library

It’s been a desire of mine for some time, to curate a special library; to bring together a collection of books on a set of themes relating to Bridge House, its location, its people and its surroundings. I suppose the aim is to inform and inspire our visitors, and to enrich or enhance their experience of staying here in some way. It’s quite a grand statement, and really our guests will be the judge of that – but I so far I’ve collected and contributed a good 100 or so books which can loosely be divided into the following categories:

• Roman history (with a focus on Romans in Britain and the Wall)
• Northumberland history and folklore
• Nature (including landscape, wildlife, geology and weather)
• Walking, hiking and mountaineering
• Poetry and Art (with a focus on landscape and nature)

I’m always trawling second-hand bookshops for new titles – interested in slightly unusual publications, and especially books that manage to span two or more of the above categories, such as ‘Birds as Builders’ by Peter Goodfellow, which allows insight into the sculptural skills of our feathered friends. Or Weird Walk, a periodical journal of British folklore, photography and history, framed through the lens of travel on foot. Or ‘Northumberland’s Prehistoric Rock Carvings’ by Stan Beckensall – a meticulously illustrated document of some of the most important rock art in the country.

It’s these connections between themes that really excite me – for me it’s a way of starting to understand the enmeshed nature of our experiences and existence; seeing the overlap and layering that happens across time and place, helping us feel a little more connected.

A bird flies through the sky at 5:03am in 2023
over a quarry that ceased operations in 1952
the quarry interrupts a Roman structure which was completed in 122AD
itself built on rocks which have been here for more than 295,000,000 years

Written by Lydia

The Design Journey

Right from the beginning, we knew we wanted to create a different kind of space for our guests; one for socialising, reading, chatting and chilling out. No TVs, no distractions – just the landscape, a good book, a game or two, and each other.

This strange but intriguing high-ceilinged, panelled, six-sided room seemed a good place to start with this vision – surrounded by a panoramic vista, we wondered about a name for such a space. We eventually settled on The Green Room, to reflect the enveloping foliage and landscape beyond, with an echo of something social and artistic. We set about redecorating what we later found out was originally intended to be a swimming pool, according to planning records… not sure how that would have worked but we’re glad it never got built!

The walls obviously had to be green – and from there, Annette and Lydia worked together on a design vision which incorporated 100% second-hand or repurposed furniture, and decorative textiles of which only the curtains were bought new. We (especially me) are very VERY big fans of shopping second-hand – if I must buy something, I have to try and do it sustainably where I can. Aiming to bring the outside in, the overall look is cool but cosy – we love it, and our guests do too.

Written by Lydia

Ducks

New Girls on the Block – Jul 23

This month we welcomed two new arrivals to the brood – a complete surprise for me, coming back from a week teaching in London, to the population of Poultry Towers having doubled in size thanks to Ed sourcing these two pretty girls from a smallholding just outside Newcastle.

We initially planned to continue the ‘D’ theme when choosing names, but within a few hours of trialling Debbie and Daphne, it quickly became confusing, and we felt the names just didn’t suit the characters.

We had been referring to our white girl as ‘Apricot’ due to her lovely bill and foot colouring. It stuck.

The oddball of the group is our dark brown girl; one day, Ed whipped the name Lisa out of thin air and it just seemed right.

Initially a little unsure of their new surroundings, Dotty and Deedee quickly took them under their wings(!) and showed them the ropes. They’re now feeling right at home, with Apricot, despite being the smallest, having the biggest attitude!

Written by Lydia

First Egg – April 23

We’re celebrating today (Easter Monday) because one of the girls (not sure whether it was Dotty or Deedee) laid their first egg 😍 I 100% shouted with joy – we had suspected they were getting ready to lay as we noticed a distinct change in their behaviour in recent days – lots more quacking and head-bobbing! So proud of the gals!!

Written by Lydia

Here Come The Girls – Feb 23

Meet Dotty and Deedee, Indian runner ducks who joined us this month and have already stolen our hearts.

We’ve never kept ducks before (or any birds for that matter), so we chose runners as they’re great first birds for lots of reasons:

– naturally flightless
– don’t need a big pond to swim – just a small pool for bathing
– regular egg layers – they’ve not started laying yet as they are getting used to their surroundings and it’s still winter, but eventually they should lay an egg each every day
– aborable and hilarious

The Field Shelter is positioned at the top of a sloping paddock – with the girls in their enclosure (Poultry Towers) a few metres downhill. We quickly identified that one way the two sites could function symbiotically to allow a degree of self-sufficiency was through harvesting and reusing rainwater; water butts collect rainwater off the roof of the Field Shelter, and a hose brings that water down to Poultry Towers using the power of gravity. This means we can refresh drinking and washing water for the girls without having to carry mains water up from the house. There’s another hose which is used to drain their small pond when the water gets too dirty – that water can then be used for watering raised beds at the bottom of the paddock.

It’s a work in progress and we will share more about this soon!

Thanks to Ed for his tireless work bringing Poultry Towers and our DIY water system to life!

I also helped.

Written by Lydia

Launch Event – Open Studio April 2024

From 18th-21st April I was thrilled to present an open studio event in my new creative workspace, the Field Shelter. Over four days, I was open 10-4 to welcome visitors from near and far to sneak a peek inside my studio, and see a display of my works.

On Friday night we had a wonderful evening with the studio full of people, drinks, and homemade sausage rolls! I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who visited – both local friends, and those who I met for the first time. Your conversations, love and support helped make this a success, and set the Field Shelter off to a flying start. Thank you also to the Twice Brewed Brewing Co. for sponsoring the opening with some excellent beers.

So, what’s next? Well, I’m looking forward to researching and producing new works in the space. I’m also happy to be collaborating with some other local creatives and organisers to produce art activities over the summer and beyond – keep a lookout for more info about these. I’ll also be opening the studio on some further dates throughout the summer.

Written by Lydia

Launch Event – Open Studio April 2024

Lots has been done in the last year to transform the Field Shelter from an almost-falling-down thing to a useable-studio thing.

• The Studio will be open 10-4 Thursday 18th – Sunday 21st April
• There will be a late opening on Friday 19th until 8pm with some beer kindly sponsored by the Twice Brewed Brewing Co., some homemade food and a bonfire if the weather allows
• Anyone can drop-in for a free collage & paper weaving workshop 12-4pm on Saturday, all ages welcome!

More information can be found here

follow @field_shelter on instagram

Written by Lydia

The Field Shelter is our hilltop artists’ studio – currently in the final stages of conversion from a dilapidated pony stable, it will be used by Lydia as a permanent workspace for her artistic practice. In addition, we hope for it to function as a shared and permeable space for artists and others alike to explore creativity in the landscape.

More on this soon – for now, you can see more and follow @field_shelter on instagram or visit Lydia’s website here

Written by Lydia

The Lodge

When we bought the property, it came with planning permission approved to convert the huge 4-car garage into separate holiday accommodation. Originally touted as a self-catering ‘chalet’, we saw an opportunity to create a much more flexible space, able to cater to different types of guest at different times of year.

As such, plans have shifted somewhat, and in September building work will start to transform this rather tired and wobbly building into a welcoming space that guests can enjoy all year round.

Stay tuned for updates!

Drystone Walls

The paddock is bordered by walls of various ages, and some of the oldest/most poorly maintained line the top edge between the Field Shelter and the road. These walls are built to the local style, and are seen absolutely everywhere in these upland areas where hedging just doesn’t grow well and is therefore not appropriate as a field border.

For those who don’t know, drystone walling is the ancient traditional craft of building stone walls without the use of mortar, and is still practiced with much skill by specialists to this day. Myself and Ed have some extremely basic training in it, so were able to repair this bit of wall to a somewhat decent standard. It was a challenge as the ground levels are different at the front and back. It’s nothing pretty but it will stay up. Hopefully.

Written by Lydia

How The Hut Got Its Name

Work on our two new shepherd’s huts is nearly complete. Named Mercury and Mithras, they’ll be available to book from August and we look forward to welcoming guests to our newest accommodation. They look great, but something people are already asking us is why are they called shepherd’s huts?

Traditional farming practices meant keeping sheep on the move, fencing them in with temporary hazel hurdles, their ‘deposits’ manuring the land. As such, shepherds had to move around with them, and some kind of basic wheeled accommodation capable of being hauled from field to field became useful in order to be on hand, essential even during the cold lambing season. The first huts were basically a shelter, often made from wood or woven willow and covered with tar or pitch for weatherproofing, placed on whatever wheels were to hand. Indeed, the earliest reference to a hut dates back to 1596 and referred to a ‘cabbin on wheels for to move here and there’. 

The most famous shepherd’s hut is probably that of Gabriel Oak in Thomas Hardy’s Far From The Madding Crowd, and it’s this image that is probably the most abiding one, with corrugated iron cladding on the outside and a chimney poking out the roof. Inside there’d be a pot belly stove for cooking and comfort, as well as somewhere to protect orphaned lambs. A camp roll would offer somewhere for the shepherd to lay his head and there might be a space for basic veterinary medicines.

By the eighteenth century local blacksmiths were constructing the frames, with larger manufacturers getting in on the act as time went on. However, by the mid twentieth century farming practice had moved towards large barns near the farmhouse and shepherd’s huts were shunted into the corner of a field and abandoned or used for storage. The hut survived in other forms, forming the basis of travelling showmen’s living vans, although these evolved into much fancier and robust forms as they had to be moved longer distances and be lived in permanently, but the days of shepherds huddled inside their hut with a poorly lamb were over.

In recent years, the design has been adopted for those wishing to enjoy the pleasures of waking up amongst nature. At Bridge House, we’re delighted to offer just that. What’s more, given our location you may even wake up to the gentle sound of bleating sheep, and if you’re really lucky some baaing lambs.

Written by Nick