It’s winter in Northumberland. On the coast at Lindisfarne the brent geese are down from Spitsbergen. The bracken lies rusting on the Simonside Hills and everywhere, from Tyne to Tweed, the fires are lit and the scones are baking, ready to welcome any visitor canny enough to know what off-season pleasures await in this emptiest of English counties.

For anyone searching for fresh air and space, Northumberland has both to spare. A long haul from the south it may be, but how rewarding t… (View original article)

The unveiling of a memorial to the founder of the Aberdeen-Angus cattle breed will be one of the highlights of an international event coming to Scotland.

Hugh Watson began farming Aberdeen-Angus cattle in the 19th century near Newtyle, beginning a bloodline that has a reputation for its quality and character.

The Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society, which champions the breed across the UK and Ireland from its base in Perth, has been given planning permission by Angus Council to bu… (View original article)

PUBLISHED: January 28, 2017 07:59 Chirk Castle may host Weeping Window poppies installation
A breath-taking poppy installation commemorating British servicemen who died in the First World War could come to a castle on the Shropshire/Wales border next year if a bid to bring it to the area is successful.

Wrexham County Borough Council and the National Trust have submitted a joint bid for the Weeping Window installation to come to Chirk Castle.

The Weeping Window, alo… (View original article)

First Buckingham Palace, now Windsor Castle: Time-honoured tradition of Changing the Guard is AXED amid fears of a Nice-style terrorist attack
Thames Valley Police have ordered the army to alter the Changing of the Guard ceremonies at Windsor Castle to avoid the busiest times of the weekThe move comes after the terrorist attack in Berlin in December last year The decision has been attacked by local traders who fear they will lose custom By
Mark Nicol Defence Correspondent For The Mail On … (View original article)

If you’ve never been to London — or if it’s been a while since your last visit — now’s the time to go. The dollar is strong, airfare is cheap and, because it’s winter, the city isn’t filled with tourists.

“Airfares are down as a result of lower fuel prices, uncertainty surrounding Brexit and increased competition from a new generation of low-cost carriers across the Atlantic,” said Gary Leff, who writes the popular travel blog View From the Wing. “Combined with a str… (View original article)

THE Eye of York isn’t exactly looking its best on a foggy January morning. But then, even on a glorious summer’s day without a cloud in the sky, it rarely looks its best.

The circle of green grass with a single, solitary tree plonked in the middle is pleasant enough. But it’s hardly inspiring: and the ring of tarmac surrounding it acts as a barrier, making it seem off limits. You rarely see families enjoying a picnic here, or sunbathers stretched out on a tartan rug. “In fact, t… (View original article)

Wrexham Council is hoping it will be third time lucky as it bids again to host a nationally famed artwork commemorating the First World War.

The local authority has joined forces with The National Trust to submit a joint bid for the Weeping Window installation to come to Chirk Castle in 2018.

The Weeping Window, along with another sculpture known as The Wave, is created from thousands of ceramic poppies commemorating the war dead of the First World War.

It … (View original article)

As the bell tolled, the clan gathered, shivering on the stone stairway that leads up to the grand entrance hall of Airlie Castle. The six-year-old bell-ringer and lookout sprinted into position and we lit giant sparklers to create a glittering makeshift archway to welcome my dad to his surprise birthday party — for one night he was to be king of the castle. 

A photographer was poised to capture his reaction as he made out generations of grandchildren, siblings and cousins massed bef… (View original article)