Country diary 1974: adders find their place in the northern sun
19 April 1974: They seem to put in an appearance as the weather turns warmer and you often see them lying on unpaved forest tracks
February 2024
Country diary
Country diary 1974: good prospects for a dedicated beachcomber
8 February 1974: The recent gales have brought ashore a considerable harvest of kelp to Druridge Bay
December 2023
Waterfront wonders: 10 glorious lakeside winter stays around the UK
From romantic hideaways to fun-filled activity centres, a few days by the water is the perfect seasonal tonic
October 2023
‘I slept in ditches and dreamed of marauding raiders’: a wild walk on the Hadrian’s Wall path
The vandalism at Sycamore Gap may have hogged the headlines, but walking the length of the national trail puts these borderlands into thrilling historical context
August 2023
Everything was reduced to wind, water and me: an exhilarating adventure in Northumberland
Our writer heads to north-east England to go coasteering, rockpooling and wing surfing – with dolphins and puffins offering moral support
July 2023
Grace Dent on restaurants
The Kirkstyle Inn, Northumberland: ‘Three courses for £30 in this day and age feels like a misprint’ – restaurant review
The inn is doing a nifty dance, luring in the gastropub crowd without scaring off people who just want cod and chips
May 2023
The wild side of north-east England: the best pubs, walks and hidden beaches
The author of a new guide to Northumberland, the North York Moors and Pennines shares her favourite places to visit and things to do
April 2023
Northumberland village retains title of UK’s best seaside resort for third year
With a big castle and even bigger beach, Bamburgh tops the annual Which? poll, followed by Dartmouth and Portstewart, while old favourites prop up the table
March 2023
Country diary
Country diary 1973: concrete coastal defences of old should be kept
12 March 1973: These remnants of the second world war are a reminder of the days when the nation was on its haunches
February 2023
Country diary
Country diary 1973: minor roads of the Scottish Borders offer rich rewards
16 February 1973: The wide stretches of the Cheviots, the Lammermuirs and the Moorfoots seem more passed through than known
December 2022
The pub walk
A North Sea coast walk to a unique pub: the Marsden Grotto, South Shields
A bracing stroll past curious military relics ends in a pub carved into a cliff
August 2022
The ‘Old Crones’ tackle Northumberland’s 100-mile Saint Oswald’s Way
What would the Romans say? A brilliant new ‘art fort’ brightens up Hadrian’s Wall
May 2022
The pub walk
A coastal walk to a great pub: The Jolly Fisherman, Northumberland
Seafood, North Sea views, a brilliant castle and the waft of smoking kippers permeate this lovely saunter
April 2022
Bamburgh tops list of UK’s best seaside towns
The Northumberland village holds on to its title in a new Which? poll, fending off challenges from Llandudno and St Andrews
March 2022
Aberdeen to Penzance: the spectacular sights of Britain’s longest train journey
The 13-hour train adventure offers epic snapshots of both cities and countryside
December 2021
Car-free coast
Wading birds and wintry walks: a car-free break in Northumberland
Berwick is an atmospheric base for touring nearby fairytale castles, beaches, birds and sea life – by train, boat and bus
October 2021
A great walk to a great pub: The Wallace Arms, Rowfoot, North Pennines
A walk through an area once populated by murderous clans leading to a cosy pub in rural Northumberland
September 2021
The saints go marching on: taking a pilgrim’s trek across north-east England
On a four-day hike from Heavenfield to Durham, our writer takes in the scenery, sunshine and sourdough on one of six new – but ancient – pilgrimage routes
August 2021
Car-free coast
Blyth spirit: a car-free break along the coast of Northumberland
Taking in beaches, castles, historic houses and wildlife, this bus-based trip from Blyth via Ashington is a shore-fire winner
