It has been six months since Bruno, and I came to live in Rothbury in Northumberland, and we are so lucky to have so many varied walks on our doorstep.
There are wild and windswept walks up on the moors, shady green strolls in the woodlands and gentle ambles along the banks of the River Coquet as it tumbles its way towards the coast. We are also fortunate to be within walking distance of the Cragside estate which is owned and managed by the National Trust.
Cragside is an amazing property which was built by Lord William and Lady Mary Armstrong in Victorian times on uplands which were once clothed in heather and bilberry.
Today the magnificent hunting lodge sits astride crags boasting far reaching views towards Rothbury and the Simonside Hills and is surrounded by a thousand acres of land which has been painstakingly planted with trees and shrubs from around the world – Cragside is particularly noted for its rhododendrons which colour the estate in vibrant coloured blossom in the middle of summer.
Of course, much of this goes above our canine heads as we are generally only concerned in what we can ‘see with our noses’. We are much more interested in all of the walks that the estate offers us – of which there are seven. The walks are of different lengths and strenuosities, and they each reveal a different side of Cragside -
Since moving to Rothbury, Bruno and I have enjoyed exploring every walk, and, as the seasons continue to change, we get a completely new experience each and every time that we visit.
Comments