Each a glimpse...: Langley and Wark Pt 1

From a railway carriage

by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)

Faster than fairies, faster than witches,
Bridges and houses, hedges and ditches;
And charging along like troops in a battle
All through the meadows the horses and cattle;
All of the sights of the hill and the plain
Fly as thick as driving rain;
And ever again, in the wink of an eye;
Painted stations whistle by.
Here is a child who clambers and scrambles,
All by himself and gathering brambles;
Here is a tramp who stands and gazes;
And here is the green for stringing the daisies;
Here is a cart run away in the road
Lumping along with man and load;
And here is a mill, and there is a river;
Each a glimpse and gone forever!

Each a glimpse and gone forever.

The Northeast of England is rich in history. It has a great and justly proud heritage offering beginnings that changed the world. Its lands have been born to many interesting characters who helped chart the course of history and offer a great wealth of passion into this world.
There are many undiscovered corners if you know where to look and of course it has some hallowed turf where many have been known to trod and still do so. Its coastline and islands gives you the opportunity to stand alone on golden sands if you should so wish, and also to be one of many that enjoy the easterly breeze when the need arrises.
Our hills and valleys are some of the finest in Great Britian, wild and unspoilt yet welcoming and warming. The Northeast is fast becoming a valuable resource for fine food and drink, driven by pride, passion and its clean air and fresh waters.
Here is a land and a landscape available to all, yet still harbouring many undiscovered gems. So, what are you waiting for ?

Monday, 8 August 2011

Langley and Wark Pt 1

The last Saturday of July allowed us to take the oportunity to explore a little of the Tyne Valley, part of the North Pennines, an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Tucked away southwest of Hexham is Langley, a sleepy village that once served the Lead mining industry in the Allendale area. Served by a small station built by the North Eastern Railway, the rambling wooden buildings and brick built house are now part of the `Garden Station`, a small cafe and arts centre. The original trackbed is slowly returning to nature but offers a lovely walk along its path through wooded hillsides and cuttings on a slight gradient.
The owners have tried to keep as much of the original character as possible and I feel they have achieved this to some degree.

The waiting room is now the seating area of the cafe with lovely views out onto the platform and the flowerbeds. A true sense of calm exists here with just the distant sound of the odd car to pass by. The station is elevated above the road level and the old rail bridge at the end of the platform has been removed. There is just the arch over the approach road to the station remaining.

The interior of the cafe is decorated in muted colours which serves well the overall feel of the place. Tranquility really.

Outside, the Leaning Shed Museum which as the name suggests has a really bad lean predominately on is southern face. All adds to the charm of the garden really and the museum give a little insight into the mining industry around the village.
The walk along the trackbed takes you under skew arch railway bridges that give access to the various fields either side of the line. Because of the intense wooded cutting sides, the sunlight is dappled most of the time and this allows plants requiring a damp atmosphere to take hold. Many ferns and other wetland plants are in abundance. Tiny frogs are under foot almost everywhere !

There is also a private fishing lake with restricted access protected by an electric fence, but some peaceful views can be obtained through the trees.