We are all set for our Christmas guests in the Bastle and the Joiners Shop who arrive tomorrow. Both buildings are looking lovely in completely different ways and the real trees are up, the decorations are in place, the underfloor heating is ticking away gently and everything is warm and cosy. The Christmas day service […]
Summer is now on its way in Beltingham, Northumberland and the Joiner’s Shop is proving to be quite a little sun trap outside the kitchen door. The laurel hedge we planted last year is thickening out nicely to provide a private seating area, the BBQ is ready […]
The festive season is over now and the Bastle decorations are down….our lovely guests for Christmas and again for New Year enjoyed the cosy underfloor heating, woodburner and twinkly fairy lights. With the shutters closed to the elements what could be nicer? The Joiner’s Shop guests also enjoyed the Christmas spirit with a tree, garland, […]
For those who have followed the progress and thought we were totally bonkers…this is for you…..the long awaited finish of the Joiners Shop has arrived! A once dilapidated building bought in 2009, full of rubbish and with a collapsed roof, has now been transformed into a light and airy cottage. In its heady days it […]
If you would like to read about The Bastle and its transformational journey from neglected to loved, there is a fabulous article in this March 2017 edition of Country Living….just out and on the shelves now. For those of you who have stayed at The Bastle, you will instantly recognise the pictures…and for those […]
Delighted to say, the dilapidated Joiners Shop next to the Bastle courtyard is on its final leg of renovation…. From a sad building full of rubbish and an imploded roof at the rear….it has been rebuilt and lime pointed, has a new roof, new windows and doors, mains water and electricity, insulation and plasterboards by the lorry […]
Having rented numerous holiday cottages in the past, I can safely say the ones that provide a welcome pack of basic essentials are the ones I would go back to or recommend to friends and family. Some don’t even try…. Arriving to a warm, welcoming property with fresh flowers and sufficient provisions to provide a […]
Even if you are pushed for time, it is still possible to enjoy a pleasant walk in our beautiful National Trust gardens, here in Northumberland. A short walk from the main house, the Walled Garden is a joy, even in the colder months. The Conservatory provides a warm welcome from the elements and the smell […]
The temporary kitchen style chairs in the living room have finally been replaced with smart, loose covered, upholstered dining chairs. Sitting for a few hours at the table now, chatting and eating will be much more comfortable …and with shoes off, the gentle warmth of the heated flagstone floor adds even more comfort….
Well, just for the day. My talented artist friend Helen from Busy Bee Studio in County Durham arrived at The Bastle the other day armed with her paints and brushes. Having briefly discussed the idea of painting a bunch of keys and a brace of grouse on the lime plastered walls….she set to work. First […]