A WEEKEND IN THE VERY NORTH OF ENGLAND
I went away for the weekend to see an old friend who now lives way way way up in the north of England, pretty much on the border of Scotland but curiously enough only a few miles from the geographic centre of Great Britain.
Life in her little village of Bellingham was something like I imagine much of England must have been like at one time. Everyone knew everybody else, the village shop keepers knew the names of the locals and the sence of community was strong.
Sarah has metamorphasized from the city girl I once knew who used to go out clubbing in the fashionably ‘next to nothingness’ that is the style here, to a girl who wears wax jackets, a flat cap, boots and a whistle around her neck for calling her dog. She even has a hunting shotgun licence!
Below are a few of the pictures I took over the course of the weekend.
Northumberland is as far north as one can go without actually leaving England for Scotland. The drive there was SO much more pleasant than last weeks drive to London. It was the first time I’d actually been there and the scenery even at this time of year was quite spectacular at times.
The way of life is different in the country. I think us ‘city folk’ forget that, or sometimes don’t even realise. But the things we get so wound up about here, like ID cards and the war in Iraq etc, just don’t seem to even warrent a second thought there.
Of course people all over the UK should be concerned about such things, but I think in places like the village of Bellingham peoples outlook is far more local than national, let alone international. When I was in the pub on Friday night with Sarah, the girl behind the bar was laughing at my “funny accent.”
Wrote the following comment on Apr 3, 2006 at 5:57 am
Northumberland is beautiful, I should know, I live there! The countryside is fantastic, so open and desolate, very reminiscent of Scotland. Which isn’t surprising as we’ve been in and out of it for centuries.
Wrote the following comment on Apr 3, 2006 at 6:19 am
So THAT’s where you were….I figured you were gone when I got your voicemail.Glad you’re back. We’ll talk soon…..
Wrote the following comment on Apr 3, 2006 at 6:40 am
Careful Simon…the country life grows on you. Kinda like lichen on rocks…it’s relentless.
Wrote the following comment on Apr 3, 2006 at 8:40 am
Love the cows. :-)
Wrote the following comment on Apr 3, 2006 at 7:43 am
I pondered wether I should have posted a before and after picture of my friend Sarah. But I thought that would be cruel. She used to be quite the… hmmm, how do I say this… extrovert I think is the best way. The way she was and dressed was always very extroverted. Now I have a picture of her in a wax jacket, flat cap, and big ol’ boots! :-D
Wrote the following comment on Apr 3, 2006 at 10:01 am
georgeous? very.but i prefer skyscrapers and cement.glad you had fun!
Wrote the following comment on Apr 3, 2006 at 11:22 am
Looks like a storybook weekend.
Wrote the following comment on Apr 3, 2006 at 11:31 am
every time is see your uk pics i get a hankering for traveling.
Wrote the following comment on Apr 3, 2006 at 5:53 am
Those perspective shots are fantastic but those last two are my faves.
Wrote the following comment on Apr 4, 2006 at 3:22 am
Love the photos. I could almost smell the fresh air (except for the cows)!
Wrote the following comment on Apr 4, 2006 at 8:31 am
Amazing pics. Thanks so much for sharing!Lulu
Wrote the following comment on Apr 5, 2006 at 3:20 am
great pics…..got my cam back and still trying to figure out how to do self-portraits that look good. :)