View of Longbyre down to Thirlwall Castle & Back Ditch of Hadrian's Wall (Ridge in far distance)
T'was pretty difficult getting up to Kielder last Saturday. We set off around 8.45am we didn't know whether we would get there. We rang up the day before and had been assured that Kielder would stay open during the snow. Then it really came down during the night! We tried the Acomb road but as soon as we left the A69 it was blocked. A car or something had got stuck. We turned around and got back on the A69. We then got onto the A68 at Corbridge...the road conditions got steadily worse. I was so grateful my husband, Nigel, was driving (our 2x2) as I could have not done it.
Quite often the car started to slide down hills and we knew our brakes would not work. We saw one or two cars in slight difficulties. We also had to be there by 11.10am at the latest as we were booked into the different activities and we had been warned that they would not wait for us!
We made it - just!!! It was a fabulous day. It truly was a "Winter Wonderland". I was amazed by the actors as they must have been frozen - out acting in the open air - most of the time! Apart from the photos I've shown here there was a variety of activities: snow tubing, skating, arts and crafts, the snowy owl and his friends. We managed to do most of these and set off again in darkness for the journey back.
It had taken us two hours to get there and we'd been advised that certain roads would be open on our return. We got as far as the Military Road and I said "Oh...it'll be fine!" Of course it wasn't and I don't think I've ever been so convinced we would slide off and end up in a ditch in the pitch black. We were very, very lucky and came to no harm but it felt wild, rugged and far from civilisation most of the time. Things and places would loom up out of nowhere and we would just about be able to measure where we were by the building e.g. Beggar's Bog or Housesteads or Milecastle Inn. Once we got to Milecastle Inn there was less snow on the road (for some reason) and so we almost felt home and dry. Glenwhelt Bank (the Military Road/Bank going down to Greenhead) was the last hurdle. It is extremely steep and there is a stream which runs across it continually. Luckily we encountered no black ice!
No wonder they cancelled Kielder Winter Wonderland the very next day and this weekend!! Stay warm and safe - everyone :)
(P.S.: I'll be back on track with my usual posts once the children get back to school. At least I'm hoping they will...) |
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