Yarm - North Yorkshire

One word: FINALLY

No need to translate the meaning of that. I've heard a lot about how "nice" and "beautiful" Yarm, a little town near my place, was from a couple of my friends but I'd never gotten the chance to go there. Behold Thursday, a relatively sunny day and one of which I was fortunate to have as a one of my "off-from work" days. Given that I had an appointment back at home at about 5pm, I figured I had enough time to finish off my morning chores, head to Yarm for taking photos and a spot of lunch, AND make it back in time for my appointment. The train to Yarm only comes every one hour so, even though I wanted to relax, my time was somewhat limited.

Pathway towards a shopper's paradise

A journey worth the walk

On my arrival at Yarm station, I was surprised to find that my iphone was claiming that Yarm high street (i.e. town centre) was a good 20-25 minutes walk away. Although this isn't the first time I've been to a station that's a fair but definitely walkable distance away from the town's centre (e.g. Northallerton), I always assumed that Yarm's one would be no less than 10 minutes away from the high street. Probably because I couldn't see over the hedges that surround Yarm station; the train from my place to York is the one that stops at Yarm and so I every time I did pass it, I was on the train and so always assumed that the town centre lay just over the hedges. Nevertheless, the helpful signs and my iphone were both incredibly helpful and I soon found myself heading, in the right direction, towards the town centre. It was an absolutely wonderful walk too.

Yarm town centre

Passing by the grand houses of Yarm often composed of neatly arranged plants or flowers, a simple pebbled yard with all sorts of dog-friendly gizmos and gadgets and, on certain occasions, a posh and brightly colored car, one can really get a feel of how the inhabitants of this picturesque town thrive. I was particularly jealous of the presence of the nice little nearby park otherwise known as Wiley Flats; the lush green had been suitably paired with some common playground equipment but was also given a funky modern twist with a three dimensional sculpture (at least that's what it looked like to me from afar!). Unfortunately I didn't have time to explore Wiley Flats, let alone take many pictures of it, so I'll have to do that when I next go to Yarm for lunch.

Yellow car in Yarm: perfection in simplicity captured

Romantic lighting on Wiley Flats Park

Chic and Stylish: Boutique-Mania 

You'd be crazy not to notice the sheer amount of boutiques and independent retailers there are in Yarm. From designer-branded pret-a-porter outfits to tailor-made designs, from delicately hand-crafted or picked creations to locally-produced delights, Yarm was certainly a classy place to shop in for all fashionistas or in general shop-a-holics (like myself). The sleek and slender, multicolored wooden frames that supported the glass forming the shops' windows helped to further reinforce its prim and proper nature. You can even find restaurants hidden inside these boutiques serving classic English delicacies; staying in a shop for the whole day is definitely an option. At the same time, there were more commonly heard of stores like Sainsbury's and Costa Coffee.

Brightly colored shops with an eclectic range of products - Yarm's high street at its best

Little cafes providing food cooked to perfection - characteristic of Yarm

The combination of boutiques and large company managed shops was, for me, a perfect balance. Whether you're looking for the perfect d wedding or prom dress, a quirky tea set or even some simple but vital groceries, it was just the matter of going from one shop to, literally, the next to find all of the above. What really did it for me were the tiny, independent cafes. A simple grilled panini with a bit of salad and some homemade nachos had my stomach grinning from ear to ear, and being able to enjoy it whilst listening and watching people chat away about what was going on in their life truly had me giving the atmosphere a five star rating.

The quirky boutiques of Yarm

It was the epitome of a shopper's paradise

And, to a certain extent, a big contrast to the place where I'm living which is jam-packed with charity shops (very ideal for a student budget like mine in my opinion though). The cars were also interestingly parked on a cobbled path that lay directly in between the road and the pedestrian's path. If you go during the academic year, like now, you'd also witness the shadows of Yarm's finest secondary school students, strolling casually on the high street during lunchtime in crisp and clean suits. I felt like I'd entered a parallel world only a stop or two by train away from my place.

Dresses from the family-run business, Strickland & Holt, established since 1854

From beyond the looking glass windows of the cafe

There were some similarities however. The atmosphere was just as lively and friendly, and the town hall/ clock tower was pretty much identical architecturally. The differences were what made Yarm a special place for me, along with the good weather. It's officially my little getaway when I feel like indulging myself in the materialistic world after a stressful week at uni, without a doubt.

The perfect lunch for a glorious day in Yarm

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Gibside - Tyne and Wear

I was looking for a nice place to lunch

And seriously, who wouldn't be on a gloriously sunny but cool Saturday (31st Aug)? Needless to say the weather along with the amount of free time I had both encouraged my sense of adventure to soar. Usually I'd plan to go to a historical landmark or site a day or two ahead - seeing as transport is always an issue for me, planning ahead makes it easier for me to figure out my route, which bus or train to catch, when to leave to catch them etc. This time however, it was purely a spontaneous and sudden decision.

No need to say where I'm headed!

Simple, relaxing and pleasing

The three major verbs that floated around my mind when searching for the perfect place to go to. Roaming through the online pages of The National Trust website, I was attracted to the idea of having lunch and then a quick stroll in the woods or grassland before dusk hit in a place that was, as usual, easily accessible by public transport. Gibside, as the website suggested, seemed to be the answer to my search. The 200 hectare property was said to compose of a chapel, stables, a statue, old ruins, tea room, grassland and, perhaps the most important thing to my in my opinion, a forest. With a place goal in mind, I ran gracefully  straight to the train station behind my flat to catch the train up to Newcastle. Gibside was a quick bus ride (the 45 or 46) away from Newcastle AND was available every 15 minutes! What a relief!

Bridge to Terebithia Gibside

My secret hideaway in Gibside - a place where dreams can soar and are limitless

Getting there within a short amount of time also meant that I had just enough time to walk around the whole of Gibside; I got there at around 2:50pm and everything would close at around 5pm. I reckon one of the highlights of Gibside was the entrance. You'd have to walk across a bridge above a river an a stunning grassy picnic shot (see the first picture below) to get to the park's gate. Thereafter you have to pass through the ticket booth before crossing a long and curvy wooden bridge that would lead you up to the actual park; it felt like I was getting transported to a secret world!

Cute DCUK figurines in the Potting Shed Cafe!

Stunning dress inside the chapel

At the stables... O__o

The road not taken

Road to the Column to Liberty

A path so long and fine - who knows where it'll lead me...

The poem by Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken, essentially emulates my aim during my trip. For every path and every corner, every entrance and every exit - I would take the less friendly one (i.e. the darker ones). Why be like everyone else and walk the usual Gibside strolling path when I could have an adventure of my own in a new path instead? In my opinion, that was probably the best decision I made. I simply let my heart guide in the direction it felt like going in and I had a blast. I first entered the stunning walled garden that was filled with different sorts of colorful flowers and plants. Next I was led to the newly restored orangery - an old ruined building made up of columns and large windows - the centre piece of this open-air structure was a whole array of flowers and plants. What made it an overall architectural masterpiece was it's location - set up high on a hill, people that visit the orangery will witness an absolutely breathtaking view of Rowland's Gill and essentially the north east country side.

The Orangery and the stunning view of the north east countryside

The Banqueting Hall from afar

The Column to Liberty

If you do ever visit Gibside, don't forget to explore the other buildings including the chapel, stables and banqueting house - they're all just as lovely. The massive statue known as the "column to Liberty" that stands proudly on another hill directly on the other side of the chapel is likewise an architectural masterpiece. However, what really did it for me attracted me were the tall and robust tree trunks that were neatly tucked away behind a path leading from the orangery to the stables. Had I had more time, I would have loved to sit within that atmosphere to simply imagine and dream. For it was there that time ceased to exist and reality was hidden away on my presence. Stories and emotions of tranquility, happiness etc. filled my head - it was like I had found inner peace. Thus, my fellow readers, I conclude on this note: If you ever feel like you've had a really rough and tough day or simply feel like stepping away from the stress of life, consider going to a park (or Gibside if you're ever up north!). For it is there that you can be the writer of your own story, the hero of your own fantasy, and ultimately, the controller of your own experience with no strings attached.

Fun with shadows using the windows of the Orangery :)

Cragside - Northumberland

Yesterday was the day.
The day that I'd be setting out early to get to a new country house I'd just heard about literally 24 hours before yesterday. Cragside had been the home to the inventor of Lord Armstrong but now is a property of the National Trust and opened to tourists (and dogs!). I'd just gotten my (young persons :D) National Trust membership on Saturday and was desperate to use it to go to properties I'd normally have to pay for had I not joined. I was also looking forward to a good afternoon tea and a nice walk in the garden and house that Cragside had to offer.

Unlike some of the other properties I'd looked up, Cragside was one of those that was accessible via public transport (i.e. a bus). Annoyingly the bus that takes you there, the 508, from Newcastle only comes twice every Sunday until October. There are ways of getting to Cragside on the weekday through public transport as well but it only comes once every hour and wouldn't take you directly up to the entrance; it would stop in the town, Rothbury, which was right next to it. Being on a student budget and the fact that I am not yet qualified to drive (cries*), I had no choice but to take the public transport option. And so the day began at 8:10am, with me scoffing down a quick breakfast and speed clothing changing before hurtling towards the train to get up to Newcastle. On arriving, I quickly headed towards the bus stop, in anticipation of my journey and adventure ahead. Despite the bus coming 15 minutes late and the fact that it would take a little bit less than 2 hours to get to Cragside, I continued to stay cheery in the sudden cold and windy weather. Nothing, I thought to myself, could spoil my day.

 Pretty architecture at Darlington station

The stunning Angel of the North from afar in Gateshead on my way up to Newcastle

Obviously I had some assumptions 
(loads actually) of what Cragside estate would looked like. I'd been to some other properties with a home/ hall and gardens (Walmer Castle and Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens are two on the top of my head, but we'll leave their stories for another day). The house to me looked like a huge version of the house owned by the seven dwarfs in Snow White, and I assumed that I'd be walking through a garden with flowers, shrubs, trees, you know, the usual jazz you'd expect in a garden. I only had 4 hours at Cragside before I was due back on the bus so I'd planned to leave an hour for lunch and the remaining time for the estate. Clearly, I hadn't done enough research prior to my departure. Not only was I amazed at the gorgeous and large lake that awaited me at the entrance to the estate, but I was absolutely flabbergasted  that the entire estate was around 400 hectares big! To top it off, there were around about 100 rooms inside the country house itself, and only 1/3 of it was actually opened to the public!

From this, Cragside doesn't look like a huge place but definitely a nice one....

THIS is what I ended up seeing

It was clear that I'd have to come again

Filled with gardens (yup, not just one), waterfalls, wooden bridges, forest, wildlife, a clock tower, power house etc. (and yes the list does go on), Cragside had me occupied for the entire day; my camera iphone is currently suffering from an overload of visual information. What was also good about the enormity and structure of the estate was that it had you constantly walking on different surfaces (e.g. rocky, flat, sloped, grassy etc.), which was good for someone like me who was literally STUFFED with the delicious treats Cragside's cute tea room had to offer!

The food at Cragside <3

A memorable day definitely, and it was just such a beautiful place to explore and enjoy nature in. Every corner and sight I saw inspired me to come up with a new story, stories of which I would form the basis of my drawings/ fashion illustrations (i.e. my all-time hobby). My aim is to walk on every path the estate has to offer - not at once (obviously), but eventually. But for now my fellow readers, enjoy looking through the pictures of my "big day out" at Cragside. Hopefully, it'll persuade you to come roaming up north to enjoy this glorious gem.

The quirky finds at Cragside...