In a first for the UK wind industry Port of Blyth is installing a bespoke wind turbine training facility at one of its terminals as part of a £1m investment in training provision aimed at the offshore energy sector. With the rapid growth of renewable energy providing the North East with major inward investment opportunities, the skills gap that currently exists in the sector is a key barrier to growth. This investment has enabled the Port of Blyth, through its award winning t

We are thrilled to announce that Northumberland has been crowned Seaside Staycation of the Year in iNewspaper’s first ever Staycation Awards! Launched to recognise the growing demand for top-class staycation holidays in the UK and the country’s best loved holiday spots, the esteemed awards received over a thousand nominations across 17 categories. A panel of prestigious judges met in early October to decide on the winners, including individuals from; The National Trust, The R

Winners of Photo Competition announced The winners of the Discover our Land “Days Out” photo competition which celebrated fantastic places to go in Northumberland have been announced. Following a huge public vote with more than 5,500 votes received on the Discover our Land Facebook page the winners were announced last week. They are: Ashley Corr, of Houghton-Le-Spring for his stunning Northern Lights at Holy Island shot, runners-up Colin Balmbro, of Wooler with his breathtaki

During the summer of 2017 Vindolanda archaeologists enjoyed one of their most successful research excavation seasons to date with the discovery of a hoard of wafer-thin ink on wood Vindolanda writing tablets. After two years of careful conservation and painstaking research by a team of experts, the fascinating information contained within some of these documents has come to light resulting in the publication of a comprehensive article on the first four letters in the academic

Northumberland has topped the list of nominees once again at this year’s North East England Tourism Awards. The shortlist for the prestigious industry awards were announced last week with 37 of the 63 nominees coming from the county. Businesses who have been shortlisted in two different categories include South Tynedale Railway, The Alnwick Garden and St Cuthbert’s House, Seahouses. Battlesteads Hotel and Restaurant is shortlisted in an incredible three categories after celeb

People power is to decide the pick of the county’s pictures. Discover our Land, the campaign championing the profile of Northumberland, is asking the public to play their part and cast their vote in its autumn photo competition. The campaign, which is led by the County Council, launched the competition last month after the huge success of its inaugural competition earlier this year. The judging panel, which included Councillor Cath Homer and professional photographer Neil Den

It's not every day you come nose to nose with a seal, but that's exactly what the newest recruit to Northumberland County Council's 'Discover our Land' campaign, Jane Hardy, is very used to. Marine conservationist, environmental volunteer and wild-swimming enthusiast Jane pledged her support to the campaign after being nominated as an ambassador by a close friend, and the resulting campaign film of her adventures around Northumberland's coast makes for inspiring viewing. Jane

The Great Northumberland Winter Festival was officially launched today with events taking place across the county. A total of 20 events have received funding through the Northumberland Cultural Fund (NCF), led by the county council, and will be part of the Great Northumberland Winter Festival. The Winter Festival follows a successful Great Northumberland summer programme and sees a total investment in cultural events this year from the council of £100k. It supports new and di

Northumberland Confectioners Cathy and Matthew Stephenson are backing a county-wide campaign that showcases Northumberland’s thriving business community. The entrepreneurs' Cramlington-based business, Sweetdreams, has been delighting customers since 1985 with the much-loved Choc Nibbles brand of confectionery. However, after a £750,000 investment in a new 25,000sqft factory, the chocolate makers have experienced a big boost in production, creating new jobs in Northumberland

Rain didn't dampen the spirits of nearly 1,000 exhausted but exhilarated runners who helped celebrate the tenth anniversary of Britain's most beautiful marathon today (Sunday 13 October). They kicked off day two of the Active Northumberland Kielder Marathon weekend, which saw more than 1,200 athletes participating in the Kielder Half Marathon and over 100 children in the Junior Races. In total, more than 3,500 runners and cyclists took part in the weekend, which included a 10

Budding photographers who entered the Discover our Land photography competition can see their work on display at Kielder Castle throughout October. The competition, launched by the Discover our Land campaign, attracted more than 600 entries with photos showing everything from historic Northumberland landmarks and unspoilt beaches to days out with the family. The winners were announced in April as part of English Tourism Week with Alan Forrest of Coventry winning First Prize w

Discover our Land, the campaign helping to raise the profile of Northumberland, is asking people to get snap happy this autumn. The campaign, which is led by the County Council, is launching a photo competition asking people to share their favourite days out in the county. Photographs can be of anything as long as it it showcases all that is great about the county from a walk along one of the many stunning beaches, to discovering a hidden gem. Professional photographers and a

A training programme designed to help boost Northumberland’s tourism industry by inspiring front line staff and volunteers has been reintroduced by the County Council. The Know Your Northumberland initiative aims to improve and develop the skills and knowledge of staff and volunteers working at visitor serving businesses across the county. The programme will not only teaches the basics of exceeding customer expectations, it will also teach why tourism is so important and giv

As the eyes of the cycling world fell on Northumberland, families are being encouraged to get on their bikes with the launch of a new family bike ride leaflet. The leaflet is now available hot on the heels of the Tour of Britain coming through the county yesterday (MON). It highlights 10 Family Bike Rides across the county and will be available in Tourist Information Centres, Libraries and Customer Service Centres. It has been developed by Northumberland County Council in par

The countdown is on for votes to help Northumberland retain its crown as the Best Destination in the UK. Voting for the British Travel Awards closes in a month’s time on September 30 and Northumberland County Council and Northumberland Tourism are urging businesses, residents and visitors to vote for the county to retain the title. Last year Northumberland finally picked up the Gold for the Best Destination/County at the British Travel Awards having been runner-up behind Corn

Visitor expenditure experiences 4.2% increase on spend compared to 2017 The annual Northumberland report on the economic impact of tourism has been released, revealing that visitors spent £1 billion when exploring the county in 2018. The research conducted by NewcastleGateshead Initiative shows that the visitor economy in Northumberland is continuing to grow year on year. The report has also revealed that the county welcomed 10.48 million visitors during 2018, a 2% increase o

Northumberland is full to the brim with hidden gems of historic knowledge if you know where to look. Fortunately, Northumberland Archives make it easy for you to get your hands on the treasures of the county’s past. The archives are the latest organisation to get on-board as a supporter of the countywide campaign, Discover our Land. The new video, which will be shared across the campaign’s social media channels and on the www.discoverourland.co.uk website, focuses on how Nort

Sat 20th July – Sun 22nd September, Woodhorn Museum In Summer 2019, Museums Northumberland is thrilled to be sharing some of Northumberland’s most extraordinary and little-known stories with you. ‘Soundmirror’ is an exhibition of audio, sculpture, paintings and curated objects assembled by artist Matt Stokes and commissioned by Museums Northumberland for Woodhorn Museum. The show draws from a newly acquired collection of artefacts that belonged to Ashington born miner and foo

The Northumberland Registration Service has unveiled a new, dynamic and exciting website that couples can use to help them throughout the process of finding their dream venue, and planning and personalising their perfect ceremony. The new 'My Northumberland Wedding' website has a modern, fresh design making it an enjoyable and user friendly experience for all couples who are thinking about holding their special day in the beautiful county of Northumberland. With over 2,000 ce

It’s one of Northumberland largest visitor attractions but did you know The Alnwick Garden has a real community spirit too? As well as welcoming 360,000 visitors through its doors every year the Garden also runs a number of community programmes to support those living and working in the area. It’s this social side of the Garden which is featured in a new campaign video for Discover our Land, a campaign being led by Northumberland County Council to raise the profile of the cou