Member Article

A Hare-y Experience!

A giant Willow Hare created by local artist Anna Turnbull, now stands guard at Barmoor Castle Country Park near Lowick, and holiday home owners here are being asked to come up with a name.

The owners of Barmoor Castle Country Park, Ann and Jamie Lamb, wish to support talented local artists by displaying Northumbrian creative work to Barmoor Country Park clients who come from all over the UK. It is hoped the Willow Hare will be just the first of a series of unusual Northumbrian art exhibited here.

A hare was chosen as the most appropriate animal as although they are now an endangered species, many still live in the farmland around Barmoor. A local legend also exists of a lovelorn maiden whose spirt was turned into a beautiful white hare forever to roam the surrounding moorland.

To mark the hare’s arrival and because enthusiastic holiday home owners here were eager to know how it was made, Ann and Jamie arranged a willow weaving workshop for them with artist Anna Turnbull.

Anna Turnbull is a fibre artist based at Biteabout Farm near Lowick, who creates high quality, hand crafted items inspired by the rich colours, organic forms and textures of Nothumbrian nature. She makes sculptures and baskets from local willow and wearable items from merino, local wools and silk and also delivers workshops and classes throughout the area.

Eight Barmoor Country Park holiday home owners took part and made baskets, bird feeders and willow sculptures to take home or to use at their “home from home” at Barmoor. It was such a success that another willow weaving workshop has been arranged at Barmoor Country Park for Saturday 6 September 2014, and more art and craft workshops including rug making and painting are being arranged for next year.

The next willow sculpture to arrive here will be a willow heavy horse by Anna Turnbull, which will stand outside, attached to a vintage potato planter found at Barmoor recently.

Owner of Barmoor Castle Country Park, Ann Lamb says: “Our holiday home owners have fallen in love with this part of rural North Northumberland with its dramatic coast and hills. They are keen to find out more about the nature, culture and history of the area, so as a little extra to them, we arrange workshops and talks. In the last year, we’ve had archaeological digs, talks on the Battle of Flodden and now traditional willow weaving workshops. They’re always extremely well received which is why we’re now arranging a series of craft workshops for next year.”

Barmoor Country Park makes a peaceful Northumbrian holiday location for couples and families from all over the UK. Many residents who bought holiday homes at Barmoor over 20 years ago have spent every holiday and weekend here since and often offer their lodge or caravan to friends and family for weekends.

The Lamb family initially bought 12 acres at Barmoor in 1979 and spent 11 years landscaping and renovating the site before opening the Country Park in 1990. The family has lived and worked on site at Barmoor Castle Country Park for the last 24 years and takes great pride in offering a unique and bespoke service to each of their owners, as well as a relaxed, alternative way of life.

For more information on artist Anna Turnbull please go to www.biteabout.co.uk

For anyone who wishes to know more about buying a lodge or caravan at Barmoor Castle Country Park, please go to www.barmoorcastle.co.uk or call 01289 388376

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Kate Slater .