Video and other flashy stuff...

Pull in your chair, and press 'Play'

Maybe you're a long way from Northumberland, and missing 'home'... Well, I was on the beach very early a few mornings ago, and it was just beautiful. So I captured a couple of minutes of nothingness. Here it is. Not riveting, not spectacular, and a bit wobbly (there aren't many rocks to rest on!) But if you wish you were here right now, this might just get you through the day. Tip: the videos lower down this page do get better - honest!

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We've found some interesting bits of video of our local area to share with you here. Of course there's no shortage of holiday vids on youtube - but we're talking here about some more eclectic or unusual stuff! But first, here are a couple of excerpts from our own St Cuthbert's House video collection; a piece we did with Aled Jones for Songs of praise in 2009 (4 mins long, our bit begins about 1:25-ish)

And here is a short (50 secs) excerpt from an iinterview we did in preparation for the North-East Tourism Awards in 2010. We won! Don't think it had anything to do with my interview skills though...

Here's a link to an interview we did on Radio Newcastle after we won the NE Award in 2010.

Now for the interesting stuff! Here's one to get started; we found this enchanting video on the Pathe News website, which shows the old railway which used to link the mainline at Chathill, and a station at Seahouses. The line ran a few yards from St Cuthbert's House, and the video shows the station at North Sunderland. It also shows Bamburgh and makes reference to the station there, but in fact the line was never extended to Bamburgh. What a shame it's all gone... The link takes you to the Pathe site, and you might need to persevere beyond a 20 second commercial - sorry. Can't embed this one for copyright reasons, so come back when you've seen it.

Here's a one-minute promo about Seahouses, made by Northumberland Tourism.

Here's a 5-minute video made by the National Trust about the work of the Farne Island wardens in monitoring and watching out for the amazing seabird colonies on the Farnes.

On that same theme, here's a link to a recent 30-minute Radio 4 programme called 'Saving Species' which is about the strength and success of the seabird colonies on the Farne Islands - in contrast to other parts of the country.

Here's a two-and-a-half-minute video clip from a 1956 British Transport Films' Northumberland travelogue. It features the wildlife around the Longstone Lighthouse in the Farne Islands, including seals, puffins, arctic terns, guillemots and kittiwakes. And a fantastic narrator!

Here's a short clip from a 1936 nature documentary called 'Nursery Island'. Obviously made by some very hardy and dedicated film-makers!

The action moves a little further south, but this short clip of the building of the Tyne Bridge from 1928 is fascinating. No Health & Safety regulations in evidence for these fellows. Don't look down!

We hope you've enjoyed a few minutes browsing this collection! We're always on the lookout for more...