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Welcome to the Cragend Farm blog, where we try to keep you up to date with what is going on on the farm, the B&B, self-catering cottage and anything else we get up to.
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There are accommodation, historical and nature entries cataloguing what has happened in the past.
You can dip into a specific area of interest for example, farming, or Accommodation simply click on the title and open up the blog entry.

 

 

We love it when we have reviews that tell others what our tours are like and this one from The Wirral  just perfect! "We really enjoyed the tour at Cragend. The farm and history were fascinating, made all the better by your enthusiasm and knowledge.  We looked at Cragside itself with a different perspective after our visit to you!" Our thanks to these lovely visitors and ...

National Walking Month  at Historic Houses May is National Walking Month in the UK for Historic Houses and we love a good walk here at Cragend Farm. Its a campaign to encourage people across all ages and backgrounds to get outside and embrace the simple yet profound health benefits of walking. Come and visit us either as a tour visitor or for a longer stay as a B&B or ...

Rhododendron time in Coquetdale! Cragside looks spectacular at this time of year and we also have great rhodi's thanks to Lord Armstrong planting them everywhere in our woods and farm. Well worth a visit to see this amazing attraction and stay with us in Lord Armstrongs Model Farm.  #rhododendron #plants #gardening #chelseaflowershow  #cragside ...

5 STAR Reviews for both self-catering and B&B accommodation to give you reassurance: Like this one... "We had a lovely stay. Great location for visiting Cragside, couldn't be better. Fabulous. Very interesting history on site too. Thoughtful, generous hosts. Hope to visit again." ...

One of many of Cragend Farm's story from World War II Victory in Europe Day  VE Day 8th May 1945  On 8th May 2025 we commemorate VE Day not only as a nation but throughout the world, and at Cragend Farm the story of a fallen Northumbrian RAF gunner in 1944 brings to life the sacrifices those we loved made for others. Victory in Europe Day, or VE Day, marks a poignant moment ...

A great review to start the season off and give you a good idea of why we would love you to come and book to stay with us:  April 2025 A fabulous week which has gone far too quickly!  A big thank you to Shaun and Lou for being so incredibly welcoming. The kids loved feeding the goats! Alnwick Castle was brilliant (broomstick flying and trying on armour). East Cottage is the p ...

Dog Friendly holiday accommodation for you and all the family. Dogs are welcome here with over 100 acres of farm to roam and the wider countryside and beaches to explore.  In memory of Meg, Bert  and George all familiar faces over the past decade.  Wonderful Northumberland Cottages like East Cottage are a relaxing choice. Discover Holiday Cottages Northumberland like East C ...

What a view! It's the perfect destination for those seeking a sustainable, educational adventure where the beauty of nature and heritage coexist in harmony. At Cragend, we aim to blend the timeless beauty of nature with rich cultural heritage to create an unforgettable experience for our visitors.   Our commitment to sustainability and conservation makes us a leader in eco-t ...

Comfort   Enhancing the overall experience, of your stay  and ensuring that you trip is both enjoyable and stress-free is important to us.   Cragend Grange has cozy, well-equipped rooms with a comfortable bed can make all the difference in ensuring a restful night’s sleep after a day of sightseeing or exploring. East Cottage has comfortable beds and beautiful views. Sustai ...

Northumberland, located in the northeast of England, is a region rich in natural beauty and cultural heritage, making it a perfect destination for travel and tourism.  With disposable income being a deciding factor to many holidays, many tourists are drawn to this area, to allow them to explore leisure pursuits such as sightseeing, outdoor activities, and local dining. Whether ...

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to your fantastic farm on the Historic Houses tour on Tuesday. We both agree that it was the most interesting HHA visit we have ever done - and we have done many over the years! We had no idea of the extent of the Armstrong connection or what you have there, having visited Cragside on so many occasions in the past 50 years or so. And indeed looked down on the farm from the walks at Cragend quite recently. We particularly enjoyed ascending and descending the ladders to look at the hydraulic equipment and get an idea of how it all functioned, the beautiful and unusual buildings which had housed the cattle, and were intrigued by the contents of your "underground " loo! Peacocks and chicks, hens and a beautiful pet lamb added to the feel of the farm.

Shaun & Lou Renwick are keen to harness the farm's natural resources, using wood to heat their water, to cook with on a wood burning range, and to heat the houses on the Farm. Even if your house is not equipped to totally run on wood there are things you can do to make sure you are using the best quality wood for your fires.

Why use Seasoned Wood?

Seasoned wood is a definition for 'wood drying'. About 5% of the energy of the log is wasted through evaporation and heating the water vapour of damp logs.

Moisture effects the burning process with unburnt hydrocarbons going up the chimney, which can in time create 'sooting' in the chimney, with the possibility of a chimney fire, all of which requires specialist sweeping.

Drying the wood before burning reduces moisture content in the wood before it is used for burning,

Air drying is the most traditional method, and it takes time. usually over and above 2 years! The fire will use less energy to burn the log if the water content is below 20%. Therefore is can give OUT more energy in the form of heat!

Cragend Farm endeavours to provide their customers with the best seasoned wood possible.

if you would like further information on the process of burning wood please contact us and we will be happy to help.

Why seasoned wood?

Thank you so much Lou and Shaun for a great holiday break on your farm at Cragend last week. East Cottage was a super place to stay. Very comfortable accommodation with everything we needed for self-catering and situated next to the beautiful Cragside National Trust gardens. It was super for our dog with fields to walk across as well as a secure fenced place for her to run off lead! Such interesting history too about the farm and how you have restored the buildings, the Victorian silo and so much else of the past farming life at Cragend. We look forward to returning! J&M Nottingham.

Award Winning Accommodation