Does anyone remember the summer Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday services to Cragside and Kielder. They were operated by Northumbria Motor Services and then Arriva from Gateshead and Newcastle. The Kielder bus used to connect with the Tyne Valley Coaches service to Hexham at Bellingham.

I had great days out on these services combining rambling with country pubs. It's a shame they stopped as they were rather popular. I seem to remember they also served Belsay Hall. The Cragside service also stopped at Bolam Lake, Wallington Hall and Lordenshaws.

The Kielder bus used to run back and forth between Kielder Castle and Kielder Dam before returning to Newcastle. We once walked from Kielder Dam to Falstone along the old railway and caught the bus at Stannersburn after a few pints in the Pheasant.

Charles