Published at 16:01, Thursday, 24 June 2010

In the nicest possible way – from old-fashioned friendliness and concern for the comfort and well-being of ‘strangers’ (as tourists are affectionately called), to the newly restored paths and bridges that connect the town to Hadrian’s Wall, following the line of the old railway that ran up the Haltwhistle Burn gorge to Cawfields – Haltwhistle is a community which connects people to the past.

Town spirit? It is embodied in abundance in the carnival in July, the plant festival in late May, the two walking festivals in April and October and in the newly-introduced Haltwhistle Challenge, a 26-mile effort for the strong of heart, open to both walkers and runners.

The private garden competition in late July, the community garden open day in August, and the gardening club’s garden tour all add colour to the town.

The vegetable and leek shows in September are fiercely contested. New to the sight of a ‘100 cube’? It’s positively frightening!
Weekly coffee mornings regularly raise many hundreds of pounds for mainly local charitable causes – another warm link with the past, where home-cooked delicacies fuel traditional chatter and the children have another go on the tombola.

Darts teams and clubs, the popular swimming pool and leisure centre, good ale and open fires all add to the mix and keep the best of Northumberland community life alive in Haltwhistle, where strangers become friends. For more information log on to www.haltwhistle.org

Published by http://www.haltwhistlelocal.co.uk