Arriving into
the Kielder Water/Forest park is stunning enough, an enhanced expanse of
water lapping the beautiful and under
rated kingdom of Northumberland since 1982. Add in the fact that
this is a designated Dark Sky area gives further reason to want to visit.
The Calvert
Trust caters mainly, but not exclusively, for mentally and physically
challenged people of all ages giving a chance to experience such pleasures as
the climbing wall, zip wire or to blast Clay Pigeon from the Sky (via lasers).
All the staff we meet are wonderful and the first is Jackie who checks us in by
delivering our keys and a common sense set of rules as our dog Scooby becomes
the centre of attention.
The Sky Den
is amazing. The concept of triangle (bedroom), square (living) and circle
(outside space) are cleverly shoe-horned between trees and suspended over a
river putting you as close into nature as physically possible. Crossing the
bridge is the only way to the wooden construction that blends the den into
the surroundings and takes no attention away from the natural beauty of the
area. Entering the 'square' gives you every thing you need to survive, don't
get me wrong this isn't the Hilton but neither is it roughing it in the wild.
The wooden
furniture that is 'jigsawed' into the wall gives the first task as you have to
pop it all out and assemble before sitting down to dinner; great fun and very
clever. Although, be warned, while concentrating on a game of Scrabble (no TV
or Wi-Fi) later that night it became most uncomfortable and probably cost me the
game........twice.
Now the
reason for our journey is upon us and with the doors to the balcony open we
step out and look up to a blanket of stars brilliant and bright against a
jet black sky and with no light pollution to spoil our enjoyment we see why
Kielder is designated an official Dark Sky area. Even for people like us
who don't really have a clue what we are looking at and spent most of the night
trying to work out which way was North, it is a display not to be missed but it
isn't long with the temperature dropping rapidly towards freezing.
I'm reminded of why I had left the North some 35 years ago (well it was
for work really) as it is now bloody cold and I'm off to bed. So up to the
Triangle and the piece de resistance, for with the simple push of a button the
roof splits and separates leaving nothing between you and the stars but the
cold air. At least now I'm snuggled under a duvet. Stunning.
The morning
is no less spectacular as the mating birds and bubbling river make for the
perfect alarm call. Down to the bathroom, where you can if so desired,
multi-task by shaving and showering while sitting on the toilet (I'll spare you
that photograph).
Breakfast is
taken by the wood burning stove in the circle which, while small, is big enough
and hot enough to boil our kettle on. This sets us up perfectly for a day
fishing in the lake, another first for us, starter rod and kit can be
purchased at the Leaplish Centre (who then send you to Tower
Knowe Centre) for £70, with an extra £3.75 for the mandatory fishing
license and we are off.
We are
blessed with the weather over the two days we are in Northumberland,
cold nights but summer days makes all the difference to the mood and
success of our visit.
The Calvert
Trust look to do some amazing work, but what they have in endeavour is
equalled by a lack of flair and marketing on the business side. Their website
is amateurish and does nothing to sell their incredible products and service.
It told us to bring absolutely everything with us but as it turned out, the
den had everything supplied, even the Scrabble. This means I now resent the 3
hours I spent finding torches and plastic cups to bring. For those wanting a
bit more luxury the Straker Lodge is the one for you as it gives
a hot tub, flat screen TV and intrusive WiFi - and probably a more
sophisticated telescope than the you one the Sky Den had. That said we didn't
even know which easy was north never mind how to find Uranus.
Support the
Calvert Trust, visit Northumberland and see the stars
