Hexham Market, Bouchon Bistrot and Kielder Water

The East end to Hexham Abbey

Tuesday 07.06.11

It was a grey leaden sky but we decided to go to Hexham for market day but mainly for lunch (linda had promised me a lunch at Bouchon as a belated birthday present.

The market is a pale shadow of its former self, but very few real food stalls, but there was one selling game and fish so I bought some rabbit, deer and pigeon for my sister (she does make the best game pies that I have ever tasted), I had a nice chat with the stall owner

The artisans wares, not only did he have fresh and frozen game and fish, but he and his wife produced all manner of lovely grum. A man well worth supporting

He lamented that he couldn’t get real wild, Wild boar, that the farmed stuff didn’t have the wild boar taste of that from mainland Europe (I have heard this from various members of the hunting fraternity, they say that the true wild boar taste is being bred out due to them being fed on corn, maize and beats. They don’t get to forage for roots, nuts and carrion like they do in the wild. May be the escapees from the farms will start to take on the real game flavour.



The Abbey surround showing the Anglo-saxon remains



We went to the Abbey, to the moot hall and the jail, we then made our way down to Bouchon for lunch.

The double gate to the Abbey garden as you walk downGilesgate to Bouchon Bistrot

The Bouchon Bistrot

Te place you get put in if you get sent down, it is the oldest purpose built lock up in the UK

We had wanted to go there for lunch at Christmas but had arrived too late, this time we arrive well before time and had to wait in the rain, some you just can never win!! But it was well worth the wait, the service is prompt and courteous, suggesting the specials of the day, plenty of free water (not drinking as I was driving).

Linda ordered the Salmon Tartar  with a light vinaigrette dressing, some salad leaves and capers. She said it was perfect, full of flavor and a nice light tasty starter.

I had a wonderful tasty roasted tomato soup witha rocket pistou, full of flavour and plenty of crusty homemade rolls to dunk!

Mains,

Linda picked the crispy pork belly, creamy mash and braised Savoy cabbage.

Again she said it was perfect, pork had crispy crackling and mouth melting meat, the mash was luxurious, creamy and soft.

I had crispy fried cod on a bed of Puy lentils, I being a hog noticed chips fried in duck fat as an accompanyment, a portion of these went along very well and they where fantastic as was the rest of the meal, the cod had a nice crispy skin and was succulent, lentils perfect. I couldn't fault any of the meal and Linda echoed that sentiment.



This





plus this





Gives you this - a fantastic meal



Well done Bouchon Bistrot, worth another visit when next in Hexham.

After lunch, though I felt like a sleep we set off in the direction of Kieder Forest and Kielder Water, Kielder Water was made by damming the catchment of the North Tyne, this was done back in the 1970s and the surrounding area has had a chance to mature. We headed up towards Kielder itself stopping off at various spots including the dam. Just before you get to Kielder village there is a nature trail that leads you to a bird hide at a side arm od the main lake.

We spent a good hour in the dry, watching the aquatic bird life and taking pictures. It is a very secluded spot and I would have loved to have taken a bit more time there.

There was a solitary cormorant (phalacrocorax carbo) that was preening itself on the rocks, it then went for a swim, done a couple of dives and then got out of the water and stood drying its wings in the rain????

On the path to the hide is a secluded biotrope, on the way back I took the time to go out on one of the wooden pontoons, the reeds where full of bird song, Warblers ( I don't know if they where reed or grasshopper) and of course the the Chaffinch



A chaffinch (Fringilla Coelebs) on the pontoon rail

I took another detour on the way back to the car park and one of the feeder streams was also full of bird life dippers,tits, swallows and pied wagtails. The only photo of note was another Chaffinch singing its little heart out

We headed back the way we came stopping at the dam, the pure sereninity and the anglers? Well nothing stops an angler does it!!!! 

We headed for home via Bellingham, Otterburn (stopping to visit the mill) then across country to Morpeth via Mitford (the birth place and still the family home of the Mitford family, Nancy and Unity, etc). It was then down A1 and A19 back to Sis in time for tea. (we always managed that ;-))