Local History, Friends & Flowers, and Science, Engineering, Technology groups banded together for a trip to Cragside on Friday, 7th June. The house is late 19th Century and was commissioned by Lord William and Lady Margaret Armstrong, a Victorian inventor and a keen gardener. William is known for the Swing Bridge in Newcastle and they jointly created Jesmond Dene with other achievements further afield.

William's experiments with hydroelectricity enabled amazing use of technologies in the house at that time. These included a hydraulic lift, water-powered spit and electric light. To this day, Cragside uses a hydroelectric system. In 2014 the National Trust installed an Archimedes Screw, which uses water from Tumbleton Lake. As water passes through the spiral blades, the screw turns and harnesses the energy of the falling water. The electricity produced lights the whole house, and any surplus goes to the National Grid.

One member said she'd had a lovely day out today to NT Cragside in Northumberland. An Arts and Crafts house set amidst acres of woodland including an awful lot of rhododendrons . Miles of hiking trails (I only clocked up 5.5 miles but I didn’t want to miss the coach home) The lakes provided hydroelectric power - Cragside was the first in the U.K. to have electricity by this method. Pretty good cheese scones in the tea room as well

Photos: Ian T and Anne A