Doe Park Calendar

Spring is all about lambs and new life on the family farm. Our flock give birth during March and April and our lambing shed is full of new arrivals. Guests are welcome to visit the newborns by arrangement and may even get the opportunity to bottle feed a lamb or even witness a birth. Just ask at Reception and we’ll be happy to give you a tour.

Our ancient woodland on the banks of the River Balder bursts in to life. Primroses, then later wild garlic and bluebells carpet the floor and birds such as blue tits, great tits, redstart and the rare pied flycatcher begin to take up residence in the many nestboxes in this protected habitat.

Spring is one of the best times to go stargazing. Doe Park is set in the North Pennines which has some of the darkest skies in the UK. With low levels of light pollution the constellations, milky way and Northern Lights can be seen with the naked eye.

In Summer, each local village hosts it’s own carnival celebration full of family fun. Cotherstone’s popular Fun Weekend is held at the end of July with three days of activities, refreshments, a duck race, a fete and a themed scarecrow trail.

Summer visiting birds return to our meadows with curlews, oystercatchers and lapwings making their nests on the ground. Their distinctive calls can be heard all Summer long. Swallows and house martins nest around the site – regularly taking up residence in the porch or under the eaves of Reception.

Altogether Archeology carry out an exploration of the site of a Bronze Age settlement on our highest field on the farm from mid August. Evidence of round houses, early farming communities, trading with the Romans have all been found on Gueswick Hills to build a picture of what life was like in the past. Guests are welcome to visit the dig and have the opportunity to get hands on and take part in this exciting project.

September is the month for local shows where growers, farmers, bakers, photographers and craftspeople get the opportunity to show off their produce and skills. Cotherstone Village Show takes place on the first Saturday in September and is followed by a grand auction  of produce. Agricultural Shows with cattle, sheep, horses, poultry, machinery, entertainment and shopping take place every weekend throughout September.

Doe Park hosts a Stargazing weekend at the end of October as part of the North Pennines AONB annual Stargazing festival. Guests can join astronomer Richard Darn and fiends for an informal weekend of talks, stargazing and even rocket launching.