Consett. To the uninitiated, young or disinterested, Consett might not ring any bells at all. To those who remember the economic problems of the late 1970's, early 80's and even more recent times, Consett is perhaps synonomous with heavy industry and its demise. In particular, the steel industry. Having visted the area previously (well, Middlesborough, actually) I had a rough indication of what to expect: industrial, bleak, sulpherous. In the event, it was not all like that. Bleak, certainly, but more in the way of high up and windswept . Industrial? Nope. It all seems to have gone. Sulpherous? No way. In fact, there is a fabulous wooded valley running from Consett down towards Cumbria with stunning views, forests and lots of agriculture. I stayed at the Derwent Manor Hotel at Allensford. A really nic
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