Living sculpture picks up top gong as voted for by readers.

Northumberlandia, a unique piece of public art at the heart of a 19-hectare community park in Cramlington, has won the Readers’ Choice Family Day Out gong at the 2017 Northumberland Tourism Awards.

Revealed at a ceremony at Alnwick Castle this week, the award was picked up on behalf of everyone involved at the site by Mark Dowdall, Director Environment and Community at Banks Group.

Blagdon Estate and Banks Group gave the land and funding for the human landform, now known as “the Lady of the North” to be created as part of a restoration-first project in relation to the adjacent Shotton surface coal mine. It opened to the public in September 2012 and is managed by the Land Trust and Northumberland Wildlife Trust.

 

Ian Kendall, Estates Manager North-East and Yorkshire at the Land Trust, said: “This award is incredibly special to everyone at Northumberlandia because it was a direct result of so many people visiting and enjoying the beautiful park and fascinating sculpture.  Thank you to everyone who voted. We’re looking forward to a busy summer with all sorts of events and activities taking place, so we hope everyone who voted, and anyone who hasn’t yet visited, will come along to see “the Lady”!”

Matthew Fitch, Northumberlandia Manager, commented: “Thank you very much to everyone who voted, the fact that it was a public vote makes it all the more special! Also a big thank you to all the volunteers and staff who have contributed to the success of the site over the last year!”

Mark Dowdall, Environment and Community Director at the Banks Group, which constructed Northumberlandia using stone, clay and soil carefully selected from its adjacent surface coal mine, added: “I am delighted that so many people have voted for Northumberlandia as their favourite place to take their family in Northumberland.  It was always our intention before we lodged our plans to provide a public park with an iconic centrepiece land sculpture that would be free for everyone to enjoy and it’s great to now see so many families enjoying walks on and around “the Lady” and enjoying tremendous views over south east Northumberland.”

Matthew Williamson, Agent at the Blagdon Estate, said: "Northumberlandia was always envisaged as a place that both local people and visitors to the area could explore and enjoy, and “the Lady” has turned out to be everything we'd hoped and more.

"It's wonderful to have had so many people voting for her in the Northumberland Tourism Awards, especially when you consider the fantastic range of attractions that were also nominated in this category, and we're proud that Northumberlandia has become such a highly-valued part of the county's outstanding tourism offering."

Find out more about Northumberlandia at www.northumberlandia.com or on the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/northumberlandia/

The park and sculpture are open from dawn to dusk every day. The Visitor Centre and Café is open from 10am to 4pm Wednesday to Sunday, and from 10am to 4pm on Bank Holiday Mondays.