SCAFFOLDING that had been put up to enable the reroofing of Belsay Hall will soon be taken down, now that the renovations are nearly complete.
A 'Wild Man' slide had also been constructed on the side of the scaffolding for visitors to enjoy, and scaffolding tours took place for people to experience never-before-seen views looking across the gardens.
Melanie Hills, Engagement Manager at English Heritage's Belsay Hall said: "In the four months that the slide was open and scaffolding tours were running we had approximately 28,000 visitors on it."
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"Visitors of all ages, and as we know many went down, many, many times - we estimate that there were more than 100,000 slide runs! The oldest user we know of was an 87 year old man who came on his own. He said it made him 'feel like a kid again!'
"The scaffolding tours saw over 2,000 people join over 200 tours, delivered by a team of volunteers who gave over 200 hours of their time. It has been a huge success," she said.
The reroofing of Belsay Hall is the most recent phase of the Belsay Awakes conservation project. This also involved Closed Door tours, taking visitors behind the scenes to the servants' quarters and previously inaccessible areas, to view the conservation work involved with maintaining the site.
In November 2021, work also began to transform the Coach House next to the Castle into a cafe with children's play area and visitor toilets.
It will be fully accessible for buggies and wheelchairs and the interior design will be inspired by the outdoors, but will retain the Coach House's original features such as the old fireplaces.
The cafe will also introduce green energy, in a first both for English Heritage and for Belsay Hall, with solar panels on the Coach House's roof.
Play equipment will reflect the landscape, and the folk legend of Belsay Hall's 'Wild Man' will be added in through themed lookout pods and climbing frames.
Outdoor seating will be available for parents to keep an eye on the play area.
A grant of £3.4 million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and donations from smaller organisations, enabled the transformation of Belsay Hall.
It's hoped the renovations will draw more families to Belsay Hall, with new family friendly walking trails and the play area.
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