By RUTH LOGNONNE

Last updated at 21:27, Friday, 05 March 2010

TV presenter Julia Bradbury spent a day at Kirkharle Courtyard filming for this week’s Countryfile programme.

Spade work: Julia Bradbury plants a tree at Kirkharle.

The programme, which is being aired on Sunday, follows the exciting story of the famous historic landscape designer Capability Brown and the discovery of plans for a lake at his Kirkharle birthplace.

Over the last six months, excavators have been digging the famous serpentine lake putting in place a path and doing landscaping.

As the tree planting was about to get under way, the BBC presenter was eager to get involved.

Stephen Robinson Gay, who chairs the organisation that represents the 10 businesses at Kirkharle, said: “It was a great honour for the BBC to want to get so involved in history in the making and we were all over the moon with how Julia and the camera crew visited every workshop individually and filmed inside each one.

“Her passion and enthusiasm for this exciting project was very apparent.”

It is hoped that the lake would be opened by Easter but because of this year’s tough winter it will now be unveiled a little later in the year.

Not to let the weather dampen people’s enthusiasm Kirkharle is giving free tours around the lake, before it is open to the public, on Saturday, April 3.

Tours will be given by a Capability Brown expert and John Anderson, the owner of Kirkharle, will be on hand to explain the exciting story of how the plans for this incredible development were found.

To book on one of the free tours call 01830 540453.

First published at 09:44, Friday, 05 March 2010
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk