Features

In October 2007, Paul Paxton began the series with a visit to Dr Richard Smith, the only man in Britain who can tailor-make you a trumpet.

The instruments he produces in his cowshed are described by those in the know as some of the best in the world.

A missing steam engine provided a mystery for a group exploring the old mines in Cumbria.

The National Trust gave the group special permission to excavate the mine in their search for the locomotive, believed to date from the 1870s.

Organic stoneground flour has been produced at Great Salkeld watermill, near Penrith, for the past 30 years.

Demand has risen dramatically in the last few years, and in November Paul went to see how the mill is coping with its renewed popularity.

Anyone brave enough to venture out in the post-Christmas chill could have done much worse than heading to Kielder Forest.

Paul joined a ranger to look at the various winter-themed pieces of art on display along one of the most popular walking routes.

Newcastle Cathedral has been part of the city for hundreds of years, but maintaining the building is a massive job.

This year the heating system and wiring needs to be replaced - and there's also the problem of a sagging clock case, caused by the weight of the motor inside it.

Paul's next trip was to meet one of the north's most successful artists, Alex Clark, and her black labrador Daisy.

Alex produces a range of cards based on characters inspired by Daisy, but she's hoping her more serious wildlife prints also become as successful.

The North boasts some of the best Roman archaeology in the world, with famous forts and Hadrian's Wall stretching from west to east.

Now archaeologists are exploring a fort near Alston which has been left alone for centuries - and could be one of the best preserved in the Roman Empire.

Clifford's Fort

Work started in 2008 to restore an historic fort that kept the Tyne safe from invaders for centuries.

Clifford’s Fort in North Shields was built in a hurry, in response to an expected attack on the Tyne by the Dutch. It later served as a defence against Napoleon, was home to some of the country's first submarines, and more recently served as a gun platform during World War Two.

As summer approached, and our thoughts turned to the great outdoors, Paul took a trip to meet some of the 70 or so artists in Northumberland who were preparing to open their studios to the public as part of a summer art tour.

Rural North Yorkshire

Former police sergeant Mike Pannett used the start of his retirement to pen the first in a series of books about rural policing in the Malton area of North Yorkshire. We caught up with him to Dales life, colourful characters and giant cats.

Is Byker Grove really haunted?

We might not have heard much about Benwell Towers after it stopped being the set for the TV programme Byker Grove, but it is now attracting the interest of ghost hunters.

The temptation was too great. Paul went along to spend some time testing the ether for signs of the Other Side at Benwell Towers.

In September, it was time for a trip to Sunderland, where a dedicated band look after a treasure trove of the city's history.

Sunderland’s Antiquarian society is one of the oldest in the country, and was moving its archive for what’s thought to be the last time.

In a quiet street off the Old Durham Road is the Earth Headquarters of Bob the astronaut, whose job it is to keep the moon tidy and who particularly wants to find a friend.

Paul Paxton met Simon Bartram, Bob's creator, to discover if Bob's wish comes true.

Dilston Castle has had a colourful history. A grand stately home never completed, a young Earl executed for treason and even a mention in the Da Vinci Code.

So could the castle, near Hexham be the location of the Holy Grail? Archaeologists have been digging at the site, so Paul went along to find out more.

A bit like a ferret with long legs and a bushy tail, pine martens and they're very rare here in the North, but one man has been tracking them down.

Experts believe there's a growing population of Pine Martens in our forests, so Paul met up with naturalist Kevin O'Hara in Holystone forest in Northumberland.

It was about seven thousand years ago that man first began to tell the time by the sun. Sun dials have come a long way since then, but they're still being painstakingly made here in the North.

Paul caught up with Tony Moss, who crafts sundials in his garage in Northumberland.

In November, it was time to get to know some of our region's unsavoury characters.

Paul Paxton met the author of a new guide to Bastles which were once the strongholds of 16th Century robber or Reiver families.

Come December and it was time for Paul to get to grips with his practical side.

A blind man from County Durham who has been fixing domestic appliances for 43 years, retired at the age of 91.

Not one to be kept indoors for long, Paul was soon back in his walking boots, joined by a man who has spent the past two years trekking across northern beauty spots.

He has also created a book to warn people that upland farming landscapes are under threat.