War, Peace and Reconciliation

Our special festival event today was wonderful. We had a party of 30 walkers who were told about the Featherstone POW camp. We walked from Haltwhistle to the camp in glorious sunshine and ate our picnic lunch on the lawn of the castle with birds singing and daffodils all around. Quite idyllic.

The party was divided into 2 for a tour of the site. Not much remains of the camp, as much as possible was sold off after the war. In fact a couple of Nissan huts have recently been spotted in an old builder's yard in the centre of town. We had old photographs to help orientate ourselves on the ground and heard many stories about the prisoners and the success of the social experiment to change their views. Apart from daily outdoor farm work, prisoners had time in the evenings to discuss, attend evening classes, play in orchestras, sing in choirs, act in the drama society.

After they were sent home a group of them formed a society for ex Featherstone POWs. The plaque in my image was put into one of the gateposts of the camp by them. I wanted you to see it. (Try large to read the words.) The interpreter was a German Jew.

I also wanted you to see this view through the open window of an old building. We are looking at the row of verticals that were part of the English army quarters on the camp. The trees beyond have big fat buds which give the pink tinge.

I learnt a lot and was given a lot to think about today. I also walked more than 4 miles and survived OK. I'm having a lovely time at the Walking Festival and I think this may be the best special interest walk we've ever done (so far).