John North: High praise

NEWBIGGIN-in-Teesdale stands wintry and whitewashed against a blue-black sky, its historic Methodist chapel - the world's oldest in continuous use - tuning up for one of the great celebrations of Christmas.

Prosaically, it's called Coffee and Carols, but at Newbiggin it's as if the 12 days of Christmas have been arranged in reverse order, and the glad season starts on December 13.

Many familiar dales faces are present, and one or two who seem strangers. The strangers are the ones who haven't taken their top coats off.

The pot bellied stove may no longer splutter splentically, nor need attention in all the wrong places, but the wall heaters are almightily effective and the windows steam like Mrs Cratchit's pudding. It's the sort of atmosphere for which Geordie invented the word "scumfished".

The column, too, has become so irregularly regular at this great Christmas overture that they've not only remembered a large print hymn book but placed a sign saying "Reserved" on the accustomed seat at the back.

It's in front of a showcase of Methodist and Teesdale memorabilia, John Wesley's "Directions for singing" prominently displayed.

Sing lustily and with a good voice, he urges; let not a single degree of weakness or weariness hinder you; sing modestly, do not bawl. It's all rather confusing.

Outside there's a Tyne Tees Television car, though no sign of those gentlemen within. We appear not to be singing from the same song sheet.

The land upon which the chapel stands was bought for £5 in 1759. The building, costing £61 13s 5d, was opened the following year. Wesley himself rode by several times, observing in 1772 that the people were "deeply attentive but not, I think, deeply affected".

The chapel is tiered and timeless, much lauded and much loved. There are pictures of Wesley, fishing for men, and of sheep, safely grazing.

The first hymn is Angels From the Realms of Glory, sung not only as if for 12 months it had lain at the back of the cupboard with the Christmas tree lights but as if Wesley's advice had left the entire gathering befuddled.

Keith Pearce, Teesdale's minister, puts it more diplomatically. "Can we sing with a spring in our steps this morning?" he asks as the last enfeebled note subsides. "We are walking joyfully towards Christmas."

It's during the second hymn that the first of many mince pies appears, passed along the pews with the coffee. They work on wintry voices like a good prescription; by Joy to the World all is once more in harmony.

There's O Little Town and The First Nowell and Tell Out My Soul, each requested by members of the Teesdale congregations. It's a sort of Christmas Two Way Family Favourites but for BFPO read Barney, and for Frankfurt, Forest-in-Teesdale.

Regulars can also sing and scoff simultaneously, without directing a fusillade of mince pie morsels at the carollers in front.

We also sing Happy Birthday to Pearl Tallentire, 90 the following day. Born in Canada, she moved to Middleton-in-Teesdale in 1944, with her RAF husband.

"We came in a convoy, there were still a few U-boats about," she said - eyes twinkling, accent unaffected by 60 years in the dales.

There were more mince pies, and scones, and shortbread and ginger biscuits - glorious ginger biscuits. There were exhilarating solos from Jane Ford, a music teacher from Staindrop, and readings by Hazel Hawkins of challenging poems by local youth worker Chris Bambrough.

It ended with the modern carol Come and Join the Celebration. In the run-up to Christmas, Newbiggin's little celebration should probably be compulsory.

AFTER enough mince pies to choke a donkey - the reference is not necessarily scriptural - it was time for Christmas lunch at Langdon Beck Youth Hostel, five miles to the west. The wind turbine brayed away like billy-oh.

Middleton folk are said to refer to those extreme parts as "Titra bune", apparently meaning a little bit up, to which usually they add "Neither sun nor mune".

Local historian Roger Redfearn also reckoned that when the original hostel at Langdon Beck burned down in November 1958 it was one of only two wooden buildings in the upper dale, and that the other went up in flames a few days later.

Police may have questioned half the brickies in Co Durham.

These days the hostel burns wood, too, one of a great range of environmentally friendly measures which have won it and Ewan Boyd, its manager, a number of awards, any amount of attention, record bookings and a recent overnight stay by Richard Caborn, the sports minister.

Just five years ago, however, its very existence had been threatened by foot-and-mouth disease, when the hostel closed for four months.

As well as the wind turbine, there are solar panels, a reed bed for refiltering water and butts to collect the rain. Bird boxes are monitored by close circuit television; little piles of brushwood attract insects and small animals.

Carbon emissions have dropped from 41 tons to 13 tons in four years. Visitors are urged to switch off lights, draw the curtains, turn off the taps.

Part time, Mr Boyd has now become the YHA's part time energy conservation officer. He also makes a very good Christmas dinner - locally sourced, mostly organically grown - finishing with something fruity called brigade pudding, of which none had heard. Amid many more of a more ecological nature, the hostel also holds a pudding weekend, with 15 on offer. "It's the most popular of all," said Ewan. "A chance just to sit around and eat."

The sign by the door says that the YHA is there to help all, "especially young people with limited means". A family room sleeping four can be as little as £30, three course dinner is £7.50. Next year Langdon Beck will have its first en suite room, too. It is spartan image no longer.

The hostel, says Mr Boyd, has changed completely in the 15 years since he and his wife Jane arrived - having never previously set foot in Teesdale. "We want to encourage people from all backgrounds, but particularly youngsters with a love of the countryside. They might even take home something about conservation."

He'd worked in London, vows never to return. "Here it's quiet, you can see the stars and it's empty. It's hard work, but it's paradise on earth."

THE Christmas lunch was for Craft Works, a Barnard Castle-based group which works with people with special needs. Merrily stamping away at the St Bernard's waltz, the Scottish country dancing group wore Santa Claus hats.

Green Explorers, a related group, provides out-of-school and holiday activities for special needs children, chiefly involving recycling and the environment.

After the last of the pudding and of passing the parcel, therefore, it was down to the Bowes Museum in Barney - scaffolded without, fairy lit within - to view "Landscapes and Livelihoods in Upper Teesdale", an admirably executed Green Explorers exhibition which runs until January 23.

Accompanying each of 36 display panels is a wonderfully colourful quilted map produced by Craft Works members and supporters using traditional Teesdale quilting methods.

Panel 36 was of Newbiggin Chapel - "now believed to be the oldest in the world in continuous use". After a December day in the dale, we were back to square one.

More Christmas music

The Darlington based Sundial Singers, together since 1982, have recorded their first, suitably seasonal, CD.

The group's 11 members usually perform for charitable events and other good causes. The CD's 15 tracks range from Christ the Apple Tree to The Twelve Days of Christmas.

I t's available for £10 from Peter and Philippa Sinclair, Sundial Cottage, 7 Haughton Green, Darlington DL1 2DD.

Another little present for which time and space prevents proper review, Harold Bunting - an elder at Northgate United Reformed Church in Darlington - has written "a light hearted look at the lives, loves and laughs of the people who inhabit the world of small business".

Harold was a chartered accountant, then a business consultant. Though the characters are fictitious, he says - as well he might - he has "drawn from his experiences".

There's an amorous computer operator, a solicitor who's having trouble with his partners, even a Doberman called Cuddles.

The first delivery sold out within two days. Further copies now await.

All Good Experience by Harry costs £6.99 (plus £2.50 postage) from the Sales and Marketing Direct, Unit 2, Banks House, Banks Road, Darlington DL1 1YB or via www.samsco.co.uk