BUSY farmer's wife Kath Toward, has won yet another award to add to the impressive collection on her farmhouse mantelpiece.

Mrs Toward is always active at her family's Herdship Farm, in Harwood, one of the highest holdings in Teesdale, or at a community event involving her other interests, such as schools, parish councils, the health service or politics.

Her latest prize, as runner-up in a Farmer's Guardian competition, to find the industry's greatest communicators, joins other awards for the way she and her husband, Maurice, manage their land, help its wildlife to prosper and allow visitors to understand the countryside.

Her role as a first-class communicator will be endorsed by anyone who, like me, has heard her over the years in council chambers, primary care trust sessions, schoolrooms and farm gatherings. She has a knack of explaining the most difficult points in plain language.

Now a website, e-mails and leaflets allow her to extend her communication. But how on earth does she fit in all these activities, especially now that Maurice is less mobile?

She said, on her way to yet another meeting: "I'm just very well organised. I don't suppose I'm any busier than a lot of other people. And I enjoy everything I do. But it's nice to win awards."

DESPITE dull weather plenty of visitors were having fun this week at the mini golf course at Scar Top, Barnard Castle, which looks in excellent shape after being refurbished.

Don Wilson, a retired surveyor, who has just started his seventh season as attendant, was handing out putters and balls to players ranging from a studious elderly couple to six noisy youngsters, who shouted and laughed at each others' efforts.

The nine-hole course is an attraction for many local families, as well as tourists, giving people a pleasant way to spend an hour or so. It's good value at 60p for juniors and pensioners, and 90p for adults.

Mr Wilson, who used to be a keen golf club member, but who is now content to watch the mini version, has been joined by Joseph Jarwick, of Startforth Park, a music student at Bishop Auckland College, as his partner for this season.

The course, administered by the town council, is open 11am to 5pm every day during school holidays, and for the same hours at weekends during term times.

"I hope the weather is good this year," said Mr Wilson. "We get a lot of business when it's sunny but the days tend to drag if its raining."

HOW many hostelries did Lynesack parish have in the good old days? I've been asked to provide an answer to settle a dispute in which a gallon of ale is at stake.

A directory for 1894 reveals that there were nine drinking places at that time. They were the Surtees Arms (landlord John Blackett), Sun Inn (John Gill), Old Engine Inn (William Gill), Oak Tree Inn (Jonathan Kellett), Black Swan (Thomas Kellett), Malt Shovel (George Lowson), Diamond Inn (John Simpson), Stag's Head (Joseph Thompson) and Three Horse Shoes (John Weston).

The parish took in Butterknowle, Copley, Southside, Wham and a corner of Woodland. It had a population of 2,833, so taking out the children and the women, who seldom went into public houses in that era, there was a large number of bars for the menfolk.

Local coal mines employed nearly 700 of them, and after shifts, amid the dirt and dust, they no doubt felt in need of ample liquid refreshment.

The remaining part of Woodland, with a population of 694, had only two inns, the Royal Hotel (James Dunn) and Black Horse (Thomas Raine). About 200 men worked in the Woodland pits, so there weren't as many thirsts to be quenched.

* I'll be glad to see anyone who calls with snippets of news at The Northern Echo office at 36 Horsemarket, Barnard Castle, on Mondays and Tuesdays, telephone (01833) 638628.