'Many people climb to see hilltop Christmas tree'

A group which carries a Christmas tree to a hilltop every year says it has become an important part of the festivities for many families.

For almost 30 years, members of the Northumberland Fell Runners have made sure there is a decorated tree along the route of the Simonside Cairns Fell Race.

It takes place on the second Sunday in December and the tree was originally intended to cheer participants up as they traversed the Simonside Hills near Rothbury.

Organiser Peter Reed said: "It has become so much more than that with many people climbing the hills every year to see it."

He said he had met "people who climbed as children and are now taking their children to see the tree".

The first Simonside Cairns Fell Race was held on 17 December 1995, with just a handful of runners starting in Rothbury and covering an 11-mile (18km) route through the nearby Simonside Hills.

"We wanted to have something festive on the route so we decorated a Christmas tree," Mr Reed said.

"Eventually it got cut down so we started carrying one up each year for the runners, which we decorate."

Paul Appleby, organiser of the event, also helps put it up each year.

"People go up and add a decoration in memory of a loved-one," he said.

"It's part of our Christmas too, we generally have a mince pie and a whisky after".

The tree is tied down, and although the Simonside Hills are very exposed, they have not lost one yet.

"We've had one or two blown over, and we have to go up quite regularly to put the decorations back on," Mr Reed said.

"It's part of many people's Christmas going up to see the tree."

"It's a tradition that seems to be really important to a lot of people."

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