Most of the very best things to do in Northumberland focus on its long and tumultuous history that includes Roman, Celtic, Viking as well as Anglo-Saxon legends. While it’s one of the largest in England, the area is dotted with silent villages and also towns as opposed to modern cities– excellent for a relaxing escape thanks to fewer groups of tourists.
Nature lovers can explore miles of treking tracks with deep valleys as well as rugged moorland, while households can check out stately homes bordered by flowering yards. The many castles in Northumberland are reminders of the area’s rather stormy past, as battles and also sieges were constant incidents in middle ages times. Escape the city on a trip to Northumberland with our convenient guide below.
Alnwick Castle and Yard
Alnwick Castle is a Norman-era lodge and also Grade I listed structure in Northumberland. It’s home of the fight it out and his family members, making it among England’s biggest populated castles– second just to Windsor Castle in Berkshire.
The castle and adjacent garden are open to the public in summer, providing plenty of family-friendly activities. Followers of the Harry Potter franchise business can take part in broomstick lessons between 10.30 am and also 4 pm. The Alnwick Garden contains lavish gardens, water sculptures, a bamboo puzzle, and also one of the biggest treehouses in the world.
Place: Alnwick NE66 1NQ, UK
Hadrian’s Wall
Hadrian’s Wall surface goes back to 122 advertisement when it functioned as a protective fortification for the Roman Realm. It stretches over 70 miles in between Wallsend as well as Bowness, with fts as well as stations concerning every 5 Roman miles.
The structure has been listed as a UNESCO Globe Heritage Site since 1987, attracting many visitors to Brampton. Hadrian’s Wall surface is rumoured to have actually been the inspiration for writer George RR Martin’s bestselling Game of Thrones book collection. Skilled pedestrians often deal with the Hadrian’s Wall Path National Route, an 84-mile-long walkway along the wall that passes quaint towns and also significant Roman forts.
Bamburgh Castle
Bamburgh Castle towers 150 feet over the Northumberland shoreline as well as the North Sea. One of the largest occupied castles in England, its premises span around 9 acres on a rough plateau. It was the residence of lots of kings, consisting of Henry VI and also James I, prior to it was purchased by Victorian innovator Lord William Armstrong in 1894.
Now open up to the general public, Bamburgh Castle houses an arsenal, art gallery and also numerous lavish staterooms. A must-see is the King’s Hall, which has a Victorian vaulted teak ceiling set up in the 19th century.
Place: Bamburgh NE69 7DF, UK
Cragside
Cragside, located near Rothbury, is the Victorian estate of Lord William Armstrong. Built in Tutor resurgence style, it’s surrounded by one of the largest rock gardens in Europe, which spans towards an iron footbridge over Debdon Burn. The 19th-century estate was the very first worldwide to be lit by hydroelectricity.
Today, it uses many activities appropriate for households. Kids can explore rhododendron courses and passages in Nelly’s Labyrinth, while the Power Residence presents interactive models which you can use to generate power. There are additionally over 30 miles of footpaths as well as lakeside strolls within the grounds of Cragside.
Area: Morpeth NE65 7PX, UK
Northumberland National Forest
The Northumberland National Park supplies a lot of exterior tasks, from treking along UNESCO-listed Hadrian’s Wall surface to stargazing with the naked eye. This secured location spans over 400 square miles of hay fields, moors, meadows, rivers as well as falls.
Among Northumberland National Park’s most photographed spots is the Sycamore Gap tree, located in a high dip near Hadrian’s Wall. It’s even included in the 1991 movie Robin Hood: Prince of Burglars. Stargazing events frequently happen at the Cawfields and Walltown Dark Sky Discovery Website. Thousands of stars, the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy are visible on clear nights– you do not even require a telescope.
Hexham Abbey
Hexham Abbey is an Anglo-Saxon church established in AD 674, with additions in between the 12th and 20th centuries. It has a well-preserved crypt that goes back over 1,300 years, which has detailed frieze patterns and also inscribed stones from Roman ruins in the area.
The Quality I detailed location of Christian prayer has a long-term event detailing its history. A must-visit is the Night Stairway, a series of 35 stone steps rising from the abbey’s south transept. Visit the gallery on top for views of the church organ, transepts as well as Victorian stained-glass home windows.
Location: Hexham NE46 3NB, UK
The Holy Island of Lindisfarne
The Holy Island of Lindisfarne is a popular trip site of Celtic Christianity. The tidal island go back to the sixth century AD, renowned for being the native home of the Lindisfarne Gospels, a manuscript scripture publication.
One of the island’s most popular sites is the ruins of Lindisfarne Priory. You can learn about its history in its onsite museum– its collection consists of Anglo-Saxon stone crosses, serious pens, and also ceramics. There’s also the 16th-century Lindisfarne Castle, which is open for casual visits as well as over night keeps. It normally opens from mid-February to very early November.
Place: Berwick-upon-Tweed, UK
Seaton Delaval Hall
The Seaton Delaval Hall is an 18th-century baroque country house in Northumberland. The stylish estate is the job of engineer Sir John Vanbrugh, with its halls as well as areas embellished with stucco statues, paints, and also antique furniture.
Check Out the Lengthy Gallery to see pictures of the Seaton Delaval Hall’s previous owners, and also the Old Kitchen to look into 16th-century German fits of armour. Feel free to check out the surrounding yards, which also date back to the 18th century. The estate is simply over 1 mile west of the coastal town of Seaton Sluice.
Location: The Opportunity, Seaton Sluice, Whitley Bay NE26 4QR, UK
Chillingham Castle
Chillingham Castle dates back to the 12th century, initially an abbey and armed forces garrison before it was owned by English baronet Sir Humphry Wakefield in 1982. It’s bordered excellent lakes and formal gardens, including a topiary garden. If you intend to stay the night, 8 self-catering apartments are readily available in the castle as well as its close-by Coaching Rooms.
Today, you can explore sections of the castle through directed tours as well as vacation occasions. Sign up with the night ghost excursion to explore the torture chamber and dungeons– incorporeal voices of discoveries of apparitions have actually been reported for many years.
Location: Chillingham, Alnwick NE66 5NJ, UK
Farne Islands
The Farne Islands are a collection of 15 to 20 unoccupied islands off the coastline of Northumberland. From springtime to autumn, boats depart from Seahouses Harbour to National Trust-owned islands such as Longstone, Inner Farne, as well as Staple Island.
Birdwatching is a must-do on the Farne Islands– see hundreds of puffins and also Arctic terns, particularly in between mid-April as well as late-July. The islands additionally have a large colony of seals, so check out in late October to see white seal puppies resting on the pebbly coastlines.
