Medieval history, stunning seafood and breathtaking landscapes
Nestled on the border between England and Scotland, Northumberland is a rural beauty with some of the best beaches Britain has to offer, lots of history and stunning countryside.
As a history buff, Northumberland is somewhere I cannot believe I have not visited before – it has more castles than any other county in the UK (it is the county that borders Scotland and was the first port of call for Viking and Saxon invaders) and it is also breathtakingly beautiful.
I spent a week in the county this September but didn’t make it as far as Hexham or Berwick which are also meant to be breathtaking.
Your laugh-at-me moment – we got to Craster Harbour and the town was filled with smoke. I was incandescent that no-one was doing their civic duty and phoning for a fire engine. I kept looking at my phone which had no signal so went to look. Yup, it was a kipper smokehouse.
A bit about Northumberland
Northumbria as it used to be known was one of the most powerful Anglo-Saxon settlements and was a powerhouse of the Christian Church in England. Its role in early Christianity can still be felt throughout the county, with many homages to the venerable bede and less famous (or mainstream you could say) saints.
Because of its proximity to Scotland, there are many links to the Mary, Queen of Scots and the Jacobite Rebellion. However, any claim Scotland had over the country was renounced through the Treaty of York. That said, Berwick-upon-Tweed, the northernmost town in the county has passed between Scotland and England.
Equally during the reformation, the Northumberland family yielded significant power and the first Duke was counted as a ruler of the country from 1549 to 1553 and is credited as one of the people who reformed the church in the UK and led it to become a protestant nation under Edward VI. The Duke also returned to Catholicism before his execution in 1553.
Today, Northumberland is home to a significant engineering sector in no small part thanks to the legacy of the Armstrong Family who bought Bamburgh Castle and are responsible for many modern inventions.
Getting around
Northumberland is most accessible by car, however you can also get the train to and fly to Newcastle.
Public buses are more frequent between the bigger towns than in some parts of the UK, but really a car is easiest. Just one warning – tractors and hay bales rule the roost, and it’s difficult to actually drive at the intended speed as the roads are very windey – you need to add on 10-15 mins to any sat nav estimate to allow for being stuck behind something. Usually a tractor or hay bale but it could also be a horse.
My logistics:
Travelled: by car
Stayed: Air B&B – Castaway in Amble
Ate: everything
1. Lose yourself in the wonder of Barter Books
Barter Books is much more than a second-hand bookstore. It is one of the largest second-hand bookshops in the UK. Housed in the old train station in Alnwick (pronounced An-ick) it is beautiful, has a wonderful-looking cafe and separate ice cream shop and a wonderful model railway. The collection of books is exceptional, and there is a catalogue you can search to find what you’re looking for.
2. Take a boat to the Farne Islands
The Farne Islands have been the spotlight a lot in the UK of late as they have been a hotspot for the current bird-flu pandemic (apparently birds have been falling out of the sky). Most companies advertise the boat trips with a photo of a puffin (only actually visible in June and July so the advertising is dubious). It’s probably no surprise to you then that we saw a few shags, a ganet and some ducks but otherwise not many birds. We went with Billy Shiels as we liked the 90 minute tour option.
We did however see DOLPHINS. Yup, DOLPHINS off the coast of the UK. Pretty bloody cool.
We also saw Seals but frankly in comparison to DOLPHINS they weren’t that notable.
3. Immerse yourself in Roman Britain
Northumberland is littered with Roman remains and as a result there are a series of wonderful museums, ruins to visit and of course the legendary Hadrians Wall (which I am walking next year).
We made just one Roman stop, to Housesteads Roman Fort which thankfully is both National Trust and English Heritage. As with many Roman sites, there isn’t a lot to see. I understand the importance of funding to maintain old sites, but if I had paid the £9.50 entry I would have felt a bit cheated, especially as the museum took all of 10 minutes to go around.
4. Alnwick Gardens
Alnwick Gardens are meticulously landscaped, varied and vast. You can gaze at the water fountain display, lose yourself in the bamboo maze or
There are also a series of interactive benches (yup) and a poison garden (only accessible by a tour). All of which make a really enjoyable afternoon out.
You also have the option to visit Lilidorei – it’s fun, but in my opinion was just a bit expensive for what it was (we paid £19.80 each) – if it had been £10 or even £15 I would put it as a must-visit, but it wasn’t quite worth the price tag.
Cost: tickets for the Garden and the Lilidori each start at £16.50, combined tickets with Lilidorei are from £29.50.
5. Alnwick Castle
Home to the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, Alnwick Castle is better known as HOGWARTS (or some rooms in Downton Abbey). It was the site where the broomstick training in the first Harry Potter film took place and has become almost a mecca for fans of the movie.
It is, therefore, no surprise that Alnwick has monetised the life out of this – the shop is adorned with Harry Potter merchandise and you can even take a broomstick lesson at the Castle. However, if you are non-plussed about Harry Potter, there is much more to do at Alnwick Castle including a dragon experience, additional museums and fascinating artefacts.
As Alnwick features a lot on this post, if you would prefer a brief overview, I would recommend this self-guided tour of the town to take you through the day.*
6. Bamburgh Castle
Bamburgh Castle is another for the TV lovers – it is the set of the Netflix show The Last Kingdom (no, I hadn’t heard of it either). It was bought by Lord Armstrong who seems on balance like he was a good egg (and we definitely preferred the family to the Percy’s) who invented many contraptions to help servants and set up infrastructure to help the local community. He is however given the accolade of the UK’s first arms dealer, so that’s a big cross against him for me.
There are plenty more castles which we visited including Warkworth – these were fine, but nothing compared to Bamburgh and Alnwick.
7. Treat your tastebuds to locally-caught seafood
*Locals recommendation*
The Ship Inn, Low Newton
My verdict: stunning.
Northumberland contains a series of fishing villages which makes it a perfect location for any fish lover. I was lucky enough to try three exceptional fish dishes of hake with a creamy samphire sauce, lobster and plaice topped with fresh crab.
Whilst the Ship Inn was probably my favourite of the places we ate at, the Fish Shack was also exceptional and well worth a visit.
8. Indulge in decadent cake
Cuthbert cake which is mainly found on Holy Island (no, not the Aldi imitation of the M&S classic) dates back to 635 AD. I’d never heard of it but it’s a bit like an iced flapjack but better. Honestly, it is almost worth the trip to the island itself. Apart from this local gem, Northumberland is home to many tea shops, which means a lot of excellent cake. The next most note-worthy cake shop we found was Bertrams in Warkworth. It is dog-friendly, people-friendly, delicious and makes shabby chic look simple.
If possible, pair your Northumberland cake with locally roasted and smooth-as-silk, Pilgrims Coffee. Apparently, the locally brewed tea (Northumberland Tea) is also excellent, but I could not be parted from the coffee.
9. Go Star Gazing in Northumberland National Park
Northumberland National Park is a rare Dark Sky area which means the view of the stars is spectacular.
You can just fill up your thermos, grab your binoculars, download the stellarium app and park by the roadside to see what is on offer. Or if like us know your limitations, you can visit the Dark Sky Observatory and they’ll guide you through what you’re looking at.
As someone who can barely spot Orion’s Belt, I’m glad we went to the observatory. They showed us Saturn and Jupiter through the telescope, we saw shooting stars and they explained to me how I hadn’t found a new type of jumping star, but I wasn’t holding the binoculars properly.
10. Visit Holy Island (not an Island) and the ruined abbey
Lindisfarne is a weird division between that owned by the National Trust and that owned by English Heritage. Due to the tide times (and being stuck behind a hay bale on the journey to the island), we explored Lindisfarne Priory but didn’t make it to the castle. The Priory has an excellent museum that talks you through the history of religion on the island and the ruins are so precisely carved, that its difficult not to be impressed.
Cost: from £9 for adults.
11. Explore Cragside House
Cragside House in Morpeth is a jewel in the crown of the National Trust in the UK. The grounds cover 6 miles and it is advertised as the UK’s first ‘smart home’ and was owned by the Armstrong family (them again). It’s not difficult. to see their wealth and status from visiting the house. The decor is varied, stylish and captivating.
Now, Cragside is not cheap for those who are not National Trust members, but it is worth the entry fee. Not only is the house large, but the variety of things to see on the grounds including hydroelectric plants, a rock garden, numerous circular walks and an iron bridge make a whole day out.
Cost: from £22.00 during peak season, from £11.00 off-peak for adults.
12. Uncover one of Britain’s Best Beaches
Northumberland is home to an expansive and breathtaking coastline. Bamburgh is often considered to be the best in the county, and even on a brisk windy day, the sand dunes and blue sea were stunning.
We also explored Seahouses Beach and Embleton Bay, which not quite on the scale of Bamburgh were still worth the visits alone.
*This post contains affiliate links, if you use one to make a purchase, I will get a small commission at no cost to you. Please note, I only link to things I have done and would do again.
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