England’s border county, Northumberland has everything you could want and more – a turbulent history, more castles than anywhere else in Britain, a stunning coastline, long sandy beaches, rolling hills and moorland, winding rivers and picturesque towns and villages. And it’s all within a short driving distance of Newcastle.
The area features the quiet coastal retreats of Beadnell, Druridge Bay and Alnmouth, with houses painted in pastel shades of pink, yellow and blue. Further inland, find the pretty villages of Ford and Etal, Blanchland on the Northumberland-Durham border and the lively market town of Hexham. Ancient man, the Romans, Saxons, Vikings, Scots and warring Border Reivers have all left their indelible mark on this beautiful landscape.
Don't miss:
Hadrian’s Wall, a World Heritage Site, which stretches from Wallsend on the North East coast to the Solway Firth in Cumbria on the west. Large tracts of the wall still stand nearly 2,000 years after the Emperor Hadrian ordered its construction, the most complete and dramatic section being at Housesteads Roman Fort near Bardon Mill.
The 40-mile stretch of the north Northumberland coast between Berwick and Amble is a must see, packed with areas of outstanding natural beauty
Alnwick Castle and Gardens. Known as the Windsor of the North, the castle is famous for standing in for Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films and for featuring in the TV programme Blackadder. It is still home to the Duke of Northumberland and his family. The adjacent Alnwick Garden is the brainchild of the current Duchess, a stunning floral wonderland with acres of fascinating plants, water sculptures, the Grand Cascade and the infamous Poison Garden.
