Northumberland
Northumberland is a haven of history and has a variety of castles, stately homes, market towns and attractions available.
Alnwick Castle, home to the Duke & Duchess of Northumberland is open from April-October each year. Visit the state rooms, take a tour of the extensive grounds or see where Harry Potter was filmed. A breathtaking castle steeped in history within the Alnwick market town and a must see attraction. Known as the ‘Windsor of the North’, learn about the life of the Percy family with over 700 years inhabitance at the Castle. Visit the Sanctuary at the Castle restaurant or have a drink in the courtyard area before visiting the shop.
Alnwick Gardens created by Her Grace, the Duchess of Northumberland is only a few minutes away from the Castle. Open every day (apart from Christmas Day), the Garden is ideal for children and adults alike. Visit the Grand Cascade and watch the mesmorising fountains, see the beautiful water sculptures or wander around the ornamental and rose garden. The cherry orchard is due to open in Spring 2009 and is planted with hundreds of cherry trees. Sit in the Pavilion café and have a drink or visit the infamous Treehouse. This quirky and unique restaurant built in the trees serves fine dining and day time meals.
The Farne Islands, two miles off the coast of Seahouses is home to wildlife and thousands of birds. Visitors can see puffins, guillemots or the colony of grey seals on the island. Boat trips leave the harbour every day from April to September.
Wooler is the gateway to the Cheviots and the Northumberland National Park. The Cheviot hills are a beautiful area to walk and see the wonder of nature.
Bamburgh Castle is a breathtaking castle with views to Lindisfarne and the Farne Islands. It has fourteen rooms plus collections of porcelain, glassware, paintings and tapestries. The Armstrong and Aviation Artefacts Museum contains relics from two world wars and the famous Spitfire.
Lindisfarne Priory can be found by crossing the dramatic causeway to Holy Island. Wander through the ruins of the monastery, visit the museum or spend a day at the beach on Holy Island. Only reached at low tide, the spectacular views and scenery are worth a visit.
Market towns of Ashington, Morpeth and Berwick-upon-Tweed are only a short distance away. A wide variety of shops and weekly markets are available.
Interested in castles? Some other castles to visit are Warkworth, Tynemouth, Barnard, Dunstanburgh, Etal, Prudhoe and
Aydon.
The North East offers a vast array of places to visit with countryside, beaches, parks and national trust properties all on your doorstep. Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Gateshead offer fantastic shopping, entertainment and nightlife.
