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A few weeks ago we decided to spend our last weekend in the U.K., before our long term travels, in Northumberland.
In the north of England, the region is talked about a fair bit as a summer holiday destination, but elsewhere it seems rare that it registers on anyone’s radar.This makes it a fantastic place to visit! Minimal crowds, loads of outdoor activities, history, culture and food; Northumberland really is a gem.
Below we detail what we got up to, what we wish we’d done and what we suggest for your trip.
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BAMBURGH CASTLE
Bamburgh Castle is an Anglo-Saxon masterpiece, known by many for being featured in blockbuster films, including Transformers, BFG and even the newest Indiana Jones. Beautifully restored, the 11th century castle was once home to Northumbrian kings and is now a museum.
One of the highlights for me was the beach. Although Alnwick Castle may be more well known for its gardens and media features, the setting of Bamburgh Castle is second to none. The position, towering 150 feet above the beach, is just magnificent. The beach itself is a fantastic place to spend some time, take a picnic, go for a run, walk your dog or even surf!
Cost | adults £12.50, Children £6.15. Book an e-ticket in advance on the website. During summer, tickets can sell out several days ahead.
Parking | the closest parking is around four pounds for three hours – there are several lots around the outside of the castle. There is very limited free beach parking north of the castle down a road called The Wynding (you can see it on google maps). Get here early (before 8am) if you want a chance of snagging a spot.
Facilities | the village has all the facilities you could need including restaurants (try the Potted Lobster restaurant), cafes and hotels. There are public toilets in the centre of the village and also in several of the car parks. Ice cream vans frequent the area and there is a small vendor in the free beach parking selling sandwiches (try the kippers!)
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CAR HIRE FOR YOUR TRIP TO NORTHUMBERLAND
We always rent our vehicles all over the world, including our recent trips in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Morocco, with Discover Cars. They’re often the most affordable, plus they paid out immediately on an insurance claim we made when our car took some heavy damage in Sicily. We fully recommend them.
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TAKE A LOOK BELOW OR CHECK CAR RENTAL
DUNSTANBURGH CASTLE
Dunstanburgh Castle was my favourite part of our weekend in Northumberland. Not only is it the largest castle in the region, but its remote position makes it an imposing sight. Unlike Bamburgh and Alnwick Castles, Duntanburgh is not renovated and restored. It has no roof or walls, but is so strikingly beautiful as you walk towards it.
It was built in the 14th Century and can be reached by a 1.3 mile walk through farm land. Prepare for sheep and cows! We visited just before closing at 5pm. This meant that people were leaving and it was quiet. The other benefit is that you can walk around the outside afterwards when there are no people left at all and the light and scenery are beautiful.
Cost | adults £6.50, Children £3.90. Book an e-ticket on the English Heritage website. The tickets do not tend to sell out in advance.
Parking | pay-parking can be found in the nearby village of Craster which is around a 1.5 mile walk from the ruins. This parking can fill up quickly during peak times. Also bring some cash – the pay machines are temperamental and some people have reported struggling to get phone reception in the area in order to use the parking app. There is some free street parking right next to the field entrance on Dunstanburgh road which we have used when visiting during quiet periods.
Facilities | there are no toilet facilities in the castle ruins themselves, so be aware of that before you set off on the walk! There are public toilets in the designated car park. The walk isn’t really suitable for people who struggle to walk long distances or over mildly rough terrain. There are some uneven steps, a few small hills and no designated paths. The village has a few food and drink options including a nice pub and various accommodation choices.
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THE HOLY ISLAND OF LINDISFARNE
Holy Island, a stretch of land just north of Bamburgh, is technically an island for about half the day. The North Sea tides wash over the causeway making it inaccessible for long stretches throughout the day and night. Do not fear though, if you get stuck, there are numerous things to do!
We crossed over just for the morning/afternoon between the tides and it was the perfect length of time to stay if you want to see everything and not stay overnight.
The highlight of the area is unquestionably Lindisfarne Castle. Built in the 16th century, this property was more recently used as a (rather spectacular) holiday home! Now managed by the National Trust, the castle, the Gertrude Jekyll Garden and surrounding grounds are all open to visit.
Holy Island is also home to Lindisfarne Mead which sells various other beverages along with mead, such as gins and liquors. Also nearby is the Lindisfarne Priory, managed by English Heritage. This is a medieval monastery with admission costs of £8.70 per adult, £5.20 for children when bought in advance. Personally, I wouldn’t pay the fee but it depends on your interest level. It is possible to just walk around the outside and walk up the hill at the back where you can see the entire ruins from above.
Cost | Lindisfarne Castle: adults £9.00, children £4.50. Book an e-ticket on the National Trust website. The tickets often sell out in advance – always pre-book.
Parking | the Holy Island Chare Ends pay-parking is a large field at the entrance to Holy island, just past the tidal causeway. There is ample space. Both cash and cards are accepted, £4.50 for three hours or £7.00 for the day.
Facilities | there are public toilet facilities throughout the village itself, plus various restaurants and pubs (try Manor House or The Crown and Anchor – they have outdoor seating). A handful of quality accommodation options can be found in the village, book ahead.
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NORTHUMBERLAND NATIONAL PARK
Northumberland National Park is the northernmost park in England, sharing a border with Scotland. As the least populated and visited park with only 2200 people residing there, it is a world away from places like the Lake District which is always teaming with people.
The most well-known tourist attraction in the park is Hadrian’s Wall. This 73 mile long wall stretches from Carlisle in the west to Newcastle in the east and is popular with walkers and through-hikers. Housesteads Roman Fort ( £9.00 adult, £5.40 Child) is the best-preserved Roman fort in Britain and has an impressive latrine to admire!
Kielder Water and Forest Park not only holds the largest artificial lake in the U.K. by volume but also England’s largest forest. We drove around it and stopped for a short walks but it would be excellent for kayaking, longer hikes and mountain biking too. It would also be a seriously fantastic place for some quiet, dark skies overnight camping (England weather permitting!).
Although not strictly within the National Park, we actually popped over the border to Scotland to Kelso as Nick was (as always) feeling hungry. Kelso is a lovely little town with an Abbey and excellent food choices. The shop fronts have flowers everywhere and one had an ingenious secondary use for wellies and old shoes. We visited a few of these border towns on our trip and found them all to be wonderfully charming.
Cost | there are no costs for entry into the National Park.
Parking | plentiful throughout. Some attractions will have pay-parking.
Facilities | public toilets can be found in some villages, plus in various pubs and restaurants. Various levels of accommodation can be found throughout the National Park. One of the appeals of the park though is the remoteness – so some places can be a distance from restaurants, bathroom etc.
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OTHER PLACES TO VISIT
Hexham | a few miles away from Hadrian’s Wall with lots of thing to do for an afternoon including a visit to Hexham Abbey.
Seahouses | this historic fishing village is also a treat for bird watchers who love puffins as they can be seen from March to early July and there are tours to Farne Islands.
Amble | another fishing village with tours to a 36,000 colony strong seabird sanctuary on nearby Coquet Island.
Berwick-Upon-Tweed | a traditional market town right on the border of Scotland with some interesting architectural features such as medieval town walls and old jail cells with 18th century graffiti.
Where would we go next time?
Next time we definitely want to visit Kielder Water and Forest Park to do more significant forest hiking and overnight camping – it looked amazingly remote! We also missed out Alnwick Castle on our trip (£18.50 adult, £9.75 child) because the weather was standard England levels of sketchy and it is too expensive to go during a downpour! I’ve read that is well worth your time though if you’re not all ‘castled out’ by this point.
We are also planning a trip to walk across the entire of Hadrian’s wall.
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Thank you, Claire + Nick
