The Region
Moors

Northumberland is England's most northerly county, and also the least populated. It is a wonderfully diverse area with areas of dramatic uplands, beautiful sandy beaches and rugged coves as well as a multitude of thriving villages and market towns.

Today, Northumberland is a beautiful tranquil place. However, this peace and serenity were not always commonplace. Due to its location as a border county between England and Scotland, Northumberland was often a fractious place with many areas of, “Debateable Lands”. Nearby we have the battlefields of Hedgeley Moor and Flodden.

The Cheviots

During the medieval periods between the thirteenth and seventeenth centuries, the high lands of north Northumberland became the territories of  bands of outlaws known as the Border Reivers. The Reivers have left many legacies throughout the region – from tales and ballards of dastardly and heroic deeds, to the construction of many fortified houses and towers throughout the region.

Alnwick Castle

It is because of these war-torn days that Northumberland boasts more castles and fortified houses than any other English county, making it a dream for the history lover. Many of the castles are open to visitors throughout the year and include; Chillingham Castle with its infamous dungeon (5 miles) Floors Castle and Gardens in Kelso (22 miles) Alnwick Castle and Gardens (16 miles) - "The Windsor of the North" and ancestral home to the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, the location of Hoggwarts in the Harry Potter movies. The dramatic cliff-top ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle perched looking across the North Sea and the spectacular Northumberland coast. The romantic Bamburgh Castle - complete with it's own dragon legend and reputedly the site of Sir Lancelot's Joyous Guard. Warkworth Castle is tucked away on a loop of the River Coquet just before it enters the sea and is so well preserved it is often used in film sets and costume dramas. Then there is the photogenic Lindisfarne Castle situated on the tidal Holy Island - The birthplace of Christianity in the British Isles.

The hills around Turvelaws also show signs of human habitation from prehistoric times.   A little further up the valley on the edge of the Cheviot Hills lies the remains of Yeavering Bell.  Once an Anglo Saxon palace and the largest prehistoric hillfort in the region.

Nearby Wooler is a traditional Northumbria market town with a wide selection of shops, restaurants and bistros. It’s a nice place to wander and pick up a souvenir.

Newcastle Gateshead

For the more committed shopper, the cities of Edinburgh and Newcastle upon Tyne are both within an hours drive. With a huge range of theatres, museums and premium high street stores, both cities offer the ultimate fix for the compulsive shopaholic!