The County of Northumberland in North East England is home to some of the most spectacular UK coastline, picturesque countryside, quaint villages, and over 70 historic castles.
There's so much stunning scenery to enjoy and places to explore, it's difficult to know where to begin. So, following a 4 day visit with our teenagers, I've put together this Best things to do in Northumberland post full of ideas to help you decide.
Alnwick
Alnwick market town should be high on your list of things to do when visiting Northumberland. It boasts a fabulous castle with adjoining gardens. Plus the historic town centre is crammed with boutique shops and plenty of eateries. And there's even the opportunity to dine at one of the largest wooden treehouses in the world.
Explore Alnwick Castle
Alnwick Castle was built over 950 years ago, and has been owned by the Percy family for over 700 of those. The family still live there today, making it the second largest inhabited castle in the UK.
Harry Potter fans will recognise parts of the castle grounds from the films. Especially during the broomstick flying lessons in Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. The location has also been used for a number of other film and TV productions, including: Downton Abbey, Transformers, and Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.
For this reason, I suggest joining one of the Film Tours which take place throughout the day. We found this really interesting as our tour guide regaled us with anecdotes and filming secrets.
A trip to Alnwick Castle is great for families of all ages. We visited with our teenagers mainly due to the Harry Potter link. However, there are plenty of other activities and areas dedicated to younger children.
Artisans Courtyard transports visitors back to medieval times. This is also where you'll find the very popular Dragon Quest giving guests the chance to come face-to-face with these mythical creatures.
Broomstick training takes place on the nearby lawn area. Or you could embark on some target practice with an archery session.
A number of Special Events also take place throughout the year. For information on what's available, check out the Alnwick Castle website: www.alnwickcastle.com
Although Alnwick Castle is used as a dwelling by the Percy family, you can still tour some parts of the main building. And I highly recommend you do so. It's a beautiful structure, plus the friendly and knowledgeable staff will tell you lots of interesting stories about the castle and some of its famous visitors.
Tips for visiting Alnwick Castle
- Some of the activities, especially Dragon Quest, book up very quickly. As tickets are issued on a first-come, first-served basis, I suggest heading there as soon as you arrive to secure yourself a space.
- It's a long walk from the main car park to the front gates of Alnwick Castle. The path takes you past the entrance to The Alnwick Garden then up a wide driveway. So plan accordingly, and wear appropriate walking shoes!
- Food is available to purchase from the Alnwick Castle restaurant and cafe. However, there's a back gateway leading off the courtyard, which is located close to the main town centre. Here you'll discover a larger selection of eateries.
Visit Alnwick Town Centre
Whether it's to eat, shop, or simply meander past the rows of picturesque buildings, Alnwick Town Centre is certainly worth a visit.
If shopping is on your agenda, there are a number of independent boutiques in Alnwick, plus the famous Barter Books. Here you can peruse and purchase a huge collection of second hand books. As well as stop for food and drink at the Station Buffet.
Unfortunately, on the day we visited Alnwick, the queue to enter the bookstore was so long we decided to give it a miss. Therefore, if a wander around the shelves is high on your priority list, you might want to head here near opening time.
For great food and quirky surroundings, The Dirty Bottles is a fabulous choice. Situated in a stone building close to Alnwick Castle, this pub serves a wide selection of tasty meals, snacks and drinks.
We stopped here for lunch, after we'd built up quite an appetite following a morning exploring the castle, and it was perfect. The Hot Diggity Dogs are huge, as was the tray of nachos my youngest teen ordered!
Dine at The Alnwick Garden Treehouse Restaurant
For more fun and unique dining, the Treehouse Restaurant at The Alnwick Garden is a great experience.
We ate here on our first evening in Northumberland. The food was good rather than anything spectacular, but the surroundings and atmosphere make for something a bit different.
I've written a full review here. Where you can read all about the food, beams and fairy lights. Plus how to enjoy the structure without a reservation at the restaurant.
The Alnwick Garden
A visit to Alnwick Castle and the Treehouse Restaurant both bring you within close proximity to The Alnwick Garden.
Although we didn't enter the gardens themselves, we did notice the stunning Grand Cascade as we wandered past the entrance on our way to Alnwick Castle. A meander around the grounds looks like it would be a lovely way to spend a few hours, and is another option to add to your best things to do in Northumberland list.
Beadnell, Seahouses & Bamburgh
Moving away from Alnwick toward the coast, there are a number of other beautiful places to visit nearby.
Beadnell, Seahouses and Bamburgh are all situated along the same stretch of road. Which makes it easy to visit them consecutively, as we did.
Walk along the Beadnell Bay harbour
Beadnell is mainly a residential area edged by a large bay which provides the perfect place for a stroll along the beach.
As we wandered along the small harbour with boats moored nearby, we noticed quite a few people enjoying a variety of watersports. Making this one of the most popular destinations for paddleboarders, windsurfers, jet-skiers and swimmers.
Watch the Seahouses sunset
Seahouses is a traditional seaside town with plenty of pubs, shops and restaurants, including three fish & chips shops.
Here you'll also find a games arcade and crazy golf. Plus, Seahouses is the place to head to if you're looking to board one of the Farne Island boat trips.
And we discovered the much larger harbour at Seahouses is the perfect spot to watch the sun setting over nearby Bamburgh.
Visit Bamburgh Castle, beach, shops & eateries
Bamburgh's crowning glory is the imposing Bamburgh Castle which stands high above the white sandy beach on one side and a cricket ground on the other.
Hint: One of the best aspects of Bamburgh Castle can be seen as you drive toward it from Seahouses. Don't miss it!
Further along, you'll discover a quaint row of shops and eateries serving everything from delicious ice creams in variety of flavours, to pub meals, and freshly caught local seafood.
As well as the castle, there's more local history to discover at the Grace Darling Museum. Located within walking distance of the castle and shops, this RNLI museum is dedicated to the heroic young woman who risked her life to save those of 9 sailors from a shipwreck off the nearby coast.
Take a trip around the Farne Islands
You can learn more about the story of Grace Darling, plus get up close to Longstone Lighthouse where she rowed out from, with a boat trip around the Farne Islands.
Boats launch from the Seahouses harbour, and are also the perfect way to witness some of the local wildlife in their natural habitat.
From mid-April to July, breeding Puffins draw large crowds. Seals can be seen from around April to November, with pups born during the last couple of months. And if you're really lucky, you may even spot dolphins and whales frolicking in the water.
We were too late to see the puffins during our August trip, but were treated to the sight of plenty of seals resting on the rocks. With some diving in to the water for a closer inspection of visiting tourists.
Beware! Embarking on a boat trip around the Farne Islands means you will get drenched. Even on a calm, sunny day, we all arrived back in the harbour completely soaked from sea spray. Therefore, I recommend taking a waterproof with you.
The Holy Island of Lindisfarne
My favourite, and definitely one of the best things to do in Northumberland, is exploring The Holy Island of Lindisfarne.
Tip: This unique setting is reached by a tidal causeway. Therefore, it's essential you check tide times before you travel. There's lots to see and do on Lindisfarne, so you'll need to plan accordingly to give yourself enough time to fully appreciate everything the island has to offer.
Lindisfarne Priory is a beautiful structure to wander around, and you can learn more about it's fascinating history at the adjacent museum.
The nearby Mead Shop is also worth a visit. Here you can sample the variety of meads, gins and rums on offer before purchasing a bottle (or few) of your favourites to take home with you.
Of course, Lindisfarne also boasts a castle which is easily spotted perched high on a hill overlooking the sea. Entry is free to National Trust members. But even if you don't wish to enter the castle, I still recommend climbing the cobbled path to enjoy the stunning views from the top. I loved the upturned boats used as storage sheds here too.
If all that walking builds up an appetite, there are a number of places to grab a bite to eat on The Holy Island of Lindisfarne. We dined at 1st Class Food - the cafe linked to the Post Office in the village centre. It was absolutely fantastic.
The Ploughmans Lunch was the best I've ever had. Cheeses, chutneys, pickles, fruit, olives and bread aplenty. The crab salad was beautifully presented and given the thumbs up from my husband and daughter.
There's even more to see & do
Following our 4 day visit, I've considered these some of the best things to do in one particular area of Northumberland. However, having discovered a few more picturesque locations on our drive home, I'm planning to add more to this list.
We briefly drove around the beautiful villages of Craster and Alnmouth. Both looked lovely places to visit, especially the larger Alnmouth with its inviting shops, pubs and restaurants.
Craster could be combined with a trip around Dunstanburgh Castle. Plus there's another impressive looking castle to explore at Warkworth.
All this provides the perfect excuse to return to this stunning part of the UK.
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