Northumberland may be the least densely populated county in England, but it is richly endowed with many of the finest heritage sites in the country, most of which come under the stewardship of English Heritage, Historic Houses or National Trust. In addition to Hadrian’s Wall, which skirts the south of the county, there are several great […]
Northumberland is very well endowed with fine National Trust and English Heritage sites, including Cragside House, Belsay Hall and several castles, but my favourite property is Wallington. Situated just twenty miles NW of Newcastle in the first foothills of the Pennines, Wallington has everything to satisfy the discerning senior traveller in pursuit of interesting heritage […]
Written by Anne Leuchars (A Runner-up entry in the Off the Beaten Track Writing Competition.) I never thought I’d do anything worthy of the record books, but surely taking six months to walk 36 miles wins the prize for ‘Slowest Completion of a Long Distance Trail’? But when those miles progress through the deliciously varied […]
Written by Julia Thorley (One of two winning entries in the Travel & Water Writing Competition.) Begin at Bamburgh Castle, holding firm its position on the Northumbria coastline for centuries. It is built on an outcrop of volcanic dolerite, a grim rock with toughness reflected in black and grey intrusions. The rock is part of the Great Whin […]
Millions of people every year see the distinctive shape of Lindisfarne Castle as they speed by on the main railway line between London and Edinburgh, or drive along the parallel A1 trunk road. But few stop to check out the rich heritage of Lindisfarne island; maybe they are put off by the tide-dependent access to the island. Lindisfarne off […]
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Historic Houses Northumberland: Chillingham Castle
Chillingham Castle in the north of Northumberland is an atmospheric, medieval fortress. We found it quite mesmerising looking around the ancient building, the formal gardens and the hillside parkland and lakes. Originally the site of a monastery, the present building dates back to the 13th Century but with many modifications along the way. Its strategic […]