Northumberland recommendations

[SnowCurl]

Just that! Talk to me people. Am on a holiday come down and need to start thinking happy thoughts for next year! (Yes, already ) x

Ooh, lovely beaches, great castles, wildlife watching round Farne Islands - what's your bag?

It's beautiful and pretty empty in summer.

The beaches are amazing, fantastic castles and history, Lindisfarne which is the most magical place ever. Chillingham castle which is a bit of a random collection of oddities but had the most incredible torture chamber collection. Really fascinating in a macabre way.

It's just a beautiful part of the world.

It certainly looks stunning. Thanks for those, **Doyou. We love walks and being outdoors (we have three kids under 6) but can't be too overambitious with walks (the younger two dont have the stamina for day long treks). Castles and beaches spot on- the boys love exploring and digging! Any places you would avoid/like to stay? Grateful for any tips
Hope summer is treating you well xxx

The best place we stayed was Warkworth, it's got it's own castle and is within a mile of a lovely sandy beach. We rented a house on the river and it was just beautiful. It's about an hours drive from lindisfarne but so worth the journey.

We stayed nearer Berwick upon tweed another time which was ok but less interesting.

We did lots of coastal walks and there is a lovely walk around lindisfarne, fairly flat but quiet as most people stick to the castle and shops bit. You have to time it with the tides because the causeway is inaccessible at high tide. You can drive over and wait for the next high tide to pass before returning though; our boys loved it.

I'd love to go back but it's a hell of a drive for us.

We stayed in Beadnell, which was a bit lacklustre, but a good base. Bamburgh looked nice. Beadnell Bay is fantastic - a huge arc of sand. We were also able to walk to Seahouses along the beach.

Alnwick Castle is good and the gardens amazing, but it's pricey!

Have just looked at Warkworth (which looked lush) and Beadnell- beach looks fab. I don't mind if there's not much to do in the immediate vicinity. We stayed on a farm in the middle of nowhere recently and just did lots of day trips.

What time of year did you guys go and what was the weather like? Xxx

Both times we have been the beginning of August. First time the weather was a bit crap, second time we had amazing weather for all but one day. It was proper hot, beach weather. Poor ds1 burnt the top of his feet walking along the beach and ds2 ended up with hair like straw after dipping his hat in seawater before sticking it on his head when he was hot! He topped that off by rolling In the sand dunes and getting that in his hair too. Not great for a child with shoulder length hair!

That is the downside, the weather can be rubbish, it's such potluck! We live down south and really do notice the temperature difference when we head up north. We holidayed in the Lakes this year and we were definitely a few degrees cooler and damper up there than at home. To be expected in the Lakes though I guess

The other unforgettable thing we did when in Northumberland was heading to Hadrians Wall. We walked along the stretch to Housesteads Roman fort and back from some place I can't recall the name of which is really well preserved and a stunning walk. Well worth a visit.

Ha ha. Yes, I'm a Southerner and I moved up North a few years ago. Still can't used to the weather here. You really can have all four seasons in one day. So I guess it will be similar "summer" weather to here which is fine.
Thanks for the Hadrian's wall recommendation! Its on my list :) xxx

We've just got back from Seahouses and loved it! The coastline is stunning and there's lots of wildlife (particularly birds). If you're not already, it might be worth getting a National Trust membership as day outs can be pricey (Wallington House was £13 per adult). I enjoyed staying in Seahouses, not loads to do there, but a harbour (I recommend a boat tour around the Farne Islands), a beach and enough shops to sustain you for a week.

You can take a boat out at Seahouses and see loads of seals/puffins etc.

Another vote for Alnmouth. Fantastic little town and beach-good coffee shops!
Craster looks nice too.

Lovely day out to be had at Tynemouth.

Northumberland is lovely, there's the coast on one side and Northumberland national park on the other.
Sea houses, Alnmouth and Beadnell are all good places to stay, or Alnwick if you want to be a bit more inland.
Felmoor park, just outside of Morpeth is supposed to be nice for somewhere to stay, and fairly central.
I'd definitely recommend a trip up to sea houses, take a boat trip to the farnes, have a walk along the coast etc. Craster is a lovely little village too.
If you don't already have one, I agree with a pp about a national trust membership. Wallington is a fab place to take the kids, so many parks, as is Cragside House, again loads to do, you could spend a whole day there, but it is around £14 if you don't have a NT membership.
Ingram valley is a lovely place to go for a walk, take a picnic and have lunch next to the waterfall (Linhope Spout)
Alnwicks nice to have a walk around, a good range of restaurants etc, and they have a farmers market as well.
There's loads of castles to see, Warkworth, Alnwick, Dunstanburgh, Chillingham etc.
I could write all day about the place, I love it.

And definitely go across to Lindisfarne (Holy Island) just remember to check the causeway times lol

Pub in craster serves amazing food, but it goes like hot cakes! Lovely (approx 2 mile) walk from craster to dunstanburgh castle alongside beach. Alnwick gardens and treehouse restaurant. Kippers from craster. Hotel in middle of alnwick has restaurant from sister ship to titanic and they're happy for you to have a look.

Northumberland is just up the road from us and we quite often zip up the A1 with a picnic for a day out.

Seahouses is a cute seaside town with excellent fish and chips, Bamburgh is a short drive further up the coast and the beach there is, I think, one of the best in the country. Holy Island is a nice afternoon too, but mind the tides or you'll get stuck. Craster is nice to walk round and Craster kippers are the best! Inland you've got Morpeth, Alnwick, Hexham, all good for a day out, and Newcastle isn't too far down the A1 for a day out too. If I didn't already live in the north east I'd be coming here on holiday.

Thanks for all these tips! We have got National trust membership and funnily enough used Wallington House as a stop off as well as another house in Seaton on the way back. That's what got me thinking Northumberland might be a nice place for a week away :) although now a week doesn't sound enough! Xxx

My neck of the woods! Too much really to list.

Bamburgh. Castle is good, but not cheap. If you are that way go to the copper kettle for lunch.

Beaches - Blyth is a dumpy town but a South Beach is unspoilt. Cambois beach is similar, along with newbiggin. Could spend days with kids just on the hidden nice beaches around here.

Take a trip to barter books in Alnwick, also home to a castle and beautiful gardens (great if you have a Harry Potter fan), and just generally a lovely little town for a potter around.

I'll have a think and pop back later with some more!

Walks in Coquetdale.

Beadnell has a fabulous beach and is a good base to see other places.

We go to Northumberland a lot as OH's family lives there. A lot of posters ask for places to visit so here is a list:

Towns
Morpeth, Alnwick, Hexham, Corbridge, Berwick upon Tweed

Castles
Alnwick castle and gardens, Chillingham, Warkworth, Belsay, Bamburgh, Dunstanburgh, Lindisfarne

Stately homes
Cragside, Wallington, Seaton Delaval

Other sites
Holy Island, Hadrian's wall - Housesteads, Vindolanda and Chesters, Howick gardens, Woodhorn museum, Farne Islands, Grace Darling museum, Brinkburn Priory, Warkworth hermitage, Hauxley nature reserve

Beaches
Druridge bay, Alnmouth, Embleton

Children
Whitehouse farm centre, Kirkley hall zoological gardens, Heatherslaw light railway, Eshott Heugh animal park

We had one of our best ever hols in Bamburgh. The beach is great and there was a lovely little deli. And a nice tea room.

We loved Alnwick castle. It was used in some of the Harry Potters. Alnwick Gardens were great too with a water area if I remember rightly. And a treehouse cafe. Yes also to Cragside. We loved going seal watching to the Farne Islands from Seahouses and being dive bombed by Arctic terns. And Lindisfarne via the causeway.

Really fancy going here too. Sure I read it's better to go in Spring as that's when you can see puffins etc?