Alnwick

[CharlieandLolaCat]

Hi all, we're heading up to Alnwick in a couple of weeks - I am super excited, we are going on a boat trip round the Farne Islands, go round Alnwick castle (which I think is how you do the HP stuff) and gardens, bamburgh, Hadrian's Wall, holy island, cragside, beamish museum. What am I missing? Anyone know anywhere to eat in Alnwick? Me and a 7 yr old boy who loves pizza!

The bookshop in Alnwick is fantastic - a destination in itself.

Yes, definitely going to have. Day just pootling around.

Crazy golf and fish and chips in Seahouses.

Warkworth castle if you fancy yet more castles (a fallen down one in this case).

Amble for a spurelli’s ice cream and/or fish and chips at the fish shack.

A walk from Craster to Dunstanburgh (more castles).

Rockpooling at Cresswell (check the tides, wear aqua socks or shoes you don’t care about!), and you can get a pretty decent pizza from the bus at the Drift cafe just next door for lunch.

If the weather is shite, take him to inflata space in Newcastle for the afternoon.

And Beamish is bloody miles from Alnwick - I’d say do that on the way there or back!

Morwicks ice cream near Walkworth is worth a visit is your driving here, there and every where.

The Tree House in Alnwick Gardens would be an exciting place to eat with a 7 year old.

The Joiners Arms is a lovely gastro pub too.

Cragside is my absolute favourite NT property in Northumberland. Take a picnic, visit the house then drive down to the play park and labyrinth. So much to see and do.

Wallington Hall is also a fab NT property. Probably more geared to children than Cragside. 3 large play parks, the best children's climbing tree, fairy trail in the formal gardens.

Your trip sounds ace. Enjoy x

Barter Books in Alnwick. A bookshop the likes of which I'd never seen.

I was just coming to say the bookshop but I see a couple of people have beaten me to it.
The beach at Alnmouth is nice too.

Not exactly Alnwick but if you have time, a trip to the Jolly Fisherman Inn in Craster is well worth it. I used to go there regularly when an ex was working at the RAF base in Boulmer. There was a great coastal walk from the base to the pub.

Bamburgh Castle amazing and it is on a lovely stretch of beach so would be a nice day trip.

Could also do Holy Island-just check the tide schedule first!!!

oops i see you did mention Bamburgh nestled in your list-

am overexcited as have a house in bamburgh for a week in september and am loving these suggestions!!!

Taking notes!!

Agree do beamish on the way there or back. Or both since you'll never get round everything and you pass will last for a year. When you go you must have the fish and chips, they are delicious. Go queue early, there is usually a queue forming before it opens, if you get in line at that point you went be waiting too long but if you wait until a more reasonable lunch time you could be waiting for 2 hours which is pointless.

I pretty much eat my way round beamish. Sweet shop, bakery, fish and chips. Perfect day.

Alnwick Castle is OK but not much HP stuff really, the gardens are great though.

A potter round Durham is always nice, you can play Harry Potter spotting from the first two films in the cathedral cloisters.

You've pretty much got everything covered though with your list.

We are going to cresswell in two weeks so thank you for this thread ! Bamburgh was in the times recently as the best beach in the uk

Pre-book Alnwick castle if you want to there, the website says that it is pre-booked tickets only. I did ours a couple of days ago.
The castle gardens and poison garden are a separate entry and have to be pre-booked too.
I don't think I've ever had such an organised / planned out holiday before!

I second cragside.

There is also a great cafe called Grannies that does fab hot chocolate. It might nit be fully open as it's quite pokey.

The Tree House restaurant is a good experience but more for the building than the food (bit it's been a long time).

Box Pizza! It's a small blue van that does wood fired pizzas in the courtyard of the art gallery in Alnmouth. Check their insta/Facebook for opening times. You can eat outdoors in the courtyard or to be honest if you're in Alnwick it's only a short drive to Alnmouth so it'll keep hot till you get home.

I second the recommendation for jolly fisherman at craster. You can combine it with a walk along the coastal path to the ruins of Dunstanburgh castle in the distance.

I would pre book everything, right now. Especially things like the Alnwick garden (take a change of clothes - the water play is the best bit), and the treehouse restaurant. Even if you can't eat there in the evening, they usually have a separate little cafe so you can pop up for cake, and have fun on the rope bridges. This was pre-covid, however...

Do try the Gelato at Carlo's on main street in Alnwick - really good.

Second the fish and chips at beamish - so good! And fun to watch them make it on the coal-fired range, all in period clothes.

The ship in at Low Newton does the best crab sandwiches, and it's righto n the beach so you can eat outside on the green, looking over the beach. A good spot for rockpooling.

Love Alnwick and Bamburgh. The Winderwell in Bamburgh does nice coffee & ice cream. Grace Darling Museum is worth a browse & her grave is at the church opposite.
If you fancy a trip to Berwick then I recommend Marshals cafe next to go outdoors.

I wouldn't bother with Beamish unless you drive nearby on the way or back. Cragside is closer and amazing. Wallington too.

Can I hijack and ask a quick question as going down that way too.
What are Good child friendly options a for wet day? (Not soft play)
Thanks

@Campzilla, Hexham has a swimming pool, cinema and bowling. Hexham has a great child play area, possibly My Little Place, good for young children.

I think Berwick on Tweed may have a swimming pool too.

@Campzilla the Great North Museum (formerly the Hancock) museum or the Discovery Museum in Newcastle are brilliant wet day choices and free to enter.

The Centre for Life is also brilliant, but not free.

If you like art, the Baltic or the Laing are also bloody absolutely wonderful.

@Disfordarkchocolate
@enjoyingscience
Thanks I’ll look into
Those x

Brilliant, thanks all! Will rethink beamish! Now to get my son round all the walks without a constant monologue of Harry Potter or Minecraft!

Beamish is fantastic, we always buy a pass to visit as much as possible