Northumberland

[stripeyreds0cks]

We've got a week booked in Northumberland soon and I'm looking for a few ideas for things to do.
We're going to Lindisfarne and Alnwick Castle, I had planned to get the train down to the Metro Center but the prices are £££ for 5 of us.
We're coming down from Scotland and have visited the area a few times but not for quite a while.
Any suggestions?
Thanks

Whereabouts are you staying? It's a massive county.

DH is from Northumberland and I have spent a lot of time there. This question pops up a lot on mumsnet so I have drawn up a list of things to do:

Towns
Alnwick, Amble, Berwick upon Tweed, Corbridge, Hexham, Morpeth, Rothbury, Warkworth

Castles
Alnwick Castle and gardens, Aydon Castle, Belsay, Bamburgh, Chillingham, Dunstanburgh, Lindisfarne, Warkworth

Stately homes
Cragside, Seaton Delaval, Wallington – all NT

Other Attractions
Brinkburn Priory, Coquet Island, Coquet Valley, Corbridge Roman Town, Farne Islands, Grace Darling museum, Hadrian's Wall - Chesters, Housesteads and Vindolanda, Ford and Etal, Hauxley nature reserve, Heatherslaw Light Railway, Holy Island, Howick gardens, Ingram Valley, Kielder, Warkworth Hermitage, Woodhorn museum

Beaches
Alnmouth, Bamburgh, Beadnell, Boulmer, Cocklawburn, Cresswell, Druridge Bay, Embleton, Holy Island, Low Newton, Longhoughton, Newbiggin, Seahouses, Seaton Sluice, Warkworth,

Children
Northumberland Country Zoo, Northumberlandia, Whitehouse farm centre

Places to eat

Ephesus, Morpeth
Nadon Thai, Morpeth
Tandoor Mahal, Morpeth
Lal Khazana, Shilbottle
Cook and Barker Inn, Newton on the Moor
The Running Fox, Felton and Longframlingtom
The Village Inn, Longframlimgtom
The Lord Crewe Arms, Blanchland

I wouldn't bother going to the Metrocentre. It isn't that straightforward to get to without a car as it isn't near a railway station or metro station.

If you want to go shopping I would drive to Kingston Park and get the metro into Newcastle and get off at Haymarket or Monument. Eldon Square is an excellent shopping mall in the middle of Newcastle, and IMO better than the Metrocentre which has gone downhill a lot since covid.

Also, look up tide timetables for the week for Holy Island so you can plan the right day to go there. Northumberland has an abundance of National Trust properties, and if you like visiting NT properties joining would pay for itself while you are there. IMO the best NT place to visit is Cragside. I think it is the jewel in Northumberland's crown.

Cragside was really fascinating - there's a documentary on it I saw years ago before I visited, was on bb4 but may be on YouTube.

I agree about not bothering with the Metro Center. You can get the train or bus from Newcastle easily enough but you're better off staying in Newcastle.

Hexham is very lovely, well worth a day out, especially if you fit in Corbridge as well. Plenty of places to eat out here too.

English Heritage is excellent along the wall, Corbridge, Ayton Castle, Belsay Hall, Housesteads etc. The Sill is a really good visitor centre on the military road for the National Park.

Do you have any particular interests?

Also, think about if you want to do Anlwick Castle or the Garden (or both). I like the garden but I like my castles in ruins.

If you're in the south of the country a trip to Beamish can be a great day out.

If I remember correctly you don't actually get to see that many rooms inside Alnwick Castle. IMO a good ruined castle is Warkworth (English Heritage).

The poison garden at Alnwick is fascinating. You have to book on a tour for this, but it is well worth it.

Our favourite "can go again and again and not get bored with" places in Northumberland are Keilder Observatory (need to book), Cragside NT and Beamish (fabulous gingerbread in the bakery).

Isn't Beamish in County Durham?
I agree that it is well worth a visit. Last time I went we were in a semi lockdown situation so you couldn't go upstairs in the houses. They were building the 1950s houses then, so I would love to go back.

Be aware Cragside is closed from the 6th Nov for electrical repairs- no xmas display this year. Also Alnwick Castle closes for the Winter 26th October, gardens are still open.

Wow, thank you all for the suggestions. I'll definitely check them all out.
We're staying near Seahouses, I remember a fantastic fish and chip shop in Eyemouth, hopefully that's still there.
There six of us going, aged from young teen and up.
Alnwick Castle is on our must do list, most of us have visited before but the one who hasn't is a HP fan. We've never been in the gardens though so I was thinking of booking that.
Thanks again

Barter Books in Alnwick is worth a visit - fab second hand bookshop with a nice cafe
Jolly Fisherman in Craster is a nice lunch stop - you can pick up some Craster kippers at the local smokery

Is there a reason the metro centre has to be by train?

It's built for the car.

If it's shopping you are after Newcastle is better IMHO anyway, and if it has to be public transport it's £2 maximum fare at the moment in England on the bus.

I wouldn't go the the metro centre by train, but it has its own railway station.

The list by @RampantIvy pretty much covers things to do and see apart from the Farne Islands. In all honesty Fort Kinnaird is better than the Metro Centre. Maybe you could do that on the way down or coming back?

Alnmouth is beautiful.
Alnwick - Barter Books is a must. (Cafe at the back do the best chip butties).
Lindisfarne is lovely, try to explore the island off the beaten track, watch the tide times and book a table at the Crown and Anchor.
Corbridge is very pretty, lots of little independent shops and the most amazing cake shop I have ever seen. Take walking boots and have a look at the nearby Wall remains.
Visit Keilder Water and look out for red squirrels.

I love Northumberland! Lovely walks, great food!

we loved Cragside.
The poison garden tour at Alnwick is really good.
Bamburgh Grace Darling museum is interesting.

I can't believe I missed the Farne Islands off. I'll add it to my list.

I didn't realise the Metrocentre had its own station either. I have always driven there.

Ford (and Etal) I'd avoid like the plague.....

We went to ford, literally nothing to do apart from the museum and shop that was openly hostile to the kids looking at the souvenirs they wanted to buy. The castle is a PGL centre, so you can see the gates, but that's it.

Apparently there's a playground, but despite following the signs, we couldn't find it.

The whole thing reminded me of the village Royston Vasey from the League of Gentlemen....

Sorry. Just realised you didn’t miss it off. I mentioned it because OP will be staying in Seahouses, and the Farnes are the obvious thing to do there :)

Metro Centre station is right next to the shopping centre and its only 2 stops from Newcastle Central.

The castle is a PGL centre, so you can see the gates, but that's it.

Oh, it must have changed since we were last there, which was admittedly a long time ago.

I have just realised why the train option didn't come up last time I looked. DD was living in Gosforth at the time and when we did a goole search on public transport I think the trains must have been on strike, which is why it wouldn't have come up as an option.

If you have a massive HP fan Alnwick Castle is massively over hyped.

Anyway, have a great holiday and if you go to Warkworth Morwick Dairy ice-cream is nearby and has the best ice-cream in Northumberland. Amble has Spurelli's which is a close second.

Doddington Dairy Ice Cream in Doddington is good too