Northumberland
Published in Woman's Weekly 10th June 2008
Published in Woman's Weekly 10th June 2008
The Coast of Northumberland
Many years ago when I was a fresh faced budding artist studying in Sunderland we went on a magical field trip to Lindisfarne, the Holy Island off the rugged Northumbrian coast. Although I spent a good deal of time in the Island’s two hospitable pubs, I never forgot the dramatic scenery and serenity of the place and I vowed to return.
Lindisfarne is just one of many gems along the 39 miles of coastline from Amble in the south to the fortified border town of Berwick in the north. Designated as an Area of outstanding Natural Beauty and Heritage Coast, magnificent historic castles, unspoilt beaches and a smattering of working seaside villages help to make this area one of my favourite parts of Britain. Try to avoid the busy summer months of July and August and the reward is an opportunity to embrace the sheer pleasure of exploring the landscape’s raw splendour and abundant wildlife in peace.
Berwick –Upon-Tweed
Famed for it’s Elizabethan ramparts that are still in excellent condition, England’s final frontier and most northerly town has had a somewhat turbulent past. It has changed hands at least 13 times between England and Scotland and confusingly has the only English football team to play in the Scottish professional league.
Berwick was also much loved by the artist LS Lowry who was a frequent visitor for over 40 years until his death in 1976. The six-mile Berwick Lowry Trail identifies the sites of many of his finest works and is worth exploring.
Bamburgh
Perched on a rocky outcrop at the very edge of the North Sea, it is hard to miss the towering battlements of Bamburgh Castle, the king of Northumbrian fortresses that dominates the local village and offers magnificent views out to the Farne Islands and Holy Island. Its stunning location has appealed to numerous film-makers and the roll call includes: Elizabeth, starring Cate Blanchett, and Mary, Queen of Scots starring Glenda Jackson.
Highlights of the public tour include a visit to the timbered King’s Hall and the various collections of china, furniture and the Victorian scullery.
Tel:01668 214515
www.bamburghcastle.com
The village of Bamburgh is also the last resting place of Northumberland’s most famous heroine, Grace Darling who risked her life in an open boat to help rescue passengers from a stricken steamship during a terrible storm in 1838. Afterwards, she became a somewhat reluctant celebrity and was plagued by unwanted visitors requesting locks of her hair or even her hand in marriage. Unfortunately tuberculosis claimed her life at the tender age of 26 but ongoing redevelopment of the Grace Darling Museum means she will never be forgotten.
Tel: 01668 214 910
http://www.rnli.org.uk/who_we_are/the_heritage_trust/grace_darling_museum
Alnwick
Recently voted ‘Best Place to live’ by Country Life Magazine, the market town of Alnwick is perhaps best known for its castle and garden.
Home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, Alnwick Castle is visually stunning from the outside with much to see and explore inside. The kids will love the scary interactive challenge of the Dragon’s Quest and the Knights challenge where they can dress up in clothes of the time, learn the art of swordsmanship and generally have a good time.
The Castle has recently become familiar to all fans of the Harry Potter movies as the location for ‘Hogwarts’ in the first 2 films
Tel:01665 510777
www.alnwickcastle.com
Next to the Castle is the ambitious garden visitor attraction featuring The Grand Cascade, one of the largest water features of its kind in the UK . Opened in 2002 by its patron HRH The Prince of Wales, Alnwick Garden is the brainchild of The Duchess of Northumberland and has become the most popular tourist attraction in Northumberland.
Tel:01665 511350
www.alnwickgarden.com
The Lady Waterford Hall
If poor weather forces you indoors then a short trip inland to the old village of Ford should not be missed. This was home to the remarkable Louisa, Marchioness of Waterford, who led a fascinating and rewarding life. Widowed at 41, she set about improving the lives of her estate workers by building new houses and introducing a basic form of free health care by employing a nurse. In an effort to advance the education of the children she established a new school and also paid the fees since education was not officially free. A gifted artist, Louisa was a pupil of Ruskin and was greatly attracted to the pre-Raphaelite school of painting, which led to her “great experiment” of covering the walls of the schoolhouse with scenes from the Bible. The pictures are in a sense the portrait gallery of Ford village as all her models were chosen locally and included the schoolmaster, gardener and gamekeeper. After some extensive restoration the results of her 21 years of labour still look impressive and provide a fitting testament to “the good lady” of Ford.
Tel: 01890 820503
http://www.ford-and-etal.co.uk
Wildlife
The interaction of sea and land has created a rich mix of habitats, which support a wide range of wildlife including grey seals, dune flowers, over-wintering birds and summer seabird colonies. I met up with Tom Cadwallender, the AONB's natural and cultural heritage officer who has travelled all over the world yet still rates the Northumberland coast as one of the best places to observe nature. He recommends June as the best time to visit, particularly if you want to see a large number of breeding seabirds including Britain’s biggest colony of the endangered Roseate Terns on Coquet Island. Boat trips run daily in the summer months from nearby Amble or head to the harbour at Seahouses where you can hop onboard a boat trip around The Farne Islands and observe the internationally renowned bird reserve and grey seal colony.
For bird watching novices, Tom will be running 3 drop in sessions for those who want to learn more about this fascinating hobby. For further details contact Tom direct: Tel: 01670 533 039 Email: TCadwallender@Northumberland.gov.uk
Food and Drink
No visit to Northumberland would be complete without sampling the famous Craster Kipper from the family business of Robson & Sons. They have been oak smoking their kippers and salmon for over four generations and are widely considered to produce the finest kippers in Britain.
Tel: 01665 576223
www.kipper.co.uk
The best pubs include:
The Ship Inn at Low Newton, set amongst old fisherman’s cottages right on the beach, serving freshly caught sea fish and real ales.
The Olde Ship at Seahouses, which is full of nautical bits and pieces including ships’ figureheads, navigating instruments and old fishing artefacts
The Fishing Boat Inn at Boulmer – It’s on a beautiful spot right on the coast and was regularly featured in the ITV series Distant Shores (with the actor Peter Davidson), serves locally caught lobster and fish.
www.fishingboatinn.co.uk
Best Beaches
Alnmouth Bay: The quietest and most beautiful stretch of beach is to be found across the dunes to the south of the Aln estuary near a cross dedicated to Saint Bede.
Bamburgh Beach: The Castle provides an impressive backdrop to this lovely sandy beach with rock pools and sand dunes that always prove popular with the children.
Embleton Bay: Easy access at Low-Newton-by-the-Sea makes this a popular choice for those who enjoy water sports such as windsurfing and canoeing. Further along the bay is the ruin of Dunstanburgh Castle. A legend relates how a young and beautiful lady was imprisoned within its walls despite the best attempts of a Knight called Sir Guy who failed to rescue her and his ghost is said to wander the castle in a vain search for the damsel.
Holy Island: When the tide is out, follow the causeway across to Lindisfarne and park up before you reach the village. The sand dune environment covers much of the island and the North Shore boasts a flat sandy beach with sheltering overhanging dunes.
Take a green break
With all the concerns over global warming, why not leave the car at home and consider exploring the Northumberland coastline by public transport?
The Durham-Berwick section of the East Coast Main Railway Line is generally considered to be one of the finest train journeys in Britain offering outstanding views.
Tel:08457 225 225
www.gner.co.uk
For impartial information on planning your journey by bus, coach or train contact:
www.traveline.org.uk
Tel:0871 200 22 33
Cycling tourism has become the biggest growth industry in recent years with plenty of new routes and trails. The Coast and Castles Cycle section passes some of the areas finest locations whilst the Northumberland Coast path offers a continuous walking route passing sandy beaches, quant coastal villages and dramatic castles.
www.northeasttrail.org
Fact Box
For information about Northumberland visit
http://www.visitnorthumberland.com
For info on the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty visit
http://www.northumberlandcoastaonb.org
Or contact one of our many Tourist Information Centres: Alnwick TIC, 2 The Shambles, Alnwick Tel: 01665 511333 Berwick-upon Tweed TIC, 106 Marygate, Berwick-upon-Tweed. Tel: 01289 330733 Morpeth TIC, The Chantry, Bridge Street, Morpeth. Tel: 01670 500700
Many years ago when I was a fresh faced budding artist studying in Sunderland we went on a magical field trip to Lindisfarne, the Holy Island off the rugged Northumbrian coast. Although I spent a good deal of time in the Island’s two hospitable pubs, I never forgot the dramatic scenery and serenity of the place and I vowed to return.
Lindisfarne is just one of many gems along the 39 miles of coastline from Amble in the south to the fortified border town of Berwick in the north. Designated as an Area of outstanding Natural Beauty and Heritage Coast, magnificent historic castles, unspoilt beaches and a smattering of working seaside villages help to make this area one of my favourite parts of Britain. Try to avoid the busy summer months of July and August and the reward is an opportunity to embrace the sheer pleasure of exploring the landscape’s raw splendour and abundant wildlife in peace.
Berwick –Upon-Tweed
Famed for it’s Elizabethan ramparts that are still in excellent condition, England’s final frontier and most northerly town has had a somewhat turbulent past. It has changed hands at least 13 times between England and Scotland and confusingly has the only English football team to play in the Scottish professional league.
Berwick was also much loved by the artist LS Lowry who was a frequent visitor for over 40 years until his death in 1976. The six-mile Berwick Lowry Trail identifies the sites of many of his finest works and is worth exploring.
Bamburgh
Perched on a rocky outcrop at the very edge of the North Sea, it is hard to miss the towering battlements of Bamburgh Castle, the king of Northumbrian fortresses that dominates the local village and offers magnificent views out to the Farne Islands and Holy Island. Its stunning location has appealed to numerous film-makers and the roll call includes: Elizabeth, starring Cate Blanchett, and Mary, Queen of Scots starring Glenda Jackson.
Highlights of the public tour include a visit to the timbered King’s Hall and the various collections of china, furniture and the Victorian scullery.
Tel:01668 214515
www.bamburghcastle.com
The village of Bamburgh is also the last resting place of Northumberland’s most famous heroine, Grace Darling who risked her life in an open boat to help rescue passengers from a stricken steamship during a terrible storm in 1838. Afterwards, she became a somewhat reluctant celebrity and was plagued by unwanted visitors requesting locks of her hair or even her hand in marriage. Unfortunately tuberculosis claimed her life at the tender age of 26 but ongoing redevelopment of the Grace Darling Museum means she will never be forgotten.
Tel: 01668 214 910
http://www.rnli.org.uk/who_we_are/the_heritage_trust/grace_darling_museum
Alnwick
Recently voted ‘Best Place to live’ by Country Life Magazine, the market town of Alnwick is perhaps best known for its castle and garden.
Home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, Alnwick Castle is visually stunning from the outside with much to see and explore inside. The kids will love the scary interactive challenge of the Dragon’s Quest and the Knights challenge where they can dress up in clothes of the time, learn the art of swordsmanship and generally have a good time.
The Castle has recently become familiar to all fans of the Harry Potter movies as the location for ‘Hogwarts’ in the first 2 films
Tel:01665 510777
www.alnwickcastle.com
Next to the Castle is the ambitious garden visitor attraction featuring The Grand Cascade, one of the largest water features of its kind in the UK . Opened in 2002 by its patron HRH The Prince of Wales, Alnwick Garden is the brainchild of The Duchess of Northumberland and has become the most popular tourist attraction in Northumberland.
Tel:01665 511350
www.alnwickgarden.com
The Lady Waterford Hall
If poor weather forces you indoors then a short trip inland to the old village of Ford should not be missed. This was home to the remarkable Louisa, Marchioness of Waterford, who led a fascinating and rewarding life. Widowed at 41, she set about improving the lives of her estate workers by building new houses and introducing a basic form of free health care by employing a nurse. In an effort to advance the education of the children she established a new school and also paid the fees since education was not officially free. A gifted artist, Louisa was a pupil of Ruskin and was greatly attracted to the pre-Raphaelite school of painting, which led to her “great experiment” of covering the walls of the schoolhouse with scenes from the Bible. The pictures are in a sense the portrait gallery of Ford village as all her models were chosen locally and included the schoolmaster, gardener and gamekeeper. After some extensive restoration the results of her 21 years of labour still look impressive and provide a fitting testament to “the good lady” of Ford.
Tel: 01890 820503
http://www.ford-and-etal.co.uk
Wildlife
The interaction of sea and land has created a rich mix of habitats, which support a wide range of wildlife including grey seals, dune flowers, over-wintering birds and summer seabird colonies. I met up with Tom Cadwallender, the AONB's natural and cultural heritage officer who has travelled all over the world yet still rates the Northumberland coast as one of the best places to observe nature. He recommends June as the best time to visit, particularly if you want to see a large number of breeding seabirds including Britain’s biggest colony of the endangered Roseate Terns on Coquet Island. Boat trips run daily in the summer months from nearby Amble or head to the harbour at Seahouses where you can hop onboard a boat trip around The Farne Islands and observe the internationally renowned bird reserve and grey seal colony.
For bird watching novices, Tom will be running 3 drop in sessions for those who want to learn more about this fascinating hobby. For further details contact Tom direct: Tel: 01670 533 039 Email: TCadwallender@Northumberland.gov.uk
Food and Drink
No visit to Northumberland would be complete without sampling the famous Craster Kipper from the family business of Robson & Sons. They have been oak smoking their kippers and salmon for over four generations and are widely considered to produce the finest kippers in Britain.
Tel: 01665 576223
www.kipper.co.uk
The best pubs include:
The Ship Inn at Low Newton, set amongst old fisherman’s cottages right on the beach, serving freshly caught sea fish and real ales.
The Olde Ship at Seahouses, which is full of nautical bits and pieces including ships’ figureheads, navigating instruments and old fishing artefacts
The Fishing Boat Inn at Boulmer – It’s on a beautiful spot right on the coast and was regularly featured in the ITV series Distant Shores (with the actor Peter Davidson), serves locally caught lobster and fish.
www.fishingboatinn.co.uk
Best Beaches
Alnmouth Bay: The quietest and most beautiful stretch of beach is to be found across the dunes to the south of the Aln estuary near a cross dedicated to Saint Bede.
Bamburgh Beach: The Castle provides an impressive backdrop to this lovely sandy beach with rock pools and sand dunes that always prove popular with the children.
Embleton Bay: Easy access at Low-Newton-by-the-Sea makes this a popular choice for those who enjoy water sports such as windsurfing and canoeing. Further along the bay is the ruin of Dunstanburgh Castle. A legend relates how a young and beautiful lady was imprisoned within its walls despite the best attempts of a Knight called Sir Guy who failed to rescue her and his ghost is said to wander the castle in a vain search for the damsel.
Holy Island: When the tide is out, follow the causeway across to Lindisfarne and park up before you reach the village. The sand dune environment covers much of the island and the North Shore boasts a flat sandy beach with sheltering overhanging dunes.
Take a green break
With all the concerns over global warming, why not leave the car at home and consider exploring the Northumberland coastline by public transport?
The Durham-Berwick section of the East Coast Main Railway Line is generally considered to be one of the finest train journeys in Britain offering outstanding views.
Tel:08457 225 225
www.gner.co.uk
For impartial information on planning your journey by bus, coach or train contact:
www.traveline.org.uk
Tel:0871 200 22 33
Cycling tourism has become the biggest growth industry in recent years with plenty of new routes and trails. The Coast and Castles Cycle section passes some of the areas finest locations whilst the Northumberland Coast path offers a continuous walking route passing sandy beaches, quant coastal villages and dramatic castles.
www.northeasttrail.org
Fact Box
For information about Northumberland visit
http://www.visitnorthumberland.com
For info on the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty visit
http://www.northumberlandcoastaonb.org
Or contact one of our many Tourist Information Centres: Alnwick TIC, 2 The Shambles, Alnwick Tel: 01665 511333 Berwick-upon Tweed TIC, 106 Marygate, Berwick-upon-Tweed. Tel: 01289 330733 Morpeth TIC, The Chantry, Bridge Street, Morpeth. Tel: 01670 500700
