Alnwick Castle The medieval fortress and palace that is Alnwick castle is impressive from any direction. You can spend a couple of hours just walking the narrow streets and riverside footpath that surrounds it before stepping through its gates. The castle is 1,000 years old and has been home to the Percy family for over 700 of them. Its staterooms, walls and courtyards are all spectacular. The the indoor and outdoor cafés are pretty good too. Web: www.alnwickcastle.com | Tel:01665 511199.
The Alnwick Garden Since opening in 2001, the pleasure grounds of the Alnwick Garden continue to develop with new highlights and events added year on year. Centred around the huge Grand Cascade, there are paths leading to the Rose garden, the water feature sculptures of the Serpent Garden, a bamboo maze, the Cherry Orchard, the toxic delights of the Poison Garden and the walled Ornamental Garden. You can also just enjoy the view over a coffee or lunch at The Pavillion. Guided tours of the gardens and the pump room are also available. Web: www.alnwickgarden.com | Tel: 01665 511350.
Hulne Park The gatehouse of Hulne Park is just a few minutes walk from the centre of Alnwick and is the a range of circular walks from 4 to 6.5 miles. Web: Hulne Park Walking trails.
Barter Books In Alnwick’s Old Station Saying this is just one of the largest second-hand bookshops in the country is hardly doing it justice; set in a magnificent former victorian railways station, it’s a great place to browse, relax, enjoy a home-made brunch from the Station Buffet or an ice-cream from Paradise, its own ice-cream parlour. Web: www.barterbooks.co.uk | Tel: 01665 604888
Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery 14 Bailiffgate Three floors of exhibitions in Alnwick’s Castle Quarter telling the story of the town and those who’ve lived here from its beginnings to the present day. Web: www.bailiffgatemuseum.co.uk | Tel: 01665 605847
Nearby villages
Alnmouth Alnmouth is famed for its colourful cottages on the Aln Estuary and a great sandy beach for walks north along the coast towards Boulmer or Howick. 5 miles from Alnwick
Amble Amble village 9 miles from Alnwick
Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick 30 miles from Alnwick
Ford & Etal Ford & Etal Estates Two picturesque villages each with their own castle – the Flodden Field battlefield site is nearby too. 29 miles from Alnwick
Rothbury Rothbury village 12 miles from Alnwick
Warkworth An improbably attractive medieval village nestled in a loop of the Coquet River with with its high street bounded and one end by the well preserved ruin of Warkworth Castle and the other by the Church of St Lawrence. There’s a lovely river walk, a friendly tea shop and beautiful art for sale at the Fenwick Gallery. 7 miles from Alnwick
Castles, Country Houses & Gardens
Cragside House, Bamburgh Castle & Alnwick Castle
Bamburgh Castle Rothbury village 7 miles from Alnwick
Belsay Hall, Castle & Gardens Rothbury village 7 miles from Alnwick
Chillingham Castle Chillingham 7 miles from Alnwick
Cragside Rothbury village 7 miles from Alnwick
Dunstanburgh Castle Rothbury village 7 miles from Alnwick
Howick Hall Gardens Howick Howick Hall hosts one of Northumberland’s most beautiful and, at 65 acres, extensive gardens with trails in the Woodland Garden and grass paths with wildflowers and flowering shrubs throughout the season. Although the manor house itself isn’t open to the public, it does have a magnificent tea room in its old ballroom- this was the home of Earl Grey – serving tea and some pretty good cakes. 6 miles from Alnwick Website: howickhallgardens.com.
Lindisfarne Castle Rothbury village 7 miles from Alnwick
Wallington Rothbury village 7 miles from Alnwick
Warkworth Castle Rothbury village 7 miles from Alnwick
Escape to Alnwick, a picturesque market town and a perfect base for a short break to explore Northumberland’s wild landscapes, tranquil villages, castles and dune-backed sandy beaches.
Just four miles from the coast on the banks of the River Aln, Alnwick (pronounced Annick) is dominated by its magnificent castle whose history is inseparable from the town which built up around it.
You can wander through the winding streets of the old historic centre and discover the narrow cut-throughs. All routes eventually lead back to the central market square. The town was originally surrounded by a medieval defensive wall; above ground, all that remains visible today is the Bondgate Tower separating the Bondgate Within and Bondgate Without parts of the high street. A more recent 18th century tower remains at Pottergate.
Alnwick still retains the traditional independent shops that have disappeared from most high streets, together with a great choice of cafés, tea shops, restaurants and pubs to keep you sustained during your explorations.
From the cobbled market square which marks the centre of town, the Castle Quarter and the Georgian residential streets of Alnwick’s conservation area are easy to explore on foot. For a more rural amble, you can wander across the meadows on the banks of the River Aln with views of the castle as the backdrop to your walk.
The medieval fortress and palace that is Alnwick castle is impressive from any direction. 1,000 years old and home to the Percy family for over 700 of them, after Windsor Castle it’s the second largest inhabited castle in the country. Recognisable from numerous film and television appearances, it’s a joy to explore inside and out.
Since opening in 2001, The Alnwick Garden has developed into a spectacular 42 acre landscape with its highlight the Grand Cascade, walled garden, sculptures, water features and the ‘world’s deadliest’ poison garden. It continues to develop and has themed events throughout the year.
Just outside the town lies the the new ‘Lionheart’ Alnwick station from where steam engines pull trains on a reopened section of the branch line towards the coast at Alnmouth.
The coast a few miles to the east with beautiful unspoilt beaches and the hills and moors inland offer plenty of opportunities to explore further.
Alnwick Castle
Alnwick Playhouse & Barter Books
Alnwick: Hulne Park, Bailiffgate & St Michael’s Church
The Alnwick Garden: The Grand Cascade, Pavillion & Cherry Orchard
Alnmouth Beach Alnmouth’s wide sandy beach stretches out north of the Aln estuary towards Boulmer. Big Skies, wide vistas and backed by the pictureque village of Alnmouth. 4 miles from Alnwick
Bamburgh Beach A big sandy beach backed by dunes and in the shadow of Bambugh Castle. 17 miles from Alnwick
Beadnell Bay An arced sandy dune-backed bay with a picturesque harbour. A popular beach for kitesurfers. 14 miles from Alnwick
Sandham Bay On the northern coastline of Holy Island and only accessible on foot over the dunes, Sandham Bay is one of two beautiful and isolated beaches on the north of the island. You’ll need to check the tide tables for when the causeway road is open. 28 miles from Alnwick
Beadnell Bay, Bamburgh Beach & Sandham Bay
Into the Wild
Farne Islands Sailings from Seahouses harbour The chance to sail around or land on the Farne Islands. Lighthouses, seabirds and seals. 16 miles from Alnwick
Coquet Island Sailings from Amble harbour The seabird sanctuary of Coquet Island is just a mile’s boat trip from Amble harbour. You can’t land, but you can get a good view of the colonies of puffins, terns and eider duck nesting here in the summer, as well as island’s year around seal colony. 9 miles from Alnwick Web: Dave Gray’s Puffin Cruises | Facebook: @puffincruisesamble
Chillingham Wild Cattle Join a guided tour to encounter the world’s last remaining herd of wild cattle who’ve roamed around Chillingham for over 800 years. Around 100 of these untamed and pure-bred survivors of the ancient wild herd which one roamed Britain remain. Web: chillinghamwildcattle.com
Farne Islands
Into the City
Newcastle Take the train (from Alnmouth, 30 minutes) or bus (from Alnwick, 90 minutes) into Newcastle.
Edinburgh You can reach Edinburgh from Alnmouth in just over an hour.
On the rails again
Aln Valley Railway Lionheart Railway Station, Alnwick (SatNav: NE66 2HT) A trip on a re-opened one mile section of the old branch line towards Alnmouth from Alnwick’s new enthusiast-built Lionheart station on the outskirts of the town towards Greenrigg Halt. (The original line into Alnwick was severed by the A1(M) and the town’s old station now hosts Barter Books). Web: www.alnvalleyrailway.co.uk | @AlnValleyRail
Newcastle & Edinburgh by rail You can travel into the heart of Newcastle (30 minutes away) or Edinburgh (60 minutes away) for a day’s city sightseeing from Alnmouth station. Check travel times at www.nationalrail.co.uk.
