a jewel in the crown

Northumberland is the king of the wild frontier; a jewel in the crown; a place in England where nothing else can compare. From the seminal heights of Hadrians Wall with its uninterrupted views over the county – to its wild coastline dotted with castles, its a place I never grow bored of. I spent a lot of time up there with my son Connor when he was growing up and jumped at the chance to return when Julie found an accessible farm house conversion near Haydon Bridge, for a weeks holiday. The journey ‘Up North’ by car, was always arduous from London let alone Exeter, but this trip was brutal, taking 11 hours. Thankfully the reward was worth it. The accommodation was perfect with a panoramic vista of the Cheviots, Pennines and the distant fells of Cumbria – it took your breath away. Northumberland is the least densely populated county in England and subsequently has minimal light pollution and one very big sky. Star gazing was limited on this occasion as it never really got dark before Midnight as our trip coinciding with the longest day. Back on ‘terra firma’ vast swathes of its rugged terrain are given over to farmland but a network of National Trust paths and cross county routes, allow visitors to explore its natural beauty and history which is etched deep into its soil. We criss crossed much of it in the following days visiting Kielder water and its forest – which was a kin to a man made babylon, before heading to the coast where we stopped in at the beautiful harbour of Craster made famous by its kippers. Much of the coast was fortified over the centuries from raiding parties and England’s own wars. Many of those castles now lie in ruins like Warkworth and Dunstanburgh, but Bamburgh was magnificent in all its splendour perched high above its sublime beach, which stretches yonder to the bustling fishing village of Seahouses – It’s little wonder it’s been used as a set for a number of blockbuster movies.

We still had time to make a pilgrimage to Holy Island or Lindsfarne. The priory, now in perfect ruin, was first established in the 7th century by Christian monks and was soon sacked by the Vikings. It’s history was unending, but blessed by beautiful weather we were able to explore the settlement and take a walk to the castle before escaping via its atmospheric causeway, before the tide cut us off.
Back at the farm house we were less than a mile from the remnants of Hadrians Wall. Still in remarkable condition in places we drove along the Roman road visiting several sites and forts. It’s difficult to underestimate the influence the Romans had on the area and what an industrious and sophisticated race they were.There was still time to take in Hexham and Corbridge and feast on some excellent home grown food and drink before our week was up, but there was so much more to see. If you are up for the journey then Northumberland is definitely worth an extended visit – it’s a real gem.