Thread: Cumbria/Northumberland places of interest

We'll be loitering up north for a week after flidfest and going to mates wedding the following weekend (Alnwick). Any recommendations for places to visit? Got camping gear/mountain bikes etc. Any decent castles, walking/cycling routes? Anything really. Cheers.

Cragside (National Trust) is good if you are into Victorian engineering and big gardens on a hillside

Sounds good. I'll look at the machinery - the mrs. can look at the flowers...
Cheers.

Alnwick is an interesting place to wander about - if you can avoid all the Harry Potter fans.

.... and a wee trip over to Lindisfarne to sample the mead and crab sandwiches and risk your vehicle - racing the incoming tide on mega-long causeway. Driving or riding that road as the tide rushes in is such a buzz!

go up hartside!

alnwick is a good day on the piss,rothburys great countryside and country roads ,newcastles not far for a excellent day/night out ,plus loads of campsites about

Originally Posted by KevInYorks

Cragside (National Trust) is good if you are into Victorian engineering and big gardens on a hillside

My wife and I thought Cragside was superb - Lord Armstrong was way ahead of his time. There is a nice loop road around the gardens for a pleasant cycle ride but not very taxing for experts IIRC.

Also go to Bamburgh Castle - brilliant spot and there is a small Armstrong museum (as in the engineer/Cragside/flying etc).

If you want taxing cycling in Cumbria do the Hardknot and Wrynose passes but that's a long trek from Northumberland and I would guess one hell of a tough ride - only done it in cars but would love to do it on the KTM.

Get a haircut at Adelines in Ashington. Aunty owns it. Berwick is nice, and the coast road from Alnwick is ok, but I am sure more local guys would give a better idea for roads.

Alnwick castle is a good one, big museum and gardens, plus Lindisfarne and Bamburgh Castle as have also already been mentioned. There are various Roman ruins along Hadrian's wall, check out Vindolanda and Chesters if you're into that sort of thing... some spectacular walks along the wall too. And Kielder for walking/cycling/general sight-seeing. In fact practically anywhere you go in Northumberland will be good for walking, it has lots of unspoiled countryside.

I'm sure there's some great stuff in the Lake District too but I've never been there... the nearest I've been to Cumbria is Heysham and that's not very picturesque!