Four Family Days in Northumberland

Are you looking for a peaceful adventure with feelings of vastness and warmth while being surrounded by ancient sites in the English countryside? Look no further. 🍂

But first, I need to set the record straight. We are not the family that gets up and out the door super early every day to see as much as possible. While some places might be best enjoyed in the wee hours, we prefer leisurely coffee as the kids watch Milkshake on the telly (it’s a British morning show for kids) and we try to figure out our lives for the day. 😅

If you’re wanting jam-packed days I’m probably not your girl but I will share what we realistically did and enjoyed! Since we were only in Northumberland for four days I’m well aware there is so much more to see and we do hope to return! With that said, here’s our itinerary and I hope you find it helpful.

From the Cotswolds with traffic and stops it took us over six hours to get to our Airbnb a historic clock house.

It was a great place to stay! Super clean and cosy.

Day 1. Our first day we went to Bamburgh castle and beach. You could spent several hours exploring the gorgeous castle, various sights and enjoying the play area for children. There are a couple of cafe options at the castle. Parking on site is simple and costs £6 for the entire day. I’d recommend doing the castle first and walking down to the beach.

Day 2. Late morning we visiting Barter Books in Alnwick. It’s a Victorian train station that’s been turned in a book store and cafe! There’s a toy train that goes over one room of the books and my son was enchanted. The children’s section is small but so charming. It was so heartening to see the children sitting on the floor together looking at books.

After lunch and buying a few books we drove just a couple minutes to the car park for Lilidorei which is a magical place for children to play full of nods to fairytales and whimsical creatures. The crown jewel is the giant play structure which is the largest in the world!

Be prepared if you visit during the holidays as it was crowded and it’s difficult to keep track of your child in the structure. My nine and seven-year-old were fine but under fives would need a grown up close behind them.

Something we wish we’d done: Visited the Alnwick Gardens for just a couple extra pounds with a combo ticket. I’d also be interested in the Alnwick castle but we were there after its open season. It’s a bit pricey so I’d give it an entire day if we went again.

After Lilidorei we walked to a beautiful bridge near the car park for a view of scenic Alnwick castle at B1340. Next time I’d like to go to Lion Bridge where you can see it up close and have a gorgeous view.

Day 3–We headed to Holy Island after checking the times it was safe to travel. You drive onto the island via a causeway and certain times of day you’re unable to drive on or off. There’s a large car park, and we loved our lunch at Pilgrim Coffee. A local told us it was the best coffee and we agreed! I also loved my soup and homemade bread. After lunch we walked along the rocky coast and the kids really enjoyed the stones and puddles that were in view of Lindisfarne Castle. We didn’t have time to go inside but it’s free if you have a National Trust membership.

Pretty soon it was time to go and nearly everyone made their way back to their cars. We headed to Berwick-upon-Tweed the northernmost town in England. After a quick stop for snacks at M&S Food, we went in search of a spot I’d wanted to see most: The Duddo Stones. They are on private property but there is a permissive path through the fields about a half mile long—totally doable with children. A panoramic view awaits. It’s believed to be a Druid burial site from around 4000 years ago.

I hesitated to share this one and hope visitors always show care and respect. It’s a special place.

Day 4–It was time to pack up but we had to stop by Cragside (a National Trust site) which was England’s first smart home! Fascinating and beautiful. This is one of those places where the gardens and the home are both stunning. We couldn’t stay long but would recommend most of a day there. The grounds are immense and magical.

Next time we’d like to see more of Hadrian’s wall and walk some it. Warkworth castle and church would be on the list as well as Seahouses for their pubs with delicious local seafood (we were told). We did a lot of sandwiches and meals at the Airbnb to help with the budget, but I’d highly recommend trying out the local seafood along with the cafes I mentioned.

On top tip: Check ticket prices prior to going. I was surprised by some of the prices but don’t regret anything we did—it’s just good to be prepared.

Enjoy beautiful Northumberland!

Xx,

Audrey Ann