Northumberland

England’s most northern county is home to dark skies, wild hills, golden beaches, historic castles and the mighty Hadrian’s Wall

IF YOU LIKE getting off the beaten track, escaping the crowds, and losing yourself in a wild landscape that’s low on footfall but high on drama – go to Northumberland. From the high peaks of the Cheviot Hills to a dramatic coastline full of spectacular highlights like Dunstanburgh Castle and Alnmouth Beach, this is a county that offers something for every kind of walker.

If you’d like to explore forest trails and watch ospreys hunting over the UK’s largest manmade lake, Kielder Water is the place for you. If you want to walk alongside one of the world’s most famous military defences, built in 122 AD and guarding the north-west frontier of the Roman Empire for almost 300 years, then head to Hadrian’s Wall.

The Cheviot Hills are mightily impressive, dominating the northern edge of Northumberland National Park and provide a thrilling end to the Pennine Way National Trail – along the Border Ridge and over the 815m summit of The Cheviot before dropping to the finish at Kirk Yetholm.

Out on the coast you’ll find islands and cliffs covered in thousands of seabirds, a mighty castle at Bamburgh that was once captured by Viking invaders, and a

spectacular finish to St Cuthbert’s Way pilgrims trail on the mile-long Lindisfarne Causeway to Holy Island.

One of the real highlights of visiting Northumberland, though, arrives after dark. Northumberland International Dark Sky Park was created in 2013, and at 572 square miles is Europe’s largest protected area of night sky. The low levels of light pollution have seen it awarded gold tier status by the International Dark Sky Association, so if you want to go stargazing anywhere in the UK, this is most definitely the place to do it.