The recycled castle

The Star, Northumberland

If you’re curious to know why so little of Harbottle’s castle remains standing, go for a snifter down at the local pub. For The Star Inn, like much of this onestreet village at the eastern edge of Northumberland National Park, is built from shortbread blocks of sandstone robbed out from the walls of the 12thcentury stronghold that once guarded Upper Coquetdale. Frequented by cattle drovers in centuries gone by, it now doubles up as the village shop and café, lovingly refurbished in 2020 by new owners Phil and Karen Wilkinson.

Muddy boots (and paws) are most certainly welcome. And there are snug armchairs in which to slump after a day roaming deep into the billowy Cheviot Hills, or an amble upriver to The Rose & Thistle at Alwinton (which adopted an alias for ITV’s Vera). From the doorstep, there’s a 4½-mile loop up to Harbottle Lake and the enormous, enigmatic boulder called the Drake Stone.

WALK HERE: Turn to Walk 19

MORE INFO: thestarinnharbottle.co.uk; 01669 650221