Listed

The dramatic clifftop castle at the heart of the village, with state rooms, centuries of history and a beach right on its doorstep.

Charming café and pub dining inside The Plough Inn, serving locally sourced breakfasts, lunches and homemade bread in the Breamish Valley.

Friendly village café serving homemade cakes, sandwiches, light lunches and fresh coffee opposite the local gallery.

The Percy family’s home for over 700 years and Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films, with glorious Italianate State Rooms. Open late March to October.

An unplanned afternoon of river walks, a walled garden we nearly missed, cake in the Clocktower Café, and plenty of room for Meg to roam.

An atmospheric Northumberland castle filled with curious collections, unsettling corners and gardens that offer a welcome breath of fresh air.

A remarkable Victorian house, six-mile carriage drive, woodland walks, playground and proper adventures — Cragside is one of our favourite Northumberland days out.

Where the Running Fox story began in 2011 – a village café by the River Coquet with homemade breakfasts, cakes and coffee, and riverside walks on the doorstep.

The second Running Fox, opened in 2016 on Rothbury Road – exposed stone, wooden beams and a dog-friendly garden on the A697 between Morpeth and the Cheviots.

Riverside wanders and hill walks around Ingram in the Breamish Valley, with picnic spots, an Iron Age hillfort and routes into the Cheviot foothills.

A restaurant with rooms in Branton’s Breamish Valley, serving evening meals and Sunday lunch, with recent diners praising the food and attentive service.

An austere old fortress transformed into an Edwardian retreat — Lindisfarne Castle is far more interesting inside than its forbidding exterior suggests.

Atmospheric ruins where St Aidan founded his monastery in the seventh century, with a small museum and views back across the water to the Northumberland coast.

A gentle lakeside walk near Belsay — woodland, swans and easy paths, with parking, toilets and a café on site. No route required.

A cosy café and pie stop in Kirkharle Courtyard, one of five Running Fox cafés across Northumberland, set in Capability Brown's birthplace.

A wonderful, dog-friendly country pub in the heart of Ellingham, with generous, beautifully cooked food and a genuinely warm welcome from friendly, attentive staff.

A wonderful historic inn at the heart of one of Northumberland's prettiest villages, with a striking crypt bar, beautifully appointed rooms and excellent, thoughtful food - well worth the trip out.

A lovely rural café by Belsay, popular with cyclists, with excellent bacon rolls, home baking and bottomless filter coffee.

The famous dip in Hadrian's Wall where a much-loved sycamore once stood - still a beautiful, moving spot to visit, with new growth from the stump offering real hope.

A lovely coffee stop at Annstead Farm on the edge of Beadnell, well loved for excellent coffee and proper homemade cakes - a firm regular favourite of ours.

A craft bakery and patisserie on Corbridge’s Market Place, with pastries, bread and savouries, plus seating indoors and out.

A beautifully equipped self-catering cottage just outside Rothbury, with a warm welcome basket and lovely walks straight from the doorstep - and a genuine welcome for dogs.

Rocky paths, heather-covered hills and enormous Northumberland views: our Simonside walk brought autumn sunshine, happy dogs and a few breathless moments.

A historic pub on Narrowgate with a strong local reputation, named for the dust-covered bottles said to have sat untouched in the window for over a century.

A charming gift shop on Narrowgate with locally made art and crafts, and famously friendly, knowledgeable staff.

One of Britain's largest second-hand bookshops, set in a beautifully preserved Victorian railway station complete with an open fire, model train and excellent café.

An enormous, beautifully designed fairy-tale play structure and woodland trail for children, with storytelling and costumed characters - a highlight for families.

A spectacular contemporary garden dominated by the Grand Cascade fountain, with a cherry orchard, bamboo labyrinth and excellent café - allow a full afternoon.

A dramatic medieval castle overlooking the village and the River Coquet, with a well-preserved keep, dog-friendly grounds, and a scenic riverside walk to the Hermitage.

A long, gently sloping sandy beach a short walk from the village, backed by dunes and golf links, with lovely views back toward Church Hill.

A busy bakery and café on North End with excellent breakfasts, cakes and coffee - the sister branch to the one in Powburn, and just as popular.

Dramatic 14th-century ruins on a headland reached by an easy coastal walk from Craster, one of the most photographed castles on this stretch of coast.

A relaxed café just off the main road with a lovely outdoor courtyard, generous breakfasts and cakes, and a warm welcome for dogs.

A vast, gently sloping sandy bay backed by dunes, dog friendly and a firm favourite for beach days, swimming and sunset walks.

A well-run caravan park right in the village, with a pool, bar and bistro on site and easy walking distance to the harbour and shops.

A working lighthouse on The Wynding with benches and sea views, marking a quieter stretch of coastline just beyond the castle.

A vast sandy beach beneath the castle, dog-friendly and often peaceful even in summer, with dune paths and parking close by.

An independent gift shop on Front Street with a beautifully curated mix of homeware, gifts and unusual finds.

Traditional country inn near Felton with coast and Cheviot views, an award-winning restaurant, bar and en-suite rooms

Historic coaching inn on the River Coquet with food, rooms and riverside views

Café by day, bistro by night, serving the best of Northumberland's local produce.

Bright café and gift shop in a converted stone barn just off the A1, serving breakfasts, lunches and salads with a dog-friendly courtyard.

Much-loved seaside pub overlooking the beach, known for local food, real ales, coffee and live music.

Contemporary restaurant and bar near Beadnell Bay serving breakfasts, seafood, grills, drinks and evening meals.

Bright, relaxed café serving breakfasts, lunches, artisan coffee and home baking within Bamburgh's restored walled garden.

A welcoming, dog-friendly hotel in the heart of Bamburgh where non-residents can drop in for breakfast, drinks or food. We haven't stayed overnight, but we've eaten here several times and always felt very welcome.

A relaxed, dog-friendly Bamburgh pub serving good traditional food, with a bright rear dining room and sunny beer garden — one of our regular post-beach stops.

Village hotel and restaurant offering stylish accommodation and locally focused dining close to Bamburgh Castle and beach.

A late-medieval pele tower near Chathill, with seven-foot-thick walls, a tight stone stair and a surprisingly peaceful view over the fields.

A roofless medieval pele tower at Great Tosson, caught in autumn sun on our way to Simonside. A short, rewarding stop for Border history and weathered stone.

Beadnell Links is a quiet, static-caravan-only holiday site located on the Northumberland coast at Beadnell, Chathill (NE67 5BN).

A family-run farm shop and café near Corbridge, famous for pick-your-own fruit in summer and pumpkin picking in October.

A lonely replica gibbet on the moor above Elsdon, marking where William Winter's body hung in chains after the 1791 murder of Margaret Crozier. Eerie even at noon.

A lake, woodland, play park, dunes and miles of Northumberland beach make Druridge Bay Country Park an easy place to lose half a day — or a dog lead.

A beautiful, dog-friendly setting at Charlton Hall with a wonderfully peaceful Orangery. Our first lunch was good rather than great — so we're going back.

An outstanding village inn with rooms, with consistently excellent food, a warm atmosphere and genuinely attentive service - a real destination in its own right.

A welcoming Rothbury café and bar serving seriously generous breakfasts, with good value, a comfortable setting and evening drinks and live music.

An award-winning farm shop and butcher on the retail park, well regarded for its pies and local produce - though we'd recommend choosing fresh meat carefully and checking dates, following a couple of concerning recent reviews.

A charming tearoom near the beach with an extensive menu, reasonable prices and a lovely, individual atmosphere - a real local favourite.

A lovely café and gift shop at Spitalford with a dog-friendly outdoor seating area and good coffee and cakes - a genuine favourite of ours, if a little on the pricey side.

A small, well-located caravan park in the village, a short walk from the beach and the pubs and cafés.

A touring site tucked into the dunes right on the beach, with a handful of sought-after pitches and a village shop close by.

A friendly family-run café in Beadnell with good breakfasts, a sunny garden and lovely sea views — particularly appealing on a warm Northumberland morning.

A west-facing working harbour with restored 18th-century lime kilns, sand on either side and one of the best sunset spots on this stretch of coast.

A country and coastal clothing shop on Front Street, stocking outdoor wear and accessories suited to Northumberland's weather.

A traditional pub and hotel in the village of Chatton, with a small front garden and a name that carries some serious Northumbrian history.

A remote, mile-long walk across fields and dunes to an unspoiled beach between Bamburgh and Holy Island — no car park, no crowds.

Historic village inn with rooms, a bar, restaurant and beer garden, incorporating part of a medieval tower house.

Family leisure venue at Seafield Park with a coffee shop, bar, food and indoor facilities overlooking the coast.

A beachside food shack at the Beadnell Bay car park serving pizzas, burgers and bacon rolls, handy for a post-beach bite though it can be slow when busy.

The extraordinary tidal road to Holy Island — beautiful, memorable and completely disappearing beneath the North Sea twice each day.

A Grade II listed 18th-century country house on a 150-acre estate just off the A1, with quirky interiors, landscaped gardens and cabins and yurts tucked around the grounds.

A peaceful medieval abbey church at the heart of Blanchland, with medieval floor slabs, ancient glass and a real sense of the White Canons who founded the village.

A proper, well-stocked community village shop with local meat, bakery goods and a genuinely warm welcome - a lovely example of village life done right.

An outstanding village pub with rooms, well worth the detour, with beautifully cooked food and a genuinely warm atmosphere - among the best food in the whole area.

A genuinely excellent dog-friendly pub near Belsay, with a warm, cosy atmosphere and consistently good, generous home-cooked food - well worth booking ahead.

A fascinating trio of neo-classical hall, medieval castle and spectacular quarry garden, with rare and exotic plants growing straight out of the rock - allow a good few hours.

A superb pub and microbrewery a short walk from Hadrian's Wall, with excellent home-cooked food, its own range of ales and rooms upstairs for anyone walking the Wall.

A beautiful wooded gorge with waterside walks, swimming spots and several route options - a genuinely lovely, less crowded corner of Hadrian's Wall country.

A striking modern visitor centre with interactive exhibits, a rooftop viewing platform and a genuinely good café - an excellent first stop before walking the Wall.

The most complete Roman fort remains in Britain, reached by a short climb with sweeping views along Hadrian's Wall - a proper highlight of the whole Wall.

A remarkable Roman fort and settlement with ongoing excavations, a superb museum of everyday Roman life and genuinely excellent guided tours - allow the best part of a day.

A lovely eco-friendly shop on Hallstile Bank, with refill essentials alongside a genuinely nice range of gifts - great for cutting down on plastic.

A beautifully chosen clothing and gift shop tucked on Hallstile Bank, with a genuinely warm owner and a lovely range of quality pieces.

A wonderful, beautifully curated gift shop on Market Street, full of quirky and unusual finds - a proper joy to browse.

A lovely ethically sourced clothing and gift shop on Market Street, with a genuinely warm owner and a beautifully curated, colourful range.

A cosy pub and guest house combined, with a genuinely warm welcome and good value rooms right in the heart of town - no restaurant, but plenty of choice nearby.

A friendly pub and small hotel right in the centre of town, well placed for the station and an easy walk to everything - simple, comfortable rooms.

A modern, spotlessly clean budget hotel a short walk from the station, praised for its views over town and genuinely helpful staff.

A handsome town-centre hotel with a good pub downstairs, praised for its afternoon tea and a genuinely warm welcome for dogs - a five-minute walk from everything.

A beautiful, quiet country pub a few minutes outside Hexham, with home-cooked food, an excellent range of ales from the pub's own brewery and a lovely streamside garden.

A proper old-fashioned local on Battle Hill, full of genuine character and good banter - no food, but a lovely spot for a quiet pint.

A beautiful gastropub just outside town at Anick, with sweeping views over the Tyne Valley and consistently excellent, well-presented food - well worth the short drive.

A well-run pub on Gilesgate with good cask ales, generous pub food and a genuinely friendly, unpretentious atmosphere - often cited as the best pub in Hexham.

A characterful pub at the west end of town with a real fire, decent ale and regular live music - a proper local worth seeking out.

A genuinely excellent dog-friendly pub with a strong Sunday roast and a good all-round menu - a proper find in the heart of town.

A proper home-cooked café by the old cattle market, known for hearty breakfasts, excellent cakes and genuinely warm, attentive staff.

A cheerful community café by Hexham's park, with a wide-ranging menu and profits going straight back into supporting the local community.

A relaxed all-day café-bar on Fore Street with a broad, well-priced menu, good cocktails and a warm, family-friendly atmosphere.

A smart French bistro on Gilesgate, popular for its set lunch - generally excellent, though reviews on the main courses have been more mixed of late.