The North of England

growstuff

Glorianny

Come to Newcastle. Take the Metro to South Shields and visit Arbeia, a Roman fort which guarded the entrance to the Tyne, take the ferry from South Shields across the river to North Shields and bus and metro to Segedunum at Wallsend. If you are athletic you can start the walk along the wall. If not metro back to Newcastle and spend the night.
Take the train to Hexham and catch the bus for a journey along the wall stopping off at places you want to see
www.visitnorthumberland.com/explore/destinations/historical-sites/hadrians-wall/getting-around#:~:text=The%20AD122%20Hadrian's%20Wall%20Country
Just one warning our weather is unpredictable so bring waterproofs and woolies.

Pah! I thought Geordies view people with warm clothing as wimps!

We do! But they're all soft Southerners to us. And it makes them easy to pick out.

When we have overseas visitors we generally include Beamish ,Alnwick,Bamburgh,obviously the Cathedral as we live in Durham,we include a bus trip to Newcastle to pass the Angel and a birds eye view of the Bigg Market on a Saturday night on the way home. We used to include a Hadrians Wall walk ending in Sycamore Gap and lunch at the pub,drive back through Otterburn. The bus from Newcastle up to Alnwick ,stopping off at Craster for lunch is good and yes pop in to Barter books.

Barnard Castle is rather nice. It's a very old town with a good selection of independent shops. It has the ruins of the castle and the Bowes Museum. Also famous for providing eye tests....

Raby Castle, on the way to Barney if coming from Durham, is interesting, too.

A local benefactor has spent a lot of money on Bishop Auckland. There's the Bishop's palace (with a lovely old chapel), the Faith Museum and the gallery of Spanish art. For the Rome lover thee's Binchester Roman Fort nearby with one of the best preserved Roman bath houses in Britain.
If you're visiting in late July - early September Kynren is a good event to see.

As a southerner I had never really been up north (except for Scotland which I love) but since visiting in recent years I just love it. I can't wait to go back as the countryside is every bit as good as the south and there are so many beautiful towns and villages. Apart from unpredictable weather there is nothing to dislike. It's fabulous.

Thirsk, with James Herriot museum, he was my vet when I was young. Also drive up to the top of Sutton bank, the view is incredible. Cragside in Northumberland is worth seeing.

AreWeThereYet

Bamborough Castle and surrounding area are gorgeous. As are the kippers in Craster near Alnwick.

I’ll second that 😃

We have recently spent time touring Bamburgh Castle. It is amazing with beautiful views of the sea! Raby Castle is fun too!

Beamish is great day out also moving up the coast Alnwick Gardens Hadrians wall and Druridge Bay and Holy island are beautiful to visit

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202310/medium-55334-img-2752.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202310/medium-390176-img-2751.png

Just a mention that Lumiere returns to Durham next month.

If you’re going to Whitby I would also suggest either Robin Hoods Bay or Staithes. Two lovely fishing villages. I loved Cragside near Rothley -NT

This is brilliant! Thank you all so much, these are exactly what I was hoping for. Keep them coming!

If you visit Liverpool, try and book tickets for the Casbah Coffee Club in West Derby.
Easily reached from central Liverpool via bus / cab.....

It's a relative of Pete Best who does the tour!

Is there anyway to save this thread? I think it will be useful for outings next summer

I print out threads.

I was about to do it with this one.
I cant possibly remember everything that is on some threads.

grannysyb - what were the vets there like in real life?
I dont normally like "looking behind the scenes" of things, but as I am getting older, and might only end up visitng the area once, I might want to make an exception in this particular case.

Second everything said above and do try and fit in a visit to the Peak District either on the way up, or back. It’s glorious. If you’re going to Housesteads, bear in mind that once you get off the main roads it’s a bit of a trek, but well worth the effort. Vindolanda is nearer to Hexham but Housteads has wonderful sections of Hadrian’s wall and lots of atmosphere. In Northumberland, Cragside House is an absolute must. Wonderful food at the Jolly Fisherman in Craster and a nice walk up to nearby Dunstanburgh Castle. And yes, brilliant breakfasts at Barter Books in Alnwick.

In the west the Roman wall disappears into farm houses and buildings canny Cumbrians didn't bother to shape their own stone but used the wall. There are lots of Roman remains. Stanwix in Carlisle has a dig going on at present along with all that has already been found.
Carlisle has one of the oldest castles in England originally a mot and bailey built by William Rufus the Conqueror's son.
Also, a small town on the west coast called Maryport has the largest collection of Roman headstones in England.
Many more things, the lakes from the west and Scafell pike and the area is quiet but bring waterproofs and wellies it "chucks", it down as we say.

Cressy

If you’re going to Whitby I would also suggest either Robin Hoods Bay or Staithes. Two lovely fishing villages. I loved Cragside near Rothley -NT

If you’re looking for Cragside, and it is well worth it, you might find it more easily by looking for it near Rothbury near Morpeth, Northumberland, (NE65 7PX)

fancythat

I print out threads.

I was about to do it with this one.
I cant possibly remember everything that is on some threads.

grannysyb - what were the vets there like in real life?
I dont normally like "looking behind the scenes" of things, but as I am getting older, and might only end up visitng the area once, I might want to make an exception in this particular case.

I didn't think of that fancythat thank you.

The Yorkshire Dales are an absolute MUST, breathtaking. Haworth ( Bronte sisters ) sooooo many places to visit around our neck of the woods.

grannysyb

Thirsk, with James Herriot museum, he was my vet when I was young. Also drive up to the top of Sutton bank, the view is incredible. Cragside in Northumberland is worth seeing.

Grannysyb my FiL had a farm about 15 minutes from Thirsk and "James Herriot" was their vet too. I remember my BiL telling us he "had seen Alf White in Thirsk and he's written a book". Who knew where it would go!

Personally, I would stay in North Yorkshire for the whole holiday but there are some lovely suggestions here. So have a wonderful holiday JackyB!

I think you’ll need a month for all the suggestions. Two weeks for York and the Yorkshire Dales, then east coast for Whitby Durham, Northumberland up to Alnwick and Lindisfarne, across along Hadrian’s wall. Lake District if you haven’t already done enough walking, then down to Liverpool and Chester.

One place that has not been mentioned is Beverley, a charming East Yorkshire compact market town with two beautiful churches and good shopping.

As far as Northumberland Castles go you might try Warkworth, less well known, next to a fabulous beach. with a short walk to a nice village with pubs (And there's a hermitage you can visit)

I agree about needing an extended visit! So much to see and it is stunningly beautiful. Brought up in the Scottish Borders I used to feel we were neglected as an area as holidaymakers tended to "drive through" on their way to more dramatic scenery in the Highlands and I suspect the same is true of N Yorks and Northumberland 😒
Also overshadowed by the "better known" Lake District! Have a wonderful time!

It’s not north I know but St Albans in Hertfordshire is steeped in Roman history.

Probably worth joining English Heritage- they have a special overseas visitors pass, I think. And maybe National Trust?