Experience the Northumberland countryside
Alnmouth and the surrounding area of Northumberland has a wealth of attractions for visitors to enjoy, including historical days out, fantastic golf courses and stunning coastal walks.
Visiting Northumberland
Alnmouth is nestled on the North of the Northumberland coast making it in an ideal position to explore the coastline. Whether you are looking to explore historic castles and ruins, an active holiday exploring the Cheviots or playing some of the most stunning golf courses the UK has to offer, there is something for everyone in Northumberland.
We have hand picked some of our favourite places to visit in Northumberland during your stay with us. This includes some of our favourite golf clubs, The Holy Island of Lindisfarne; a mysterious tidal island off the coast, the world famous Bamburgh Castle and Alnwick Gardens which offers a truly 21st century experience full of imagination, inspiration and fun. And a trip to Northumberland wouldn’t be complete without a stroll down the white sandy beaches including the beautiful Alnmouth beach which is on our doorstep.
For more information on places to visit and things to do during your stay at The Whittling House please feel free to contact us at info@thewhittlinghouse.co.uk
Alnmouth
The village of Alnmouth is picture postcard perfect with its colourful cottages, at its best on a sunny day when the tide is out revealing the vast expanses of golden sand. With its wide sandy beach – perfect for sandcastle building, long walks or just enjoying feeling the sand beneath your toes.
Gaily painted houses strung along the north bank of the River Aln estuary welcome you to picturesque Alnmouth. Once an important grain port, a ferocious storm on Christmas Eve in 1806 altered the course of the river, stranding the harbour and changing village life forever.
Alnmouth Golf Course
‘The Jewel in Northumberland’s Golfing Crown’
Alnmouth Golf Club, Foxton Hall overlooks the splendours of both Foxton and Alnmouth Bay on the Northumberland coastline. It is widely regarded as one of the finest golf courses in the North East of England.
Established in 1869, Alnmouth Golf Club is the 4th oldest golf club in England. Although the course has a coastal location it has parkland turf and a reputation for the fine quality of the greens and superb presentation.
There are also great nearby courses at Goswick, Bamburgh and Dunstunburgh.
Walking
Discover beaches, history, castles and more along The Northumberland Coast Path. There are 62 miles of beautiful coastline from Cresswell to Berwick-upon-Tweed offering constantly changing landscapes ready to be explored.
Fishing
Northumberland presents endless fishing opportunities, whether it be sea fishing for Cod, Bass, Mackerel and more or fly fishing for salmon, sea trout and trout. The North Sea offers some fantastic fishing with a huge variety of species. For fly fishing, we are near to the River Tyne, England’s premier salmon river and to the north, The Tweed is probably the best known salmon river in the world and famed for its catches.
Alnwick Castle
Known as the ‘Windsor of the North,’ Alnwick Castle is the second largest inhabited castle in England and home to the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, whose ancestors have lived here since 1309.
Situated on the edge of the town, the castle battlements rise above stunning Capability Brown grounds and resonate with history, from the 14th century exploits of Harry Hotspur, to the grisly Gunpowder Plot. Now renowned as the magical setting for ‘Hogwarts’ in the Harry Potter films, as well Robin Hood Prince of Thieves and more recently Downton Abbey.
The Alnwick Garden
The Duchess of Northumberland’s vision for a forgotten plot is now a truly 21st century experience full of imagination, inspiration and fun. Designed by Jacques and Peter Wirtz, The Garden is a wonderful combination of spaces, themes, quirkiness and play.
From the tranquillity of the Cherry Orchard, the excitement of the Grand Cascade and the mysteries of the Bamboo Labyrinth, to the Serpent Garden’s spell-binding water sculptures, the intrigue of the Poison Garden and the world’s largest tree house – there is plenty to surprise and delight.
Bamburgh Castle
One of Northumberland’s most iconic buildings, Bamburgh Castle stands above the dramatic Northumbria coastline and is one of the largest inhabited castles in the country. The castle has dominated the site since Anglo-Saxons times and was the capital kingdom of Northumbria.
Sitting in 9 acres of Northumberland history the castle boasts 14 rooms open to the public including over 3,000 pieces of artwork, furniture, china and porcelain.
Dunstanburgh Castle
The ruins remain of the 14th-century fortification, built by Earl Thomas of Lancaster between 1313-1322 which tower over the Northumberland coast line. Its magnificent size rivalled nearby castles such as Bamburgh, mainly because of the imposing three-storey Great Gatehouse which remains.
It boasts fantastic views and coastal walks from Craster.
Image by Matthew.borg85 / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
Originally posted to Flickr as Holly Island 11 / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)
Lindisfarne Castle
A 16th-century castle located on Holy Island, near Berwick-upon-Tweed, turned from a fort into a home by a wealthy Edwardian Bachelor. The island is accessible from the mainland at low-tide.
Hadrian’s Wall
Stretching 73 miles from coast to coast, Hadrian’s Wall is a former defensive fortification of the Roman Empire which was made a World Heritage Site in 1987. Taking over 6 years to build, the Wall is steeped in history and covers twenty English Heritage sites, including forts, towers, turrets and towns.
Image: More in Morpeth on Facebook
Morpeth Town
Morpeth is the place to visit if you want stylish shopping and a rich history to explore the historic county town of Northumberland. Discover unique and individual shops around the cobbled streets. For a luxury high street experience with a mix of live music and monthly events, head to the Sanderson.
With a unique combination of history, heritage and beauty, this bustling market town is the ideal base to explore what the county of Northumberland has to offer.
Warkworth
Warkworth is a beautiful, quaint old Northumbrian Village almost completely surrounded by a loop in the River Coquet, about a mile from the coast. At one end sits the Village church and the other the ruin of the English Heritage site, Warkworth Castle.
Be rowed across the River Coquet by Warkworth Hermitage’s boatman to the remarkable 14th century chapel, built onto and within a cliff-face. Once the home of monks who prayed for the souls of the Dukes of Northumberland, today you might catch sight of seals and otters swimming up to this curious cave-like chapel.
Wander around the village’s artisan shops, restaurants and welcoming inns and enjoy a cone of homemade ice cream from nearby Morwick Dairy, just outside the village. Take a riverside stroll, or put out to the water in a rowing boat or canoe, available to hire in summer months.
Howick Gardens
Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum, the ancestral seat of the Earls Grey since 1319. Discover the history of the 2nd Earl, after whom the famous tea is named, wander through the beautiful gardens created by the 5th Earl Grey and his family or for the more energetic explore the arboretum a united nation of shrubs and trees covering over 65 acres. Enjoy a cup of Earl Grey Tea in the Earl Grey Tea House.
Barter Books
Barter Books in Alnwick, housed in the town’s magnificent old Victorian railway station is Europe’s largest second-hand book store.
Named by the New Statesman magazine as “The British Library of second-hand bookshops”, bookworms of all ages can while away hours rifling through its packed bookshelves while a train circles the model railway overhead.
Image by Victuallers – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46050954
Amble Harbour
Proudly declaring itself the ‘friendliest port’, this waterfront town hugs the River Coquet estuary at the southern gateway to the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
In a fantastic location right on the harbour front, Amble Harbour Village consists of a seafood centre along with 15 small retail units selling a variety of arts, crafts, jewellery and food & drink as well as a redeveloped harbour front which will incorporate a sea-front pathway from the harbour to the marina.
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