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Places & Activities

North East England

Belford is situated just off the A1 in North Northumberland. Centrally located, it is the ideal location to explore the beaches and major attractions of North Northumberland.

The Armstrong Museum: is a unique private collection of house hold and farming antiquities. The contents of this delightful museum have been lovingly collected by the Armstrong family and very kindly donated by local people over a period of forty years. The museum is a reminder of life within and outside a traditional working farm during the last century. Children of today are guaranteed to enjoy the nursery with its collection of games, toys and children's clothes.

Bamburgh Castle: magnificent coastal castle completely restored in 1900. Collections of china, porcelain, furniture, paintings, arms and armour. It is the home of the Armstrong family, and the building is all in use which maintains a welcoming lived-in atmosphere.

Chatton Gallery: a wide range of contemporary art and sculpture, in a spacious, relaxed setting.


Chillingham Castle: medieval fortress with Tudor additions, torture chamber, shop, dungeon, tearoom and woodland walk to lake. Beautifully furnished rooms and Italian topiary garden with spectacular herbaceous borders.

Durham was described by Bill Bryson as 'a perfect little city'. Its history shows in every cobble - it even used to be a principality! Its cathedral and castle are designated world heritage sites. And it's an international centre of learning, with one of Britain's leading universities.

Broom House Farm Adventure Maize Maze: adventure maize maze-6 acres of fun for all the family-solve the quizzes in amongst the corn stalks. Farm butchery offering home produced meats.

Durham Cathedral: the present Cathedral has stood on this spot as a place of prayer and pilgrimage for over 900 years. It contains the remains of Cuthbert, the saintly seventh-century bishop of Lindisfarne; it also holds the tomb of Bede, the chronicler of Cuthbert's life and the first English historian. It is one of the most beautiful buildings in England (Bill Bryson called it 'the best Cathedral on planet earth'), and part of a World Heritage Site.

Hot glass studio and gallery: is set in Durham centre beside the river. Visitors can watch traditional glass making techniques being used to create contemporary glass. Experienced designer/maker Roger Tye welcomes visitors tothe small viewing area to watch the making of various designs from large garden sculptures to decorative objects for the home. Visitors can view the full range of giftware in the next door gallery.

Newcastle and Gateshead face each other across the River Tyne coming together at the dazzling Quayside. Awash restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels and must-see attractions including the award-winning Gateshead Millennium Bridge and BALTIC The Centre for Contemporary Art.

The Biscuit Factory: is a 32,000 square foot art space that provides a vibrant, friendly environment of the highest quality for art, artists and customers. Housed in a converted Victorian factory, at prices from £20-£10,000. There is a restaurant/cafe, artist led workshops, framing, delivery, commissions and art hire.

Castle Keep: built in 1168-1178 and one of the finest surviving examples of a Norman keep in the country. Panoramic views of the city from the roof and small museum within keep.

The Laing Art Gallery: has been attracting visitors for over a hundred years and there are always new exhibitions to enjoy. The permanent collection includes beautiful 18th and 19th century paintings and world-renowned watercolours. The gallery also displays contemporary artwork and has initiated a national competition, Laing Solo, to showcase emerging artists.

Newton-by-the-Sea Tiny village on the Northumberland coast that, like Cambo in Tynedale District, is almost entirely owned by the National Trust.

Billy Shiel's Farne Island: boat trips to the Farne Islands from Seahouses. All trips visit the grey seal colonies and include a commentary. Special all-day bird-watching trips during breeding season. Cruises to Holy Island by arrangement. Licensed by National Trust to land passengers on the bird sanctuaries.

Dunstanburgh Castle: romantic ruins of extensive 14thC castle in dramatic coastal situation on 100ft cliffs. Built by Thomas, Earl of Lancaster. Remains include gatehouse and curtain wall.

Northumberland Coast: beautiful beaches, dunes and grassland. National Trust also owns almost all the square at Low Newton and Newton Pool Nature Reserve, a freshwater lake, home to many birds.

Howick Hall Gardens: extensive grounds including a woodland garden where lovely azaleas, camellias, magnolias and rhododendrons flourish in spring. Eucryphias, hydrangeas and viburnums bloom in summer and cercidiphyllum and maples show brilliant autumn colour. The formal gardens and borders in front of the house come on from June and the agapanthus on the 2nd terrace are a special feature. In April there are spectacular drifts of daffodils in the meadow and parkland. A pond and bog garden have been developed and planted with herbaceous material grown from seed collected in the wild.

St. John's Chapel An upper Weardale moorland village featuring a splendid Georgian church on the site of an original 15th-century chapel. Pleasant and picturesque walks, one passing close to the waterfall at Harthope Burn, are a particular feature here. There are also regular cattle markets, a monthly antiques auction and an annual agricultural show.

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