PLACES

What you'll find in the following sections is pretty much the raison d'etre for this website. This is where I give you the benefit of my experiences and share with you some of the (many) blunders I have made. That way you don’t have to and can go enjoy some of these beautiful places stress free. I have lost count of the times I got lost, took the long way, didn't find what I was looking for, got stuck or didn’t have what I needed in order to really make the most of these places. But in my case persistence won out and each time I learn a little more.

Always take with you: an appropriate map (and a compass if you know how to use one), insect repellant (it can ruin your visit if you forget this one), a bottle of water or 2, a camera with full battery and a memory card, on occasion a torch though I always take a couple of glow sticks and some para-cord too (for safety), sun cream (summer only) and dress appropriately for the weather with suitable footwear and some spare socks. Also make sure you have a good idea where you're going before you set off, you won’t have internet connections on the hills to double check the instructions or to look up how to get somewhere.

I have a real passion for waterfalls, these are probably my favorite places to hunt down, especially the remote ones. They make great photos especially if you have a good camera and learn how to use it. I use a DSLR with a variable ND filter on a tripod with an exposure between 10-30 seconds to get the flowing pictures. It’s not that hard and the camera accessories you need are not expensive to achieve good pictures.

There are SOOOOO many castles in Northumberland from the grandness of Alnwick and Bamburgh to the barely perceptible remaining earthworks of many of the lesser castles you could spend years tracking them all down. They still make for interesting destinations and are usually more accessible than some of the waterfalls. I have included links to some of the sites I found most useful while deciding where to go so you can make your own adventures.

As well as the violent history of the region it also has deep seeded roots in Christianity and there are several pilgrimages and holy places around still visited by people today. With the reformation of the church by Henry VIII the region became littered with the ruins of abbeys and priories to rival the castles.

There are many other wonderful and unique places in Northumberland some of which I’ve had the pleasure and want to encourage people to visit so take a look and get adventurous…

Castles

Your Northumberland

North of the Tyne

Northumberland Cam

Waterfalls

This is Northumberland

Geograph UK

Walking

Cheviot Walks