Holiday rentals in Northumberland

Northumberland is the northernmost county in England, running from north of Newcastle upon Tyne right up to the Scottish Borders. One of the least densely populated counties in the country, Northumberland is the kind of place you come if you want to get away from it all. It’s peppered with small market towns, forts, ruins, and forests. And there’s always the option to explore a castle or two, or to wander some beautiful English countryside.

To the east of Northumberland you’ll find ports and seaside towns like Berwick-upon-Tweed and Seahouses, as well as historic sites such as Bamburgh Castle and Holy Island. The province is a magnet for outdoor sports enthusiasts, attracting mountain bikers, rock climbers, and even golfers to its seaside courses. Inland, Northumberland National Park covers more than 1,000 square kilometres of hills, moorlands, forests, and villages. It’s one of the best places in the United Kingdom for stargazing, and, along with Kielder Forest, makes up the largest protected Dark Sky Park in Europe.

The history is woven into the landscape in Northumberland. Hadrian’s Wall, built by the Romans, is worth your time whatever the season. Castles like those at Bamburgh, Warkworth, and Alnwick offer a range of events and experiences year round. Summer in the province means incredible coastline, trail walking, and outdoor activities. Northumberland in winter is cold, but filled with warmth, a time to sip mulled wine at a traditional English Christmas market as a dusting of snow falls. Many of Northumberland’s market towns host arts, music, and film festivals year round. With a bit of planning, the chances of being lucky enough to see something you never expected in a beautiful setting are high.

Kielder Observatory

Located in Kielder Forest, Kielder Observatory runs public events across the year. Booking ahead is vital, but if you do you’ll get to hang out with astronomers and see some of the clearest views of the night sky in Europe. The forest is home to 50 percent of the United Kingdom’s red squirrels, and a good place for hiking and mountain biking. You’ll see more of the night sky than you’d think possible, even if you forget your telescope.

Tar Bar’l

If you’re lucky enough to be in Northumberland for New Year’s Eve, travel to Allendale for the Tar Bar’l to watch the annual procession where 45 men carry whisky barrels filled with burning tar through the streets to welcome the coming year.

Roman Ruins

The Roman Wall reaches across the north of Northumberland. Travel to a Roman settlement like Vindolanda or a Roman fort like Housesteads and watch the sun falling beyond the horizon as a Roman soldier would have done more than two thousand years ago.