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Heart of Hadrian's Wall
...a day is never long enough
things to do
Take a few deep breaths. Back to nature or back in time, here in the Heart of Hadrian's Wall Country you can get to know your Reiver ancestry, explore Roman forts or walk chunks of the Wall. You don't need to do it all at once! It's all there for you to see, as and when you want. Over centuries man and nature have battled over this landscape and the scars are there still for you to explore.
Natural History
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The Sill is the UK’s National Landscape Discovery Centre at Once Brewed in the Northumberland National Park. The building is the result of an innovative partnership between Northumberland National Park and YHA England and Wales. The Sill is a showcase of local pride and passion. It...
Museums
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Free to enter, this is a firm favourite for both North East residents and visitors alike.
Museums
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The Great North Museum: Hancock was purpose built in Newcastle as a natural history museum in 1884 to house the growing collections of the Natural History Society of Northumbria.
Leisure Activities
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Close House is the home of the world's only 2 Lee Westwood golf courses, 16 suite-style bedrooms and the North-east's only PGA Golf Academy. We are proud to be the official venue of the 2017 British Masters on the European Tour.
Forts and Castles
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Wall section and a surviving piece of turret two and a half metres high, built by men of the Twentieth Legion.
Leisure Activities
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Founded in 1909, and designed by James Braid, Brampton Golf Course is blessed with beautiful panoramic views of the Lake District mountains, the North Pennines, Talkin Tarn and the Southern Uplands of South West Scotland. A hidden gem of a golf course, it's a good challenge...
Leisure Activities
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Tynedale Golf Club is a 9 hole set along the banks of the River Tyne, with stunning views, and whilst a good test for all golfers, it's a gentle undulating course, and suitable for golfers no matter what handicap. Visitor Rates are very reasonable, and the...
Leisure Activities
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Hexham Golf Club began life in 1907 with a course originally co-designed by Harry Vardon, with the 5470 yard 18 holes fully opened in 1908. The course as we now know it is essentially the creation of the noted golf architect C K Cotton who laid...
Heritage
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The birthplace of Thomas Bewick, the cottage and farmhouse of Bewick is perhaps Northumberland’s greatest artist: a wood engraver and naturalist who revolutionised print art in Georgian England. Set in a tranquil garden with views across the Tyne Valley, Cherryburn is surrounded by the natural world that inspired his...
Forts and Castles
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Thriving communities built up around Hadrian's Wall, with settlements and forts being established to both feed and provide for both soldiers and the extended community around them. Corbridge was one such flourishing town, and was a vibrant community right up until the end of Roman Britain in the early...
Leisure Activities
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With plenty of space for little ones to run, jump, climb, and crawl to their heart's content - Crackers is a popular destination for parents and their children, especially on a cold and wet day. With three separate play areas designed specifically for different ages, as...
Leisure Activities
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With two swimming pools with moveable floors, a large and well-equipped gym, regular fitness classes held in dedicated studios, a tenpin bowling centre and Jungle Jack's, a children’s softplay area.
Leisure Activities
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With 3 outdoor pools featuring a water slide and giant inflatables; a large sports hall which can be booked for activities such as badminton, basketball, and bowls; a fully equipped fitness suite; and a hall which can be booked out for parties, Haltwhistle Swimming & Leisure Centre is a...
Shopping
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Meadery and Tasting Room open Saturdays 11am-2pm
Come sample Northumberland's answer to Champagne and learn how Sparkling mead is made.
We also sell our delicious Local Honey, Honey Chocolates and Beeswax candles.
Arts and Crafts
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You are welcome to visit my fine art gallery, where I paint, teach and display my work. You will find a range of my paintings, prints, posters, books and gifts to browse or buy. Places on my painting and drawing classes are sometimes available.
Tours and Guides
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Explore the hidden gems and iconic sites of beautiful Northumberland. Learn about the rise and fall of one of Rome’s most famous constructions at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hadrian’s Wall. Discover why Northumberland has more castles than any other county in England. See romantic moorland, sweeping coastlines and...
Leisure Activities
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Glendale Pool is a self contained, indoor, heated swimming pool, available for private hire. L10m x W5m x D1.9m Water temp 31oC floats and toys available Family friendly all weather activity
Walking
Offering Self-Guided Walking Tours in England, Scotland and Ireland.
Heritage
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This quaint small stone cottage was built circa 1760 to accommodate mining families. The furnishings reflect the year the great rail pioneer, George Stephenson, was born here (1781), when his whole family lived in the one room. The property is managed by the National Trust. Don't miss...
Museums
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Beamish is a wonderful place that brings history to life but you must allow a full day to fully experience the extent of the exhibits, and even then you may not see everything in one visit! Beamish Museum contains an operational tramway with historic trams which...
Railways
The Cumbrian Coast Line, as its name suggests, hugs the scenic coastline between Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness. For much of the route, the line runs very close to the coast and links the waters of the Solway with those of Morecambe Bay; both sites of special scientific interest (SSSI). Not...
Railways
This historic and scenic route was one of the last main line railways built in Britain. It was built by the Midland Railway to allow it to have its own route into Scotland, rather than having to depend on its rival, the LNWR. The line was opened...
Vindolanda
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Forts and Castles
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Vindolanda is a fascinating Roman fort and civilian settlement lying just to the south of Hadrian's Wall. You can watch the archaeologists, who are on site seven days a week (weather permitting) from April to mid-September and see artefacts as they are discovered as well has having the opportunity...
Railways
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The North of England’s double gold award winning narrow gauge railway winding from Alston into the South Tyne Valley in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site
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Heritage
The Hadrian’s Wall corridor, which extends west, from South Shields on the North East Coast, following the line of Hadrian's Wall for 80 Roman miles (73 statute miles or 120 km), from Segedunum at Wallsend on the banks of the River Tyne to the shores of the Solway...
Railways
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With an unparalleled history dating back to 1725, spectacular scenery and a truly unique atmosphere, it is no wonder that the Tanfield Railway is the North East's biggest and most popular steam railway.. Less than half an hour from Newcastle and within easy reach of Tyneside,...
Railways
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The Weardale Railway, situated in County Durham, was a mothballed branch line from Bishop Auckland following the River Wear westwards to Eastgate-in- Weardale, a distance of approximately 18.7 miles. The line was originally built by the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1847 to transport limestone to the...
Railways
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This is the most recent of the heritage railways in the area and only opened in 2012. The Aln Valley Railway project is an ambitious plan to reopen the branch line from Alnmouth to Alnwick, the old county town of Northumberland and the ancestral home of the...
Railways
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A 15” gauge steam railway running from Heatherslaw, 6.4km to Etal Village - a return journey of 50 minutes. When operating trains leave Heatherslaw every hour on the hour from 11am-3pm inclusive and return from Etal on the half hour from 11.30am-3.30pm inclusive. All tickets are for...
Railways
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The Eden Valley Railway is based at Warcop in Cumbria (or Westmorland, in old money), just off the A66 between Appleby and Brough. It has a selection of rolling stock, Diesel Multiple Units and Locomotives and a short running line . It is open every Sunday during...
Railways
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On the Cumbrian Coast line you could consider alighting at Ravensglass and enjoy a return trip on the “Au’d Ratty” as the narrow gauge Ravensglass and Eskdale Railway is known. The trip will take you from Ravenglass, the only coastal village in the Lake District National Park,...
Natural History
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England’s most northerly and least populated National Park is 400 square miles of Northumberland's glorious countryside, protected for its wildlife, tranquillity, biodiversity, dark skies and clean water. Stretching from Hadrian's Wall to the Scottish Border it encompasses the high moors and picturesque valleys of Tynedale, Redesdale and Coquetdale and...
Railways
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The Stainmore Railway is based at the Kirkby Stephen East Heritage Centre and is open every Saturday and Sunday with passenger trains running on selected dates. The aim is the full restoration of Kirkby Stephen East railway station and the development of a full working railway as...
Music of Northumberland
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A magnificent early Victorian building which faces Hexham Abbey. From its christening as an arts centre in 1983 until the hand over to the charitable organisation, The Queen’s Hall’s resident theatre company Théâtre Sans Frontières is based here and opens all of its shows in the Theatre. ...
Railways
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This historic railway is sited south of Gateshead in Springwell village just east of the main A1 road near the Angel of the North Designed by George Stephenson and opened in 1826 the Bowes Railway is the only operational preserved standard gauge rope-hauled railway in the world....
Natural History
The National Nature Reserve at Greenlee Lough A birdhide and boardwalk through the reed beds. A National Park guide to the reserve is available from Once Brewed Visitor Centre. Greenlee Lough is used as winter feeding site for several species of wildfowl including the ducks, teal, wigeon...
Railways
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The Museum is located on the 1825 route of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, the world's first steam-worked public railway. The site encompasses three significant Stockton & Darlington Railway buildings of the 1830s/50s: North Road Passenger Station, the Goods Shed and Hopetown Carriage Works. The museum...
Railways
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The Shildon branch of the National Railway Museum is well worth a visit. It is based on the site of the former Shildon Wagon Works and contains over 100 locomotives and about 200 items of rolling stock, as well as a vast collection of other railway related items and...
Railways
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Re-live the glorious days of the steam railway at Stephenson Railway Museum in North Shields. The Museum is home to George Stephenson's 'Billy', a forerunner of the world- famous Rocket. 'Billy' is joined by many other engines from the great age of steam including 'Jackie Milburn', named...
Railways
The routes of several closed lines can still be easily followed with bridges and stations still extant in numerous locations. Lines worthy of exploration include; - The Border Counties Railway linked the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, near Hexham, with the Border Union Railway at Riccarton Junction in...
Music of Northumberland
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Redefest is a community cultural and music festival that runs for one day in August each year in Northumberland's Upper Redesdale valley. The festival boasts over 12 hours of live music, kids activities, local food, real ale bar and workshops for adults and children.
Leisure Activities
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Visit the Explore North Pennines portal to discover the amazing range of leisure activities available across the North Pennines AONB. At the heart of this site is an interactive map which will allow you to search by activity, interest and location.
Forts and Castles
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Further away, but well worth the trip, is the castle at Bewcastle, built on the site of a Roman camp – and don't miss the 7th century carved Celtic Cross beside the austere little church (one of three such crosses in the Borders; one at Ruthven in Dumfriesshire beautifully...
Heritage
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The building is Grade 1 listed and dates from c.1100. It has splendid Roman Columns on the south side and pillars on the north side. Woodwork also dates from the Jacobean period and a number of Roman Artefacts are built into the walls. A Roman Altar is housed in...
Music of Northumberland
Bellingham All Acoustic or the Baa Club was established in August 2008. It is organised by local musicians Landermason and runs as a 'concert club' roughly once a month with a main guest and a support act. Concerts take place in venues in and around Bellingham so if you...
Shopping
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With over 50 outlet shops to choose from offering up to 60% OFF rrp on a host of famous brands, plus regular entertainment and live events all set within a unique environment, you have all the ingredients for a great day out.
Music of Northumberland
An entertainment band, playing traditional folk music, songs and telling stories. Their target audience is aged 0 - 110 and all ages in between. They love their audiences to be interactive and provide percussion instruments for people to join in. Repertoire includes Northumbrian, English, Scottish, Irish and American folk...
Birdoswald Fort
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Forts and Castles
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Open daily from March to October. Times may vary. (Visitors with English Heritage membership qualify for an entrance fee discount). The fort at Birdoswald, with surely the most breathtaking position above the river gorge, is well excavated and, most importantly, shows how life continued on the site after the...
Tours and Guides
Walk Hadrian’s Wall along the Best bits’ with a guide to explain. I've been living and working in this area all my life and having been a teacher have spent a great deal of it inspiring and enthusing people about History. I have conducted many tours...