Right before the ‘rona struck and the world went into lockdown, I had the most unbelievable weekend away in Northumberland. This county at the very north of England might just be the most underrated destination in the whole country! There is so much to do here that a weekend coastal road trip wasn’t really enough—a long weekend (3-4 days) would have been much better. Our itinerary focused mainly on the Northumberland Coast. But if you’re wanting to visit Northumberland for the weekend or longer, look no further! Here is a complete road trip itinerary for Northumberland and on the Northumberland coast.

What to See in Northumberland

There is a LOT to see in Northumberland, and more than likely squeezing everything into a weekend might feel a bit rushed. Hopefully you’ll have an extra day or two, so here’s what to see and do in Northumberland!

Hiking in the Cheviot Hills (Northumberland National Park)

If you like hiking and getting outdoors, definitely dedicate part of your Northumberland trip to exploring the Cheviot Hills. While the weather wasn’t on my side on this trip, this area is gorgeous. I attempted to hike up the Cheviot from Langleeford. While I had to turn back due to literally no visibility, I could still appreciate how beautiful the valley is.

It also felt really remote! While there weren’t very many people braving the elements, we only saw about 6 other groups on our 5-hour walk. Most of these were at either the beginning or the end. I definitely want to go back and see more of Northumberland National Park! But if you only have a weekend in Northumberland, don’t miss this incredible and scenic part of the country. If you are going out, make sure to check out my outdoor gear guide so you’re prepared! You’ll need the Cheviot Hills OS Map. I also use the OS Maps app on most of my hikes in the UK now.

Kielder Forest Park is meant to be wonderful for getting outdoors. It’s one of the best places for “dark skies” in the country. And of course, Hadrian’s Wall is one of the most popular places to visit in Northumberland. As my weekend itinerary in Northumberland mainly focused on the coast, I won’t go into many details on visiting Hadrian’s Wall! I had actually planned to hike the entire trail (86 miles) in 2020, and did the hike in 2021! You can read about my 6-day itinerary for Hadrian’s Wall, or what you should know about Hadrian’s Wall.

If you’re not interested in hiking, I’d recommend spending most of the first day in Berwick-upon-Tweed. If I had had another day, this is what I would have done! Just 3 miles from the Scottish border, Berwick-upon-Tweed has a fascinating history as the city has changed hands so many times.

Lindisfarne (the Holy Island)

Next up on your Northumberland road trip itinerary is a visit to Lindisfarne, also called the Holy Island. This is one of the most unique destinations I have visited in the entirety of the UK, so if you’re visiting Northumberland this is a must!

Lindisfarne is also called the Holy Island as a monastery was founded here in the 600s. It was an important base for Christianity in the north of England. For monks who wanted to live remotely away from others, this tidal island was perfect!

You’ll need to plan out your visit in advance though—the island is accessed by a tidal causeway. Make sure to check the tide times from the Northumberland council website so you know when you can visit. Please be aware of this and please don’t take any chances! Just a few hours after we left, a group had to be rescued by the Coast Guard from the causeway. The tide times limited our visit to just over 1 hour when we visited. I would absolutely recommend longer—preferably 2 or 3 hours. But given the choice of spending all our time on Lindisfarne, and seeing nothing else of Northumberland, we chose to explore more of Northumberland.

There is a lot to do on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. You can visit Lindisfarne Priory (run by English Heritage) or visit Lindisfarne Castle (run by National Trust). There is a walking path along most of the coast of the island (approximately 5 miles), which will take several hours. Make sure to check out the boat sheds along the harbor—these are made from old boats and now overturned and used for storage.

Bamburgh Castle

Northumberland is home to some pretty amazing and imposing castles. Bamburgh Castle is built right along the coast, and should definitely merit a stop on any Northumberland Coastal Route road trip. Tip: if you’re driving south from Lindisfarne, definitely take the scenic route (marked with brown road signs) along the coast to get to Bamburgh Castle!

There’s a lot to see in Bamburgh Castle. The King’s Hall is magnificent, with the beams made with teak from Thailand. The State Rooms and the Keep tell the stories of the castle and its owners, and there are beautiful coastal views from the walls of the castle. Definitely give yourself a minimum of 1 hour to discover everything here.

Seahouses and Farne Islands

Seahouses is a large village right on the Northumberland coast. If you want to enjoy classic seaside fun, this is a great stop—there are plenty of places to get ice cream and fish and chips. But perhaps one of the best reasons to stop at Seahouses is to take a trip out to the Farne Islands. You can read all about my visit to the Farne Islands on a later trip! These islands are some of the best places for birdwatching in the whole country, with 23 species of birds nesting here including puffins!!!

Dunstanburgh Castle

Next up on the list of fantastic castles in Northumberland is Dunstanburgh Castle. This castle is run by English Heritage, so there is an entrance fee if you’re not a member to access the ruins. You can sign up to join English Heritage as a member here! This was a real highlight of my weekend in Northumberland because of the coastal walk from Craster. It’s just under a 1.5-mile walk along the sea which is easy to follow. While it’s not paved, there is clearly a path and it wasn’t too muddy when I went in March. While the castle itself is mainly ruins now, there are some great views from the tower over the coast and surrounding area! You’ll need to park in the village of Craster to start the walk to the castle.

Alnwick

There is so much to see and do in Alnwick that it could easily merit its own weekend break and separate blog post. Alnwick Castle is one of the best places to visit in Northumberland. Parts of the first two Harry Potter movies were filmed here! The castle is only open seasonally (generally April-October) so make sure to keep that in mind when planning a trip. Alnwick Gardens is also incredible—so many beautiful plants and flowers to see! Barter Books is housed in an old train station and is especially popular on Instagram. I visited Alnwick in 2021, so read all about my trip to Alnwick here!

Alnmouth

This pretty coastal village is located across the main A1 highway from Alnwick, nestled right along the sea. It’s smaller than Alnwick, but has the benefit of the coast and the estuary of the River Aln. The beach here is just spectacular, and the village is so picturesque—it looked like a postcard!

Warkworth Castle

The last castle I was able to visit on my Northumberland road trip was Warkworth Castle. This medieval castle is run by English Heritage, and has had its fair share of history through the Percy family and the Wars of the Roses. If you time your visit right, you can also visit the Hermitage, which is only accessible by boat along the River Coquet. This chapel is carved out of the rock and only open on certain times on certain days. Find out more information on the English Heritage site here—you can also sign up to join English Heritage here.

How to Get Around Northumberland

Driving is the best way to get around Northumberland. Having your own set of wheels will give you so much freedom! Northumberland is perfect for a road trip and I definitely recommend a car as the best way to get around Northumberland. You can visit some of the main destinations like Berwick-upon-Tweed by train. You can get there on a direct train from London (I always use Trainline for the best deals on train tickets). Alnmouth has a train station on the main line between London and Edinburgh, and there are bus networks to get you to Alnwick. But while there are buses along the coast, they just aren’t frequent enough to visit everything in a weekend or 3 days. So I would strongly recommend having a car to visit Northumberland.

One thing to remember when planning your road trip in Northumberland is parking charges. Nearly all of these places are accessed from car parks that charge a fee. I did some research beforehand and we ended up buying an all-day, transferrable, ticket for Northumberland County Council car parks at our first stop. This meant that parking at Lindisfarne, Bamburgh, and Craster (for Dunstanburgh Castle) was covered by this ticket. I also believe one of the car parks in Seahouses would have been covered too. The all-day ticket cost £5.50 and was well worth it. Note that it isn’t transferrable to all Northumberland County Council car parks, but for many of the ones we were visiting. Warkworth Castle has free parking for English Heritage members.

Where I Stayed

I was based in the small town of Wooler for my weekend away in Northumberland. We stayed at the Old Court House, which was absolutely wonderful. Our double room was spacious and the breakfasts were like something out of a dream—a full English on top of fruits, cereals, yogurts, etc. But what really set this B&B apart were the friendly staff. I felt genuinely looked after during our stay here. You can tell that the people who run the Old Court House care about giving their guests the absolute best time. If you’re looking for a welcoming and cozy place to stay in Northumberland stay at the Old Court House! You can read my full review of the Old Court House here.

UPDATE 2022: Unfortunately the Old Court House has closed. I still think Wooler is a fantastic place to base yourself in Northumberland!

Booking.com

Planning Your Trip

The nearest international airports for Northumberland are Edinburgh Airport and Newcastle Airport. I always use Skyscanner to find the best deals on flights. Although the B&B I stayed at has since closed, I still recommend staying in Wooler for the trip. You can also search for hostels here, or sign up to Airbnb and search accommodation here! Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.

Looking for a tour to join? Check out these tours that take in the Northumberland highlights!

Northumberland might just be my new favorite destination in England. This is such an underrated part of the country, and exploring the area on a weekend road trip is a great way to see some of the major attractions! I will definitely be back to Northumberland, hopefully this year! I hope this guide helps planning your road trip around Northumberland!

Have you visited Northumberland yet? What were your favorite places?!

You might like my other posts:

A 6-Day Itinerary for Hiking Hadrian’s Wall

What You Need to Know About Hiking Hadrian’s Wall

Why You Should Visit Alnwick, Northumberland

Review: Old Court House B&B, Wooler

88 Incredible Places To Visit In Yorkshire

The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide To England’s Lake District

21 Of The BEST Places To Visit In The North York Moors

All of my England posts!

Like this post? Pin it for later!