I

t's amazing that this place is still standing. Aside from the fact that it dates back to around 1296, making it well over 700-years-old, Aydon Castle has been at the centre of a fair few skirmishes in its time.

Built by the rich merchant Robert de Reymes, it's been taken over by Scots, attacked by English rebels and whipped by seven centuries of Northumbrian wind and rain – yet is still one of the finest 13th-century manor houses in England.

You'll find it perched on the side of a steep wooded valley just outside the town of Corbridge, and it's a great place to bring a picnic and soak up the historic atmosphere.

Wander round the walls, savour the view and poke your head inside the old buildings, where you can reach out and stroke the ancient stonework that's seen so much drama over the years.

Makes you wonder what it must have been like to see soldiers heading this way, on the attack...