Countryside
Both genteel and wild, there’s nothing quite like the English countryside for rural escapes with its patchwork hills, dramatic dales, ancient woodlands and winding country roads. All well and good, but what is there to do in England’s countryside exactly? Quite a lot, actually. Admire the grand interiors of a stately home before catching a play in the surrounding gardens, travel back in time with visits to ancient stone circles and crumbling castles, or step into a chocolate box of quaint villages and market towns and live like a local, trying farmhouse cheeses, cream teas and real ales along the way.
Lose yourself in the Allen Valleys
Strap on your walking boots and explore a countryside full of contrasts. Prepare to be blown away by this picturesque part of the North Pennines.
Location: Allendale, Northumberland
Go seal and puffin spotting on the Farne Islands
Visit Farne Islands to see thousands of seabirds and a huge Grey seal colony.
Location: Farne Islands, Northumberland
Star gaze in Northumberland’s Dark Sky Park
Home to some of Europe’s darkest night skies, Northumberland has truly spectacular galaxy gazing from atmospheric locations and ancient Roman sites.
Location: Kielder Water & Forest Park, Northumberland
Feel alive in Northumberland’s stunning landscapes
Be inspired by the beauty of Northumberland’s protected parks and stunning coastline, and be dazzled by the stars in its clear night skies.
Location: Once Brewed, Northumberland
A night with the Northern Lights in Northumberland
Forget Norway and Iceland. The skies above Northumberland are darker and clearer in the winter months, the perfect time to see the Aurora Borealis.
Location: Coast AONB, Northumberland