Northumberland has more sheep than people. That’s not a quip — the county has roughly 500,000 residents and somewhere north of a million sheep. What it lacks in population it makes up for with landscape: 39 miles of Heritage Coast, a national park with no towns inside its boundary, and more castles per square mile than any other county in England.
The coast runs from Berwick-upon-Tweed south to Amble, taking in Bamburgh Castle (possibly the finest castle setting in England), Holy Island with its tidal causeway, and the Farne Islands — 28 rocky outcrops where grey seals and puffins outnumber visitors who reach them by boat from Seahouses. Craster still smokes kippers the same way it has for 150 years. Dunstanburgh Castle stands on a clifftop with no road to it — only a coastal path.
Inland, Northumberland National Park covers 405 square miles. The Pennine Way crosses it. The Simonside Hills, College Valley, and the Cheviots offer serious walking with none of the Lake District’s crowds. Kielder Water holds England’s largest man-made lake and sits inside one of Europe’s biggest dark sky parks — on a clear winter night, the Milky Way is visible with the naked eye.
Hadrian’s Wall cuts east-west across the county, with Housesteads Fort and Vindolanda among the best-preserved Roman sites in northern Europe. Alnwick anchors the north: castle, walled garden, and Barter Books — one of the largest second-hand bookshops in Britain, set inside a Victorian railway station with open fires in winter.
Browse holiday cottages in Northumbria Northumberland below — filter by sleeps, pets, hot tubs, and more.
Bamburgh Castle dominates the north Northumberland coast — a 14-acre fortress on a basalt outcrop above the beach, with views that extend to Holy Island on a clear day. The beach below is one of the best in England: wide, sandy, rarely crowded, and backed by dunes rather than a promenade.
Holy Island (Lindisfarne) sits two miles offshore, accessible via a tidal causeway that closes twice daily. The island holds Lindisfarne Priory (founded in AD 635, one of the oldest Christian sites in England) and Lindisfarne Castle. Tide tables are posted at both ends of the causeway — arriving at the wrong time means a long wait in a passing place while the sea retreats.
The Farne Islands boat trips leave from Seahouses harbour. National Trust wardens manage the islands during puffin season (roughly May to July); outside those months, the grey seal colony is the draw. Seahouses itself is straightforward fish and chips, which is exactly what it should be.
The Wall runs 73 miles from Wallsend on Tyne to Bowness-on-Solway in Cumbria, with its best-preserved sections through central Northumberland. Housesteads Roman Fort (Vercovicium) sits on a ridge with views in both directions; the fort layout — barracks, granaries, latrines — is largely intact. Vindolanda, just south of the Wall, holds the most significant Roman writing tablets found outside Egypt: personal letters, military reports, a birthday party invitation.
The B6318 Military Road runs parallel to the Wall for much of its length. Walkers follow the Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail, which crosses some exposed ground — kit for weather regardless of the season.
Northumberland National Park is the least-visited national park in England, which understates rather than diminishes it. The Cheviot Hills form the northern boundary; the Simonside Hills are less dramatic but more accessible and reliably good for a half-day walk from Rothbury. The College Valley near Wooler is a private valley with limited vehicle access — the landscapes here belong to a different register to anywhere else in northern England.
Kielder Water & Forest Park is 45 miles south-west of Berwick. England’s largest man-made lake is ringed by 250 square miles of forest. Kielder Observatory runs public nights and specialist events; the site holds Gold Tier dark sky designation — one of only a handful in England.
Alnwick is the market town that holds the north of the county together. Alnwick Castle has been in the Percy family since 1309 and doubles as Hogwarts exterior in the Harry Potter films, which creates predictable footfall. The Alnwick Garden next door — contemporary walled gardens including the world’s largest treehouse restaurant — is less predictable and worth an afternoon. Barter Books occupies the old Victorian railway station and runs to 350,000 volumes, a café, and coal-effect fires in winter; the “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster was discovered in a box of books here in 2000.
Hexham anchors the south of the county: good independent market town, a 7th-century abbey, and a livestock market that has run since at least the 13th century. Morpeth is the county town proper, with easy rail links to Newcastle.
Late spring and early summer (May to July) is the prime window for the coast: puffins are on the Farne Islands, the days are long, and the beaches are quieter than in the school holidays. August brings the most visitors but the weather is no more reliable for it. September and October are strong for the national park and Hadrian’s Wall — the light is better for walking and the summer crowds have gone. Winter has its own argument: Kielder dark sky events, Alnwick with fires going, and near-empty beaches with clear cold air. Northumberland winters are real winters, though — pack accordingly.
Newcastle Airport connects to most UK airports and a range of European destinations; the city is 10 miles south of the county boundary. The A1 runs the length of the county from the Scottish border south. East Coast Mainline trains serve Newcastle, Morpeth, and Alnmouth (for Alnwick, 4 miles away); journey time from London King’s Cross to Newcastle is around 2h 50min. A car is useful for anywhere outside the main towns — the national park, Kielder, and the coast villages are not well served by public transport.
The best coastal cottage locations in Northumberland include Bamburgh, Seahouses, Beadnell, Craster, and Amble — all within walking distance of beaches or fishing harbours. Bamburgh has the largest selection with direct views of the castle and beach from some properties. Seahouses suits groups wanting Farne Islands boat access. Beadnell Bay is the only west-facing bay on the east coast of England, which means afternoon sun on the beach — unusual for the North Sea.
Dog-friendly holiday cottages are common throughout Northumberland, particularly in the coastal villages and around the national park. Northumberland’s beaches are generally dog-friendly year-round outside the designated summer swimming areas; Holy Island, the coast path, and Kielder Forest all work well for dogs. Most rural and coastal cottages accept at least one dog; properties with enclosed gardens are available and worth filtering for if travelling with larger breeds.
The Northumberland border starts roughly 10 miles north of Newcastle city centre; Alnwick is 35 miles by road, Bamburgh is 60 miles, and Berwick-upon-Tweed is 70 miles. Most of the county is within a 90-minute drive from Newcastle. The A1 is the main arterial route north; the B6341 and B6342 cover the inland routes into the national park from Morpeth and Rothbury.
Northumberland is well-suited to family holidays. The beaches at Bamburgh and Beadnell are shallow, sandy, and relatively sheltered. Alnwick Garden’s treehouse complex includes an extensive play area. The Farne Islands boat trips are popular with older children. Kielder has dedicated cycling trails and a cycle hire centre at Tower Knowe visitor centre. Cragside House and estate (National Trust) near Rothbury was the first house in the world lit by hydroelectric power — both the engineering and the grounds entertain across age groups.
Barter Books in Alnwick operates regardless of weather and usually improves with it. Vindolanda and the Roman Army Museum near Twice Brewed make a full wet day. Chillingham Castle near Wooler is a medieval castle with legitimate claims to being one of the most haunted buildings in Britain; it runs tours year-round. Northumberland’s market towns — Hexham, Morpeth, Alnwick — all have good independent café culture. The Alnwick Garden’s Poison Garden is undercover in part and surprisingly popular with children who find the concept more gripping than any soft play.