Planning The Perfect Holiday In Alnwick – Northumberland County
January 21, 2010 by Trevor Johnson
Filed under Destinations
Just off Road A1 you will find a jewel that is hidden away in a beautiful town that has a history dating back to 600 AD. Alnwick – Northumberland is the home of Lord and Duchess Percy and is an absolute delight to spend time in. There are many activities that will keep you completely busy for the duration of your holiday.
The first place to stop is Barter Books. You are going to find the shop in a beautiful Railway Station that holds over 350,000 books that will give you hours of enjoyment as you wander the aisles and look at the classic and modern books that line the shelves.
Surrounding the beautiful town centre are shops and cafes that provide a wonderful place to sit and relax. The Market Cross is beautiful and the cobblestone streets are a fabulous way to enjoy this marvelous historic part of town. When you want to explore, you can take Fenkle, Bondgate Within or Narrowgate that all meet at the Centre and wander down the historic lanes to enjoy the tiny nooks and shops that lie just off the market square. Each Saturday, the market hosts a huge market of regional foods, crafts, and entertainment that is delightful.
The Alnwick fair is held each summer and is a wonderful opportunity for you to see the town as it was during Medieval times. The residents of town dress in period costumes, there is jousting, wonder entertainment, and mouthwatering regional foods. This is a great time to become totally immersed in the town, culture and people of this wonderful town.
The Alnwick Castle and Gardens are an all day trip. The castle contains over seven hundred years of history, a wonderful museum, and great dungeon. The castle is open for tours from April through September. But, the castle is also a fantastic business centre. Part of the castle houses American Foreign Exchange Students. It has a glorious Fusiliers Museum, and there are marvelous guides and residents located throughout the castle to give directions and information about the wonderful area.
The castle welcomes over 200,000 visitors each year who take part in many events and activities that are held throughout the year. You may want to take archery lessons or learn magic and wizardry in Harry Potter style. The Castle has been used in several films including two Harry Potter films so you will probably feel that you have been there before when you walk past the lions on the bridge to the castle.
The Duchess made Alnwick Garden her project and the entire region has benefited from her vision and dedication to creating a garden that pays homage to the gardens of Versailles. There are weirs, a cascading fountain that is spectacular, and spectacular plants. Over 15,000 plants from over the world inhabit the gardens and there are secret gardens throughout where you can escape and enjoy the wildlife and beauty in solitude for a while. The project is ever-evolving and you will find new additions to this fabulous garden each time you visit.
There are some special places to visit that you will not find on most tourist maps. At the top of Falcon’s Rest and the bus station you will find the Scary House. This home was built sometime in the 1820s and is a stunning piece of architecture. It is a private home so you will only be able to see the outside, but it is such a glorious reflection of early architecture that you will want to see it.
There is so much to see and do in Alnwick – Northumberland that you must plan to spend at least a week at one of the 50 inns and B&Bs that near the market square. One last must see that cannot go without mention is John Bull’s. Take Howick Street to John Bull Pub and enjoy the vast array of award winning ales in this historic building. The arts are alive in town with several galleries, great pubs, wonderful food, and outstanding people. A wonderful holiday trip no matter what activities you enjoy.
Check here for a wide selection of Alnwick hotels.