Page 232 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

boundary of civilised well as great birdwatch-
order – to the north lay ing. Comprehensive
the unruly land of the information is available
marauding Celts, while at www.visitkielder.com. MICHAEL_DODD / GETTY IMAGES ©
to the south was the The lack of population
Roman world of orderly here helped see the area
taxpaying, underfloor awarded dark-sky status
heating and bathrooms. by the International
There’s an excellent Dark Skies Associa-
visitor centre at Walltown tion in 2013 (the largest
(Northumberland National Park such designation in
Visitor Centre; %01697-747151; Europe), with controls
www.northumberlandnational to prevent light pollu-
park.org.uk; Greenhead; tion. For the best views
h10am-6pm Apr-Sep, to 5pm of the Northumberland
Oct, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun Nov- International Dark Sky
Mar). The finest sections Park, attend a stargazing
of the wall run along session at state-of-the-
the southern edge of art, 2008-built Kielder
remote Northumberland Observatory (%0191-265
National Park. 5510; www.kielderobservatory
.org; Black Fell, off Shilling
The Drive » Follow the B6318
northeast along Hadrian’s Wall. Pot; public observing session
GREAT BRITAIN 16 BRITAIN’S WILD SIDE
Turn north on the B6320 to adult/child £16.50/15; hby
Bellingham. Continue northwest reservation). Book ahead
alongside the North Tyne river and dress warmly as it’s
and Kielder Water lake to the seriously chilly here at
village of Kielder (a 43-mile night.
journey).
The Drive » It’s a 139-mile
drive from Kielder to Balloch
TRIP HIGHLIGHT on the southern shore of Loch
d Kielder Water & Lomond. Head north into
Forest Park Scotland and join the A68
towards Edinburgh. Take the M8
Adjacent to Northumber- to Glasgow and then the A82
land National Park, the northwest to Balloch.
Kielder Water & Forest
Park is home to the vast tends over a huge area,
artificial lake Kielder e Loch Lomond from Balloch north to
Water, holding 200,000 Loch Lomond is main- Tyndrum and Killin, and
million litres. Surround- land Britain’s largest lake from Callander west to
ing its 27-mile-long and, after Loch Ness, the forests of Cowal.
shoreline is England’s the most famous of Scot- From Balloch,
largest plantation forest, land’s lochs. It’s part of Sweeney’s Cruises
with 150 million spruce the Loch Lomond & the (%01389-752376; www.
and pine trees. Kielder Trossachs National Park sweeneyscruiseco.com;
Water is a water-sports (www.lochlomond-trossachs. Balloch Rd) offers a range
playground (and midge org), which became the of trips including a
magnet; bring insect heart of Scotland’s first one-hour return cruise
repellent), and also has national park, created to Inchmurrin (adult/
walking and cycling as in 2002. The park ex- child £10.20/7, five times

230