Page 211 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Great Britain

DRIVE 20: Wild Northumbria 209

LINDISFARNE
Haggerston
Beal ISLAND
Holy Island
Lowick
BAMBURGH Above left Cragside towering above its large
Detchant CASTLE 1 Kielder Water rock garden Above right The technologically
Belford magnificent firs in the pinetum.
Seahouses Northumberland; NE48 1BX Children will enjoy the play area and advanced Victorian manor house at Cragside
With 43 km (27 miles) of shoreline set exploring tunnels and pathways in
Chatton Newham Beadnell among cool pine forest and heather the rhododendron labyrinth. GETTING TO KIELDER WATER
Wooler moorland, Kielder Water is northern ª Return towards Rothbury on B6341,
Hepburn From the south, take the A1, turning left
Ellingham Europe’s largest man-made lake. Visit turn left on B6344; turn left on A697 and
Middleton Embleton the Tower Knowe Visitor Centre (closed right on B6345, then A1068 to Amble. on the A68 after Darlington, then left to
Bellingham and the road to Kielder.
DUNSTANBURGH CASTLE Nov through Mar; 01434 240 436; www.
New Berwick Rennington Craster 3 Amble WHERE TO STAY
Brandon Bolton Aln Howick visitkielder.com) to find out about the Northumberland; NE65 0DA AROUND KIELDER WATER
Beanley
activities on offer, such as walking, lake
C h e v i o t H i l l s Whittingham Edlingham ALNWICK Denwick Alnmouth cruises, fishing, mountain biking and A key centre for coal distribution in Pheasant Inn moderate
the 19th century, Amble’s fortunes
horse riding. Further west along the
On the road (1 km/half a mile) from
shoreline is the Leaplish Waterside Park declined along with the mining
Kielder Water, this peaceful farmhouse-
inn has eight rooms and a garden.
industry. Sitting at the mouth of the
(01434 251 000; www.kielderwaterside.com)
Netherton
Shilbottle
240 382; www.thepheasantinn.com
Coquet
pools, saunas, boat hire and ferry rides.
pleasant and relaxed town. Head
ESTATE
Island
Harbottle CRAGSIDE Swarland Warkworth with lodges for rent, Bird of Prey Centre, River Coquet, Amble is now a Stannersburn, Falstone, NE48 1DD; 01434
Flotterton AMBLE The forest teems with wildlife such as north along the Coquet to AROUND AMBLE
Rothbury otters, roe deer, osprey and red squirrels, Warkworth to see the castle – a
Longframlington Broomhill Roxbro House moderate
Rochester but also has the least light pollution in former stronghold of the mighty This boutique B&B in a stone house 3 km
NOR THUMBERLAND (2 miles) north of Amble, on the A1068,
Monkside the country. You can view the dark skies Percy family – with its cross-shaped
513m Elishaw has six rooms and three log cabins. It
Kielder Emblehope Elsdon Longhorsley at the Kielder Observatory (0191 265 keep, and enjoy lunch in the Mason’s serves great locally sourced breakfasts.
Moor Otterburn
Kielder Netherwitton 5510; www.kielderobservatory.org). Arms (see right) or picnic on the wide Minimum two-night stay in summer.
Forest Kielder ª Turn left out of the visitor centre, sandy beach. In summer, take a boat
Park Reservoir 5 Castle Terrace, Warkworth, NE65 0UP;
Falstone Greenhaugh Hartington following the minor roads towards from the marina to Coquet Island 01665 711 416; www.roxbrohouse.co.uk
KIELDER WATER West
Stannersburn Charlton Woodburn Cambo Greenhaugh. Turn right just before this with its 24-m (80-ft) high lighthouse,
hamlet then left on B6320 to Otterburn. and watch nesting seabirds – puffins, EAT AND DRINK
Northumberland North Tyne Bellingham Turn right on A696 and left on B6341 to eider ducks and the rare roseate tern. AROUND KIELDER WATER
National Park Rothbury and Cragside. Or walk south along the coast and
picnic in the dunes at lovely Druridge Old School Tea Room inexpensive
Attractive tearooms in this Victorian
2 Cragside Bay Country Park. building, ideal for inexpensive snacks.
Rothbury, Northumberland; NE65 7PX ª Take the A1068 north for 14.5 km Falstone, NE48 1AA; 01434 240 459
One of the great Victorian houses of (9 miles) to Alnwick. Turn right onto AROUND CRAGSIDE
the northeast and the first to be lit by Greenwell Road for the car park.
hydro-electricity in 1880, Cragside Angler’s Arms moderate
This 1760s coaching inn, around 10 km
(open Mar–Oct daily; www.nationaltrust. A Man’s House is his Castle (6 miles) east of Cragside, offers dishes
org.uk) was commis sioned by scientist such as Whitby scampi and steak pie.
and arms manufacturer Sir William Over the centuries, Northumberland Weldon Bridge, Longframlington,
has been the site of many battles and
Armstrong. It is best seen from below, border raids with the Scots, so it is no NE65 8AX; 01665 570 271; www.
anglersarms.com
looming over its woodland estate, surprise that it boasts more castles
and the largest hand-made rock than any other part of England. There AROUND AMBLE
garden in Europe. The sumptuous are also many smaller houses fortified Mason’s Arms moderate
interiors also contain a wealth of with square bastions or pele towers, Home-cooked meals at this pub in
gadgetry. There is some rough going which were virtually impregnable. In Warkworth, 3 km (2 miles) north of
Elizabethan times these oddities also
in the grounds, so wear walking harboured raiding clans known as Amble on the A1068, include lamb
curry and Northumbrian/local cheeses.
shoes and keep a lookout for the Border Reivers (see p198). 3 Dial Place, Warkworth, NE65 0UR;
glimpses of red squirrels and 01665 711 398
Eat and Drink: inexpensive, under £25; moderate, £25–£50; expensive, over £50
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