Cultural Highlights of Northumberland National Park
Renowned for its wild moorland and dramatic landscapes, Northumberland also has a rich cultural history and plenty of fascinating heritage buildings to discover. Our guide to the cultural highlights of Northumberland National Park takes in everything from medieval castles to Roman ruins, with ghosts, eccentric Victorian inventors and Harry Potter thrown in.
Historical landmarks
Hadrian’s Wall
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hadrian’s Wall runs from coast to coast across the park and marks the former boundary of the Roman Empire’s northern frontier. Dotted with around 80 ‘milecastles’ and 17 larger forts, it snakes across the park’s crags and escarpments, and while some of the stones were later used for the construction of local buildings, it’s still the most substantial and significant of the UK’s Roman remains.
Within the park there are numerous accessible parts of the wall to explore, many with visitor centres and museums where you can learn more about its history and walk along well-preserved sections with fascinating ruins and fabulous views.
Just some of those to look out for include the Housesteads, Vindolanda and Chesters forts, all of which have their own museums, and the iconic Sycamore Gap, although sadly the tree that marked this famous spot was felled in 2023 in an act of vandalism. If you lack the time to walk the entirety of the 84-mile Hadrian’s Wall Path, these are all within 13 miles of each other, so make a great place to start.
The Northumberland National Park and English Heritage websites both have comprehensive guides to the sites in the park, with suggestions for what to see and do, as well as details of regular events and historical reenactments that bring its history to life.
Harbottle Castle and the Drake Stone
Built on the orders of Henry II to protect against incursions from Scotland, 12th-century Harbottle Castle later fell to Robert The Bruce. It was subsequently reinforced, and remained a key border site for hundreds of years. Today it’s an atmospheric ruin (free to visit) where you can explore the original earthworks and remaining walls. Nearby, on a remote section of heather-covered moorland, the Drake (Dragon) Stone is a huge 30-foot glacial boulder shrouded in myths of druidic ceremonies and reputed to have healing powers.
The Northumberland National Park website has details of a moderate five-mile walk that takes in both sites, with superb views of the park and the Cheviot Hills en route, and the added bonus for enthusiastic wild swimmers of the chance to take a bracing dip in nearby Harbottle Lake.
Chillingham Castle
Just outside the national park’s eastern boundary, medieval Chillingham Castle is a beautifully preserved Grade I-listed building filled with historic artefacts and antique furnishings, with grand state rooms, an armoury, a dungeon and a gruesome ‘torture chamber’ to explore. Its peaceful formal gardens are dotted with statues, lakes and fountains, and if you’re lucky you’ll be able to spot deer, red squirrels and badgers in the surrounding woodlands.
All of these things make Chillingham a great place to visit, but its particular claim to fame is that it’s said to be Britain’s most haunted castle, and it hosts popular Ghost Tours at weekends throughout the year. If you’re interested in the paranormal, the opportunity to encounter these spectres while learning more about the castle’s history may make it hard to resist.
Alnwick Castle
Alnwick Castle has a history dating back to the Norman Conquest, is one of the largest inhabited castles in England, and famously doubled as Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films. Alongside the impressive medieval architecture of its barbican, keep and great hall, a tour of its ornate state rooms reveals antique furnishings, artefacts and artworks from throughout the building’s history.
Harry Potter devotees can book broomstick-riding training sessions and guided tours that highlight all the film locations (great for selfies), and the castle itself hosts numerous events in summer, ranging from costumed reenactments to falconry and cannon firing.
And that’s not all. The adjoining Alnwick Garden (separate fee) is a real treat for both children and keen horticulturalists, with ornamental, rose and poison gardens to explore, a huge animated fountain and a bamboo labyrinth.
Although the castle and gardens are a short drive outside the national park, its multi-generational appeal makes it a great bet for a family day out. Full details of how to buy tickets and everything that there is to see are available on the Alnwick Castle website. We’d recommend booking in advance.
Other historic buildings
As you travel around Northumberland, keep your eyes peeled for the historic agricultural and industrial buildings that were once important mainstays of domestic life in the park. These include bastles (stout, fortified farmhouses where both owners and livestock took shelter from the notorious Border Reivers) and limekilns (a key producer of materials for farmers and builders). Just some of those to look out for include the Woodhouses and Black Middens bastles, and limekilns at Crindledykes and Tosson.
If you’re a fan of history or domestic architecture, the historic sites page of the Northumberland National Park website has details of these and other smaller sites that are worth a stop when passing, and remain as a testament to the fortitude of the park’s previous inhabitants, not to mention their impressive building skills.
Museums, cultural centres and hidden gems
Roman Army Museum
Close to the Magna Roman Fort near Walltown Quarry, the fascinating Roman Army Museum sheds some light on the history of the Roman Empire and daily life on the frontier. It displays both original objects discovered along Hadrian’s Wall and full-scale replicas, including armour and weapons, while the 20-minute film Edge of Empire recreates life as a Roman soldier. Magna Fort itself is close by, and free guided tours include a visit to the site of current archaeological excavations.
The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre
The free visitor centre called The Sill, near Sycamore Gap, features audio-visual stories of life in the park, historical and geological exhibits, art inspired by the park’s dramatic landscape and a year-round programme of family-friendly events. With lots of useful local information and an attractive on-site café, it’s a great starting point for exploring Hadrian’s Wall, and within a short drive of several prominent historic sites.
Cragside
On the edge of Northumberland National Park near Rothbury, the handsome Cragside is a 19th-century mansion that was once home to inventor William Armstrong, and prides itself on being Britain’s original ‘smart home’. It was the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity (which still provides power today), features quirky Victorian gadgets including a hydraulic lift and a roasting spit in the kitchen, and is great for lovers of the Arts and Crafts movement, which embraced both the romance of the past and the fascination of modern technology.
Inside, you can admire pre-Raphaelite stained glass, gothic carvings and designs by William Morris and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, alongside an impressive collection of natural history specimens and contemporary art. Outside, the beautiful gardens feature rhododendrons, a pinetum and a rock garden, while a choice of waymarked walks and a six-mile circular drive visit important sites around the estate, including the Pump House and Powerhouse that helped bring Armstrong’s dreams to fruition.
Enchanting, eccentric and educational, What more could you ask for?
Brinkburn Priory
Embraced by a bend of the Coquet River, the peaceful 12th-century Augustinian Brinkburn Priory (open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am) is both a lovely place for a walk and one of the finest examples of early Gothic architecture in Northumberland. The carefully restored church is home to rare ecclesiastical artefacts, an original William Hill organ designed to take advantage of the building’s fabulous acoustics, and beautiful stained-glass windows. Outside, you can wander through the woods and beside the river, with plenty of great spots to stop for a picnic.
Events, festivals and markets
Northumberland County Show
A lively rural showcase in Bywell (just outside Northumberland National Park), the Northumberland County Show attracts more than 30,000 visitors every year to celebrate local agriculture and heritage. Alongside traditional livestock competitions for cattle, sheep and horses, there’s a diverse programme of entertainment including live music, freestyle motocross, medieval battle reenactments and traditional Cumberland wrestling, as well as stalls selling delicious local produce and hand-made crafts. It’s a great way to meet the local farming community, with plenty to keep every member of the family busy, and is well worth attending if you’re visiting the park in May.
Rothbury Traditional Music Festival
Held every July on the edge of the park in the pretty village of Rothbury, the annual Rothbury Traditional Festival has been celebrating folk music and dance for more than 40 years. With musicians, singers and dancers from across the country, it features concerts, ceilidhs, workshops and competitions throughout the weekend, offering a great introduction to traditional Northumbrian culture.
Local markets
If you’d like to pick up some souvenirs of your visit to the park, or just some tasty local produce to keep you fed during your holiday, a local market is a great place to start.
- Held in the Market Square every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from June to September, Alnwick Market sells local produce, handmade crafts and unique gifts.
- Hexham Farmers’ Market offers dairy produce, locally sourced meat, fruit and vegetables, baked goods, artisan cheeses and some tasty local beers, and is held on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month.
Whether you’re interested in history or architecture, farming or folk music, wizards or druids, there’s a place out there in Northumberland National Park for you to explore. If you'd like to make the most of the scenery as well, check out Pitchup's collection of the best campsites in Northumberland National Park and treat yourselves to a fabulous outdoor stay.