Europe a la Carte

Berwick Upon Tweed

Northumberland lies in the north east of England, south of the border with Scotland and has more castles than any other English county. This is mainly due to the numerous battles between the English and the Scots in the 14 - 16th century. The coastline is very dramatic with long golden beaches and cliffs. One of the best ways to see the area is to walk, at least part of, the St Cuthberts Way,which stretches from Holy Island to Melrose in the Scottish Borders. Newcastle upon Tyne is the nearest airport. There is only a mainline train service, the East Coast line, running north to south from Berwick upon Tweed through Alnmouth to Newcastle. I would suggest that to see most of the area that you hire a car, this will allow to get to the small towns and countryside.

Berwick upon Tweed

Berwick upon Tweed is the most northerly town in England. It has changed hands between the English and Scots fourteen times. The debate continues over whether it should be in England and Scotland. I moved to Berwick upon Tweed in Spring 2006 and I call it Scengland as I think of it as a kind of hybrid country.

he town boasts the best preserved Elizabethan town walls in Europe. From almost any point in the town you can see the 150 foot steeple of the Georgian Guild Hall (townhall) built in 1754. Another distinctive building in the town is the Holy Trinity Parish Church, dating from 1652. It is unusual in that it does not have a steeple. The church was built during the Commonwealth of Cromwell and Cromwell did not approve of church steeples and towers. Berwick Barracks was completed in 1721 to provide accommodation for the soldiers of the garrison. It now houses the Regimental Museum, the Gymnasium Art Gallery and the town Museum and Art Gallery.

You would imagine that such a historic town would have a castle. However Berwick Castle, built in the 12th century, was finally flattened by the Victorians in order to build the railway station. Stones from the Castle were used in the construction of the railway viaduct. There is only a small part of the castle wall left.

The best way to see Berwick is to walk around the town walls. There is a lovely beach and promenade at Spittal, a couple of miles from the town centre. The English artist Lowry (1887 - 1976) often visited Berwick and there is now a Lowry Trail around the town.

Chain Bridge, Horncliffe, Berwick upon Tweed

A few miles west of Berwick lies the Union Bridge, the oldest surviving suspension bridge in the world. Just up from the bridge is the Honey Farm.

The four star Kings Arms is situated the town centre close to the town walls and the quayside. The hotel has been recently refurbished, although the exterior has been preserved. A double room costs from £129.
The three star Marshall Meadows House Hotel is a Georgian mansion sitting in gardens close to the coast. The hotel is only 330 metres from the border with Scotland. It is 2 miles outside Berwick upon Tweed. A double room costs from £80 per night.
Tillmouth Park Country House Hotel is a 3 star hotel set in 15 acres of woodland. It is around 10 miles east of Berwick upon Tweed. A double room costs from £120 per night, a 2 night minimum stay is required at weekends.

Haven Holidays have a couple of parks offering mobile home accommodation. Berwick Park is at the morth east of Berwick upon Tweed, within walking distance of the railway station and town centre. Haggerston Castle is a large park with a landscaped lake, a few miles south of Berwick upon Tweed, just off the A1.

Ford and Etal

The village of Ford is a couple of miles from Etal. I thought it was a very picturesque village with a large green. The Lady Waterford Hall in the village has life size paintings by the Marchioness of Waterford adorning its walls.

Holy Island or Lindisfarne

St Aidan travelled from the island of Iona in Western Scotland to the Holy Island in 635AD toestablish Christianity in northern England. The island is reached by a causeway andso can only be reached at low tide. The current Roman priory is built over the original monastry founded by St Aidan. The island was invaded by Vikings at the end of the 9th century. The castle was built in 1550, on the highest point of the flat island. Lidisfarne Mead is a fortified wine with an infusion of honey and herbs, and is still made on the island. I find that Holy Island can be rather crowded with visitors, you almost feel as if you could be walking along the pavement in a busy town centre.St Cuthberts Way which runs to Melrose in Scottish Borders starts or ends here.

Bamburgh

You can reach the Farne Islands, famous for the seabirds and seals from the nearby village of Seashouses. Another famous inhabitant of the Farne Islands was Grace Darling, a Victorian heroine who helped rescue nine shipwrecked sailors. Her father was the lighthouse keeper on the islands.

The 2 star Victoria Hotel sits on the village green in Bamburgh. The rooms have been recently refurbished to a high standard. A double room costs from £105 per night.

Alnwick

The 3 star White Swan is in the centre of Alnwick. It is a 300 year old coaching inn. The Olympic suite was take from the SS Olympic, the sister ship of the Titanic. It is the mirror image of the suite in the Titanic, with oak panelling and mirrors. Unfortunately the hotel does not have a lift. I have stayed at this hotel twice. The rooms are slightly dated although comfortable but the dinner was lovely, especially eating in the Olympic suite. I thought that the hotel was good value for money and liked the central location. A double rooms costs from £59.

TheMasons Arms is a 200 year old coaching inn, It is 5 miles north of Alnwick on the road to Seashouses. A double rooms costs from £75 per night

The Sun Hotel is opposite Warkworth Castle. This two star hotel charges from £85 per night for a double room.

Wooler

Wooler is a ancient market inland town, often regarded as the Gateway to the Cheviot Hills. In the past the main industry was wool from the sheep that grazed in the Cheviot Hills. The area is great forwalking. The author of Postman Pat ran the mobile library in the area in the early 1950s and is said to have been inspired by his journeys in the beautiful surrounding countryside.

The Rendezvous Cafe at 3 Peth Head offers a selection of organic, local and Fair Trade snacks and meals.  The owners, Emma and Tom, pride themselves on supporting local producers wherever possible.  All food is cooked on the premises. 

The Tankerville Arms is a 18th century coaching inn, now run privately as a hotel. A double room costs from £100 per night.
The Ryecroft Hotel is a family run establishment. The hotel has a lovely garden with a patio. A double room costs from £80 per night,