The Northumbria Region

The Northumbria region covers a vast area from County Durham to the Scottish Borders and is enveloped in history, culture and some of the most beautiful nature in the country. Islands such as Lindisfarne contrast with the landscape of the Cheviot hills, whilst historical sites such as Hadrian's Wall showing the region's Roman past sit snugly alongside Hartlepool's Historic Quay which shows the region's maritime history. Roman and Christian heritage are in abundance whilst National Park areas, beautiful beaches, market towns and more castles than any other region in England make Northumbria an ideal location for a short break or longer holiday.

History

The Northumbria region has more historical significance within the UK than any other English county. Once viewed as the capital of England, Newcastle sits in the centre of the region - now a thriving city, it was once the centre point of UK commerce and battle with the mighty Newcastle Keep still standing on the North coast of the River Tyne. Newcastle upon tyne accomodation is extremely varied and there are hotels and b&bs to suite every budget. Trips out of Newcastle and into neighbouring Tynemouth and Hexham will show remarkable Roman ruins such as the ancient Priory at Tynemouth and the famous Vindolanda - a remarkable site showing the remnants of a complete Roman town. Here you can take up the walk along the famous Hadrian's Wall, built by the Emperor Hadrian along the entire width of the country. Much of the wall is still in its original state and can be accessed freely by the public. The region has a very clear Roman history, marked by hundreds of Roman planned roads which stretch, always in straight lines, for miles across the Northumbria landscape and are broken up regularly by small market towns and villages. Accomodation in the borders is vast and plentiful and will provide you with an ideal base for touring the area.

Along with a very clear Roman heritage, the region has strong Christian routes as shown by the stunning Cathedral in Durham City and the more modest but idyllic Lindisfarne, also known as the Holy Island. St Aidan landed on Lindisfarne in the seventeenth century and founded a monastery where monks still live to this day. The story of the Christian mission that followed St Aidan's arrival on the Island was described by Saint Bede in his Ecclesiastical History. Bede's World in Jarrow provides further information on Bede's life and achievements. St Cuthbert is also celebrated for his work on Holy Island and the small church on the Island has a beautiful statue to the Saint within its grounds whilst a special plate resides on St Cuthbert's shrine within Durham Cathedral. An informative museum is situated on Holy Island along with many local shops where you can purchase produce made by the local community and the Islands monks. You can drive across the causeway to the Island in the low tide but make sure to find out when the tide is due to rise as there are no car ferry services to and from the island. Finding some accomodation in the borders will enable you to take a day trip to this beautiful island. The beautiful city of Durham displays both the Christian heritage and the battling nature of the region. The stunning Cathedral is currently being carefully stone-worked to rejuvenate its aging exterior whilst a 'tasteful' restaurant has been developed behind the Cathedral offering wonderful meals and snacks. Information on Durham Cathedral can be found at the Cathedral itself. Information on Durham Cathedral can also be found by visiting one of the book shops in the area which sell a range of books specialising in information on Durham Cathedral. Durham Castle is a magnificent site from most parts of the city and currently serves as one of fourteen colleges - all part of the old and respected Durham University. The Castle is open all year round and guided tours are available to see the Great Hall and fabulous walled gardens. Information on Durham Castle and information on Durham Cathedral will provide you with a detailed history of the area and its many events. Alongside the Roman and Christian heritage, there are a vast number of castles to visit throughout the area. Northumbria boasts a beautiful coastal route which takes you past many of the castles, such as Bamburgh Castle and Alnwick Castle, along with many old towns such as Jedburgh and Berwick. Accomodation in the borders can be found in the towns of Berwick and Alnwick with some lovely B&Bs available in Jedburgh.

Darlington is also worth a visit as the country's first railway town. The first railway to be built in England went from Stockton to Darlington and the old station at Darlington is now a railway museum dedicated to the memory of the railway's part in forming the old and deeply cultural town. Other buildings of interest in Darlington are the old clocktower, only recently restored, the Horsemarket - still running as an indoor market and the Civic Theatre which shows a variety of productions throughout the year.

Culture

There are numerous festivals and events throughout the year in the Northumberland region and the area comes alive in the summer with the Newcastle Jazz Festival, Billingham International Folklore Festival and Alnwick's celebrated town fair. A recent development, Newcastle Arena, plays host to many top pop and classical concerts along with several sporting fixtures, whilst a new concert hall said to be acoustically perfect is almost finished on the South bank of the Tyne. Newcastle upon tyne accomodation can be found within reach of all of these venues and the metro service means you're only a few stops away from the centre of town at any time. The entire Newcastle Quayside has been developed over the past few years to bring it fully up to date although some magnificent buildings, such as the old Baltic Flour Mill have been preserved and transformed for posterity. Many bridges, such as the Tyne Bridge and the Redheugh Bridge, stretch across the River Tyne whilst the magnificent Blinking Eye Bridge, also known as the Millennium Bridge, was recently opened in celebration of the Millennium. Various theatres, such as the famous Theatre Royal, home of the Royal Shakespeare Company in Newcastle, and the Newcastle Playhouse, the Civic Theatre in Darlington and the Empire in Sunderland show various productions throughout the year and there are a whole host of cinemas scattered throughout the region. Newcastle is also a popular destination for a night on the tiles and there are literally hundreds of pubs and clubs to choose from throughout the area. Sunderland is catching up on Newcastle as a popular social venue along with Middlesbrough and the ever popular Whitley Bay.

Walking

There are numerous walks available through the region, from coastal trails along the beaches to hill treks through the Cheviots, and several walks to suite varying tastes and abilities. Northumberland National Park is a national treasure covering 398 square miles of delightful moorland. The Cheviot Hills provide many miles of varied walking terrain and include three valleys of significant interest; the Harthorpe Valley, the Breamish Valley and Coquetdale, accessed from Wooler, Brandon and Rothbury respectively. Other sites of interest include the moorland village of Otterburn and the nearby Brigantium battle site and many others in the area, and the spectacular Scottish border viewpoint at Carter Bar. Accomodation in the borders will provide you with an ideal base for touring the area.

Family Attractions

If the kids have had enough of site seeing, why not take them to the North's biggest water slide park at Wet'n'Wild in North Shields. Just next door to Royal Quays - the fashion outlet, they can go swimming whilst you indulge in some serious retail therapy. Newcastle upon tyne accomodation will leave you well placed to visit Eldon Square, one of the key shopping outlets of the North, and the famous Metro Centre will satisfy any shopaholic's cravings. Or why not visit one of the many beaches along the coastline. Many of the beaches have Blue Flag Awards, the sign of a clean and safe beach and all have golden sand and beautiful blue sea. Whitley Bay is a popular seaside resort with St Mary's Island offering great rock pool hunting and miles of unspoilt coastline whilst further up the coast to Blyth you can see the pier-side wind turbine farm. The Beamish Open Air Museum really is a must whilst in the region, also, as it shows a full life-size functioning town as it would have been so many decades ago, including original running buses and freshly home baked bread. There really is so much to do in the Northumbria region for all age groups and all tastes.

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