The team at Visit Northumberland has come up with a list of things to do in Northumberland in 2021 – and what better time to start than the upcoming bank holiday and half term.
Here is a sneak peak of 21 ideas to add to your bucket list for a year filled with endless experiences.
1. Car Gaze
There are few places in the UK where you can pull over, turn off your headlights, allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness and admire the dazzling sight of Gold Tier Status Dark Skies. In Northumberland, 572 square miles of Gold Tier Dark Skies await your arrival, so fill your boot with a deck chair, flask and binoculars and venture to one of the county’s Dark Sky Discovery Sites. If the conditions are right and the sky is clear, you can gaze at dazzling stars and admire Orion, The Milky Way and The Northern Lights with the naked eye. Photo: Jane Coltman
2. Do go chasing waterfalls
Wander into the wilds of Northumberland and you just might find an unexpected opening where a whimsical waterfall tumbles into a bottomless plunge pot. Roughting Linn (pictured) and Hareshaw Linn all wait at the end of hidden trails and off-the-beaten-track routes, making perfect picnic spots and even somewhere to dip your toes after a long walk. Picture: Danny J Spring Photography Photo: Danny Spring
3. Al-paca your walking boots
Quirky, cheeky and charming alpacas are the perfect companions for a walk in Northumberland. Hemscott Hill Farm and Ferny Rigg Alpacas offer fluffy field walks as you (literally) take the lead and trek through stunning landscapes with an alpaca by your side. Just try NOT coming away from the experience with a smile on your face. Photo: Jane Coltman
4. Much ado about puffins
Head to Seahouses between March – October and book a Farne Islands boat trip with Billy Shiel Farne Island Tours or Serenity Farne Island Tours. Adorably clumsy puffins and lolloping seals reside at The Farne Islands, where birds rule the roost and humans are in the minority, and seals are regularly spotted lazing on the rocks. Photo: Jane Coltman