Northumberland: Drawbridge opens for castle tour adventure
Oct 7 2009 By Paula Young
It had not stopped drizzling for three hours by the time we became stuck in a traffic jam with a crying baby and a whining three-year-old threatening to throw up at any moment. So began the family holiday we had been craving for the best part of a year!
We were on the A1 near Gateshead desperately trying to distract our oldest from her tummy woes with the exciting promise she might see an angel any moment – the Angel of the North to be precise. It took another half an hour before our car trundled far enough for the gargantuan structure to come into view and she was less than impressed!
Our final destination in the windswept wilds of Northumberland was going to have to have the wow factor or we were in serious trouble!
We were not disappointed. Although it was still raining when we arrived, first impressions of our cottage complex were enough to lift our spirits from the dreary five-hour drive. Set amid fields at the end of a dirt track with a clear view of Bamburgh Castle, the old stone cottages, managed by Bamburgh First, have been lovingly converted into first class holiday apartments.
Opening into a large open-plan living/dining area with a welcoming wood burning stove, the apartment, with four bedrooms and three bathrooms, managed to feel both cosy and enormous at the same time. A nice extra touch given to all guests is a welcome basket of local produce and a free pass to the nearby health club & pool. With all our home comforts catered for we could have been forgiven for staying put but Northumberland offered too many opportunities to waste time lounging around. With just five days remaining we had boundless castles to explore, the entire stretch of Holy Island, a children’s farm, an old working mill and Hadrian’s Wall, to name but a few.
First stop - Bamburgh Castle
First stop was the must-see Bamburgh Castle and, fresh from a good night’s sleep, we ventured forth on our first outing. It was the first time our girls had been to a castle and, although 13-month-old Kate was a bit young to appreciate its finery, we were concerned Ellie’s hopes of a fairytale princess palace would be crushed by the reality of cold bare stone walls. Not so. She was in her element exploring all the nooks and crannies and was particularly fascinated, if a little terrified, of the dungeon where the ‘naughty people’ go!
This vivid introduction to the consequences of misbehaving in medieval England – by means of wax models garishly strung up behind bars – made a pleasingly lasting impression on her!
Billed as one of the most impressive looking castles in England (mainly due to its restoration in the 18th & 19th century) Bamburgh boasts fabulous views of Holy Island’s Lindisfarne Castle, the Farne Islands and the Cheviot Hills, not to mention a beautiful stretch of sandy coast.
It was to this golden stretch of sand we set off next, complete with buckets, spades, waterproofs and wellies. Here we were treated to the most magnificent view of the imposing castle – a perfect backdrop for taking pictures of one-year-old Kate’s first beach experience.
Alnwick Castle was next on the family's must-see list >>>
