For the longest time, I’d all the time wished to go to Northumberland. Come to think about it, I keep in mind the precise second when travelling to school in Scotland from London. It was the primary ever journey to Scotland by practice and boy was I in for a deal with.
I nonetheless keep in mind whizzing by means of stunning cities like York and Durham earlier than making it to the northeast coast of England and Northumberland. I will need to have taken that practice tens of instances throughout my years at St Andrew’s however every time I might do the identical factor.
As quickly as I might attain the Northumberland shoreline, my eyes have been immediately glued to the window pane (often with my Thermos of tea in hand). Alongside the way in which, I’d see spots like Berwick-upon-Tweed, Holy Island and the shoreline round Dunstanburgh Citadel. Throughout these practice journeys (when let’s be trustworthy, I used to be in all probability purported to be revising), I promised myself that I’d go exploring Northumberland at some point.
And you realize what, that is precisely what we did!
With a nifty little bit of planning and grabbing our practice tickets, we have been all set to move to Northumberland.
After hopping on our practice, we arrived in Morpeth to choose up our wheels and head throughout the moorlands. Now, the practice itself took slightly over three hours from the centre of London however really feels 1,000,000 miles away. Not least as a result of Northumberland is the least populous county in all of England, which, if I’m trustworthy, is immediately noticeable when arriving from the hustle and bustle of London.
By the point we jumped in our automotive, my tummy was a hungry rumbling mess.
Now, I’m not susceptible to rational thought after I’m hungry (yeah, I’m a type of those that will get hangry actually fast), so Yaya made some preemptive plans to discover a lunch spot earlier than any type of Jekyll and Hyde state of affairs got here into being! 😉
After slightly jaunt within the automotive, we arrived at St. Mary’s Inn (in Morpeth) which was a comfy pub that appeared standard with locals. Now, that is all the time signal for me, particularly when travelling.
You see, with guests, pubs and eating places solely need to please you as soon as – you’re solely there quickly in any case and shall be changed the subsequent day/week/month by one other customer (which is basically why eating places in vacationer lure areas have a tendency to not be that nice – there are exceptions, after all). For these catering to locals, nonetheless, they need to be time and time once more in any other case they run the danger of getting no clients.
Because the pub was crammed with locals, I immediately knew we’d made the fitting selection.
For starters, I went for the mackerel pate with pickled fennel and sourdough, which was so tasty. And Yaya determined upon the crispy king prawns which he refused to share!
For mains, Yaya went for a juicy steak and I grabbed myself a home made steak and ale pie with mash. It was a type of heartwarming meals that depart you so full you wanna be rolled out of the door.
That being mentioned, Yaya discovered room for a serving to of sticky toffee pudding, which I insisted he ordered with two spoons this time! There’s no manner he was having this one alone.
After filling our tummies, we thought it greatest to truly work off a few of these treats with slightly stroll across the space.
That is once we stumbled upon Belsay Home and Gardens.
Perched within the countryside, about twenty minutes from Morpeth, Belsay Home was dwelling to the Middleton Household for over 700 years. Actually, there have been information going again to round 1270 when Richard de Middleton was Lord Chancellor to King Henry III.
Now, with all that historical past, I simply knew we needed to go discover the grounds and home. As quickly as we arrived, we headed straight for the newer (however nonetheless over 200 years outdated) Belsay Corridor.
That’s the factor you begin to realise, ‘new’ is such a relative time period, particularly when there’s a lot historical past that goes again 1000’s of years in Northumberland.
Apparently, Belsay Corridor was in-built a Grecian type after a Greek honeymoon that Sir Charles Monck took upon his marriage. As we headed inside, we rapidly noticed how spectacular this may have been as a house.
The Pillar Corridor is simply unbelievable and just about the focus of the corridor itself.
After slightly stroll across the corridor, we head straight out into the gardens themselves.
Now, we Brits have some fairly unpredictable climate and it could actually truthfully really feel like 4 seasons in at some point at instances.
That being mentioned, we lucked out on this event with some beautiful sunshine which was good for exploring the gardens.
As we headed by means of the grounds, we discovered ourselves within the Quarry Gardens.
It completely felt like a misplaced world which has been forgotten for hundreds of years, particularly as there was no-one else round.
While strolling by means of the quarried walkways, I immediately remembered what the English Heritage workers had been saying. The gardens of Belsay Corridor have a singular little micro-climate.
This made good sense! It nearly felt like summer season strolling round. There have been timber and vegetation I didn’t even know might stay this far north. It felt nearly tropical… nicely, for England at the least! 😉
After about twenty minutes, we got here throughout a clearing that led us to the historic dwelling of the Middleton’s, Belsay Citadel.
Many a whole bunch of years earlier than Belsay Corridor was constructed, the fortress itself was the household dwelling.
Now principally in ruins, it nearly feels eerie strolling round. Virtually as if it was deserted and caught in a second of time when the household left.
Even inside, you possibly can nonetheless see the unique fireplaces and nooks that have been as soon as a part of the rooms of the fortress.
Now, I really like a little bit of historical past like this, particularly when the fortress dates again so many a whole bunch of years. That being mentioned, with solely myself and Yaya right here, I positively acquired just a few shivers as we walked round.
Personally, I don’t consider in ghosts or something like that, however If somebody instructed me this place was haunted, I might have believed them immediately. It actually was fairly spooky – particularly when nobody else was there. 😉
After slightly wander throughout the grounds, we determined to name it a day at Belsay Citadel and head to our lodgings to test in.
We determined to remain at Newton-by-the-Sea, on the Joiners Arms. It was a type of beautiful village pubs that you simply see nestled into the countryside.
As quickly as we stepped foot inside, I knew we’d made the fitting selection. The rooms have been beautiful. (I’m a sucker for uncovered timber! 😄)
It’s simply the type of place that makes you’re feeling immediately welcome. Somebody playfully described it as a five-star inn – with a hug and I’ve to agree!
Plus, what made it much more scrumptious was the cocktail making package that was left within the room every evening! Gray Goose vodka, Chambord and loads of contemporary raspberries, which made for the proper nightcap.
That being mentioned, the nightcap must wait, as dinner was calling. There’s one thing concerning the sea air that makes me extra hungry and though we have been just a few miles from the seaside, I used this as an excuse for us to move straight for dinner.
Now, Northumberland is understood for its tasty seafood, so we headed straight for the shoreline and over to Craster for some grub on the Jolly Fisherman.
Perched a stone’s throw from the working harbour, it was a stunning little spot to spherical off our first day.
Effectively over 150 years outdated, I can nonetheless think about all of the Nineteenth-century fisherman stumbling out of right here after days spent fishing within the North Sea. Aside from my concepts of tipsy fisherman, not a lot else has modified over the past 150 years.
The fish and seafood are nonetheless caught domestically and usually comes from the native fisherman from the harbour itself, the views are simply as superb with the village nearly feeling prefer it’s been frozen in time.
After a fast dabble over the menu, I ordered the mackerel Scotch egg for starters. It was a type of Scotch eggs that come out good and working, which I devoured instantly.
Yaya, alternatively, when for the contemporary scallops and cured salty meat.
For mains, we each went for the native lobster that was from the harbour itself. It was so yummy, particularly slathered in numerous butter. I’m a sucker for something dipped in butter and this was simply superb.
Stuffed to the brim, we determined to name it an evening and head again to the Joiner’s Arms for some well-earned relaxation (and our nightcap).
If right this moment was something to go by, I knew we have been gonna love Northumberland.
Learn Day two in Northumberland, beneath
Visiting The Stunning Bamburgh Citadel And Farne Islands, England
Examine Out The Very Greatest Of Nice Britain!
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