A Traveler’s Guide to Northeast England

Despite being home to well-known attractions such as Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Lindisfarne (or Holy Island), Northeast England has still managed to stay under the radar of many U.S. travelers.

This hidden gem of England sits between London and Edinburgh, with Yorkshire to the south and the Lake District to the west, making it the perfect addition to many U.K. itineraries. For any U.S. traveler looking to get off the beaten path, North East England ticks that box.

“Perhaps we are an area that isn’t as well-known, but that’s a fantastic selling point for your clients,” said Alex Mackenzie, travel trade manager for Destination North East England. “That means they get to go to places that aren’t well-explored, then go back home and boast, ‘Guess what? We’ve done places you’ve never been before.’”

What to Do in Durham

A relatively new attraction in Durham is the Auckland Project, a collection of unique experiences to consider for client itineraries. The attraction includes Auckland Palace, which was once home to the Prince Bishops of Durham, who were granted authority equal to the king to protect England from Scotland.

“We are new as a visitor destination, but that means its relatively unvisited,” said Catherine Hodgson, head of communications and marketing for the Auckland Project, who echoes Mackenzie’s point. “For people who do come to visit, no one else will have been, so that’s something for them to share with friends and family.”

Also in Durham is the 350-acre open-air Beamish Museum, which brings the past to life through authentic historical areas, from a 1900s-era town (used as a filming location for “Downtown Abbey”) to a 1950s Main Street, complete with a real movie house.

Durham’s most epic experience, though, is arguably Kynren, a 90-minute live show with knights on horseback, a full-scale steam train, live animals, special effects and pyrotechnics, all performed on a 7.5-acre outdoor stage with the backdrop of Auckland Palace.

Beamish Museum and Kynren operate seasonally.

Visiting Hadrian’s Wall

The 73-mile-long Hadrian’s Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was built circa AD 122 to protect the northwest border of the Roman Empire. Today, the remaining sections of the wall and its forts attract travelers from around the world.

“Every international visitor that comes to our region wants to see Hadrian’s Wall,” Mackenzie said.

Clients can walk the entire length of the wall, but according to Anna Unger, a Blue Badge guide with Newcastle Tour Company, the most popular way to visit is via a day trip with a driver-guide or on a coach tour.

“One of the highlights of a Hadrian’s Wall tour is visiting one of the forts,” Unger said. “Vindolanda, a working archeological site, definitely grabs people’s interest, because you can look over the shoulders of archeologists and see what they bring out of the ground."

Clients who explore Victoria Tunnel in Newcastle can also pass beneath a section of Hadrian’s Wall (one of the rare places where travelers can walk under a UNESCO World Heritage site, Mackenzie noted). Originally constructed as a Victorian wagonway to transport coal to the river Tyne, the tunnel was later used as a WWII air-raid shelter. Book clients on a guided tour if they’d like to learn more about the tunnel’s history, including a few of its mysteries. Note that tour guests must be 7 or older and that the route is not wheelchair accessible.

What to Do in Northumberland

The tidal island of Lindisfarne is an important religious and historic site, as it is the burial ground of Saint Cuthbert and the location of the ruins of a 12th -century monastery. It’s important to note, though, that the 3-mile causeway to the island is only accessible twice a day. Clients should visit with a guide who knows the ins and outs of the tides — literally.

“The Holy Island of Lindisfarne is definitely one of the big destinations in the North East,” Unger said. “It’s an ancient site of pilgrimage as the burial site of Saint Cuthbert. Then, in 793, the first Viking attack on the western world happened on Holy Island. Saint Cuthbert was eventually taken to Durham, where’s he’s buried in the cathedral.”

Clients may also want to visit Alnwick Castle (pronounced Ann-ick) — it is not only a historic Norman castle, it’s also a Harry Potter filming location (most notably, it’s where Harry learned to fly a broomstick in the first movie). The second largest inhabited castle in the United Kingdom (behind Windsor Castle), Alnwick has also served as a military outpost and a teaching college.

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Tours of the grounds and staterooms (“Downtown Abbey” fans will recognize the grand staircase) and broomstick flying lessons are offered seasonally here. The onsite Alnwick Garden features the largest collection of Taihaku cherry trees in the world and the largest wooden treehouse in the world. The Poison Garden is — you guessed it — home to the deadliest garden in the world, as it is filled with hundreds of toxic plants.

Northumberland is also home to Bamburgh Castle. Originally built as a fortress, Bamburgh has stood above the Northumberland coastline for more than 1,400 years. The castle was home to a succession of English kings, from Henry VI to James I, and was the first castle to “fall to gunpowder” in the War of the Roses. In 1894, Bamburgh was purchased by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist William George Armstrong, who transformed it into what it is today. The opening sequence of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and the Netflix historical drama “The Last Kingdom” were both filmed here.

“The beauty of Bamburgh Castle as a visitor destination is it appeals on different levels, whether you want to get into the history and culture or just want the eye-socking [ocean] views,” said Claire Watson-Armstrong, Bamburgh’s chatelaine, or castle mistress (her husband is the current owner). “We are also famous because we are the real ‘Last Kingdom of Bebbanburg’ from the hit series.”

Bamburgh has two self-catering apartments onsite, so clients also have the unique opportunity to overnight here and be king or queen of the castle after day visitors go home.