Northumbrian Coast and Durham

Local departure by coach or Home Connect service, then on to the Jury’s Inn, Newcastle for four nights.

Today’s included excursion takes us to the town of Alnwick. This historic county town is one of the most picturesque market towns in Northumberland. The cobbled streets and narrow alleys provide a peaceful retreat and many of the fine stone buildings now house specialist shops, including bookstores and craft shops. Alnwick Castle was the ancestral home to the Duke of Northumberland and is the largest inhabited castle in England after Windsor Castle. The castle has been the backdrop for many TV shows and films including Blackadder, Ivanhoe, Robin Hood – Prince of Thieves, Elizabeth and most recently Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The stunning grounds landscaped by Capability Brown sit alongside the new gardens, which you can see growing day by day.

We later visit the market town of Warkworth, home to a beautiful castle. The castle is the most splendid ruin of its type in Northumberland and the first fortification on the site was in the 12th century. The castle came into the hands of the Percys in the late 14th century and remained theirs for some 600 years. The town itself is of interest with terraces of 18th and 19th century houses built in grey stone with red roofs. It still looks as if it were clinging to the protection of the great stronghold. Follow a path upstream to the Hermitage, an unusual refuge dug into the face of the bluff by a hermit in the 14th century.

Travel to Durham, famous for its picturesque location on the River Wear. The city of Durham has been dominated by the magnificent Norman Castle and Cathedral for over 900 years. Set in a loop of the River Wear, its rocky peninsula and wooded gorge provided a defensive stronghold for the Prince Bishops. Today the Castle and Cathedral are a World Heritage Site due to their exceptional quality and international significance. Durham still retains its medieval layout and the narrow winding streets and alleyways are a joy to explore on foot.

Later we return to Newcastle and the revitalised quayside area. Famous for its trademark bridges, great museums and exceptionally friendly people, Newcastle is an exciting city bursting with vitality. Wander down to the transformed waterfront, the Quayside, now lined with stylish hotels, designer bars, restaurants and public art. The Gateshead Millennium Bridge, a work of art in itself, arches across the Tyne to link the City to Gateshead Quays and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art.

Join our full day scenic tour of the stunning Northumbrian Coast.

The route continues via the coast road to Seahouses, a popular small seaside resort with a little harbour, and later to magnificent Bamburgh Castle on its commanding perch on the seafront.

We include entrance at the Castle, scene to numerous films and the site from where the ancient Kings of Northumbria ruled. Then, tides and weather permitting, a visit will be made to Holy Island and Lindisfarne, famed as the birthplace of English Christianity.

Return home.