Fred’s guidebook: North Northumberland
Food scene
The Ship Inn
Fantastic seaside pub with its own microbrewery.
Pack Horse Inn
Great food and drink. Meat sourced from local farm. Friendly and knowledgeable staff.
Only one mile away from Rock. Family friendly pub. Sunday lunches in particular are excellent
Horseshoes Inn
6 RenningtonOnly one mile away from Rock. Family friendly pub. Sunday lunches in particular are excellent
Jolly Fisherman Inn
Haven HillGreat seaside pub. Crab sandwiches are a must.
The Joiners Arms
B1340Good food and service.
Dog friendly café , walkable from Rock Village. Andrew is a knowledgeable and friendly host and is passionate about the local area, including supporting local suppliers.
Rocking Horse Cafe & Gallery
Farm Rock MidsteadDog friendly café , walkable from Rock Village. Andrew is a knowledgeable and friendly host and is passionate about the local area, including supporting local suppliers.
Carnaby's Cafe
Excellent lunches and teas, just of the A1.
Magnificent gardens and arboretum, including long walk down to the sea. Cafe is great for lunches and teas.
25 locals recommend
Howick Hall Gardens
Magnificent gardens and arboretum, including long walk down to the sea. Cafe is great for lunches and teas.
Pinnacles
17-19 Main StThe 'Hairy Bikers' favourite Fish and Chip shop!
The Running Fox
2-4 RiversideSuperb café and bakery, with collection available .
A little further afield but excellent food. Highly recommended.
33 locals recommend
The Cook and Barker Inn
A little further afield but excellent food. Highly recommended.
Doxford Hall Hotel Spa
Traditional country house hotel with spa and restaurant.
The Potted Lobster
3 Lucker RdNot cheap but excellent seafood, some of the best in the area.
The Treehouse Restaurant
Denwick LanePricy, but excellent for special occasions
Sea & Soil Amble
104 Queen StGreat seafood. One of the best in the area.
The Old Boathouse
Leazes StreetExcellent seafood. Another good choice if you are in Amble
A must if you are in Alnmouth. Sunday lunch especially recommended.
21 locals recommend
The Red Lion Inn
22 Northumberland StA must if you are in Alnmouth. Sunday lunch especially recommended.
Sightseeing
Drive across the causeway (at low tide) to experience this historic island. The Priory and Castle are the most obvious points, don't forget the Gertrude Jekyll designed garden outside the castle walls - especially in high summer (July and August) when most of the plants come into flower. Good coffee and food available in the cafés.
89 locals recommend
Holy Island
Drive across the causeway (at low tide) to experience this historic island. The Priory and Castle are the most obvious points, don't forget the Gertrude Jekyll designed garden outside the castle walls - especially in high summer (July and August) when most of the plants come into flower. Good coffee and food available in the cafés.
Fantastic trip with young kids, and good refreshments in the tea room.
21 locals recommend
Heatherslaw Light Railway
Fantastic trip with young kids, and good refreshments in the tea room.
A must for history enthusiasts. The best preserved Elizabethan town walls in the country (the reasons for this are explained on the plaques around the town). Also some remnants of the original Medieval walls remain, and there is a Lowry trail documenting the scenes of several of the artist's most famous paintings in the town.
6 locals recommend
Berwick Town Walls
9 Palace StA must for history enthusiasts. The best preserved Elizabethan town walls in the country (the reasons for this are explained on the plaques around the town). Also some remnants of the original Medieval walls remain, and there is a Lowry trail documenting the scenes of several of the artist's most famous paintings in the town.
Visit the northern frontier of the mighty Roman Empire. Any of the sights from Segedunum in Wallsend across to Birdoswald in Cumbria are recommended. Or, if you are feeling ambitious, walk the full 73 mile length of the wall.
99 locals recommend
Hadrian's Wall
Visit the northern frontier of the mighty Roman Empire. Any of the sights from Segedunum in Wallsend across to Birdoswald in Cumbria are recommended. Or, if you are feeling ambitious, walk the full 73 mile length of the wall.
Fantastic second hand bookshop in the old Alnwick Railway Station building. Excellent café. the evening talks given by guest authors are well worth it when they are on.
83 locals recommend
Barter Books
Fantastic second hand bookshop in the old Alnwick Railway Station building. Excellent café. the evening talks given by guest authors are well worth it when they are on.
Atmospheric ruined castle built by Thomas of Lancaster, rival baron to Edward II. Fantastic views from both Craster and Embleton bays. Historians speculate it was built with the Arthurian iamge of Avalon in mind.
68 locals recommend
National Trust - Dunstanburgh Castle
Dunstanburgh RoadAtmospheric ruined castle built by Thomas of Lancaster, rival baron to Edward II. Fantastic views from both Craster and Embleton bays. Historians speculate it was built with the Arthurian iamge of Avalon in mind.
Explore this magnificent castle - former seat of the Percy family, then head to one of the excellent cafés or pubs in the village.
49 locals recommend
Warkworth Castle
Castle TerraceExplore this magnificent castle - former seat of the Percy family, then head to one of the excellent cafés or pubs in the village.
Plenty on offer - history, garden, and Harry Potter themed kids' activities.
281 locals recommend
Alnwick Castle
Plenty on offer - history, garden, and Harry Potter themed kids' activities.
A favourite with young children: vintage tractors, animals at close hand and biltong for sale.
37 locals recommend
Northumberland Country Zoo
A favourite with young children: vintage tractors, animals at close hand and biltong for sale.
Neighbourhoods
Rock is a small, quiet village with a few houses, a 12th Century Church, a pond with mallards, swans and moorhens, a farm trail for walkers, and a 15th Century Hall, lived in by members of the Bosanquet family who own the estate and welcome visitors. It is an ideal base for exploring the scenic North Northumberland coast and hills nearby.
Rock
Rock is a small, quiet village with a few houses, a 12th Century Church, a pond with mallards, swans and moorhens, a farm trail for walkers, and a 15th Century Hall, lived in by members of the Bosanquet family who own the estate and welcome visitors. It is an ideal base for exploring the scenic North Northumberland coast and hills nearby.
Embleton village, and bay is a beautiful location. Walk along the uncrowded beach, appreciate the wildflowers in the dunes, and marvel at the ruined Dunstanburgh Castle - some historians think it was inspired by the Arthurian mythical isle of Avalon.
https://sites.google.com/site/yournorthumberland/area-guides/embleton
Embleton
Embleton village, and bay is a beautiful location. Walk along the uncrowded beach, appreciate the wildflowers in the dunes, and marvel at the ruined Dunstanburgh Castle - some historians think it was inspired by the Arthurian mythical isle of Avalon.
https://sites.google.com/site/yournorthumberland/area-guides/embleton