Enjoy a spring visit to the beautiful Kingdom of Northumbria, filled with historic houses and castles, and dramatically beautiful scenery.
Day 1 After an early departure we travel via the Dartford Crossing and the Great North Road to Northumbria, reaching our hotel late afternoon.
Day 2 After a leisurely breakfast, we visit Cragside, the home of Lord Armstrong, Victorian inventor and landscape genius. The house is crammed with ingenious gadgets and fascinating artifacts. This evening we have bingo or a quiz.
Day 3 This morning we travel north and cross the causeway to Lindisfarne, Holy Island. In the afternoon we visit Bamburgh to explore the magnificent castle, which has dominated the rocky plateau for over 1400 years.
Day 4 We travel once again up the Northumbria coast, with a stop at the pretty harbour of Seahouses. We then visit Howick Hall Gardens, where we can see two of the rooms of the Hall, the visitor centre and the beautiful gardens, hopefully awash with daffodils. Enjoy tea and cake in the Early Grey Tea House before returning to our hotel.
Day 5 A free day in Alnwick, or a half day mystery drive. Before dinner tonight, we have a gin tasting.
Day 6 Departing our hotel, we head southwards via Stamford, reaching the local area in the evening.
This three-star-standard 300-year-old coaching inn, situated right in the heart of Alnwick blends modern amenities with historic charm. The hotel is famous for housing the magnificent panelling, stained-glass windows and staircase from the Titanic’s sister ship. Bedrooms have TV, telephone (in some rooms), WiFi, ironing facilities, hairdryer and hospitality tray. There is no lift, a few ground floor rooms are available, but there are steps throughout.
