As my children dig like puppies in the soft, biscuit-coloured sand of Alnmouth Beach, big grins stretching across their faces, I feel pretty smug. Holiday chat at the gates of our Home Counties school often references Dorset and the South West. But I rarely hear Northumberland mentioned.
It’s curious – this quietest of counties (England’s least densely populated, but one of its largest) is home to historically important and wildlife-rich islands, a National Landscape that’s ripe for adventure and more castles than any other English county.
While Cornwall welcomed more than four million holidaymakers in 2023, Northumberland, received 1.8m overnight guests, with more than 80 per cent of its visitors on day trips. And while London and the South West have long attracted the lion’s share of domestic holidaymakers in the UK, declining numbers in Cornwall are in contrast to a small increase in Northumberland.
Meanwhile, Visit Britain’s short-term rentals survey revealed that accommodation in Northumberland is, on average, £74 lower per day than that in the south-west.
I could instantly see the appeal of this glorious county – Alnmouth is one of several vast and largely empty beaches that make up the Northumberland Coast National Landscape, providing perfect bucket-and-spade days as well as plenty of space for out-of-season wildlife walks. You’ll never find yourself whingeing about crowds.
There’s also a ready supply of family-friendly days out. Yes, you might have to layer up and prepare for rain in autumn or winter, but the wild North Sea coastline is spectacular. A 38-mile section of the King Charles III England Coast Path – from Bamburgh to the Scottish Border – opened last summer, via Holy Island.
During our family trip, my six- and four-year-old were mesmerised by the Duchess of Northumberland’s fantastical Lilidorei play village and its “Lililympics” challenges and miniature houses inhabited by nine invisible clans. The eye-opening attraction – the subject of Channel 4 documentary, The Duchess and her Magical Kingdom last year – is the world’s largest play structure, with suspended cages, towering spires and vertiginous slides. It’s transforming into “Spookydorei” in time for Halloween and half term.
We crossed the wobbly bridges to the whimsical Treehouse Restaurant, then explored the gardens for their dancing fountains, bamboo labyrinth and many horticultural gems such as the fascinating Poison Garden, where toxic, intoxicating and narcotic plants are nurtured – a great October half-term option (adult admission is also two for the price of one this month).
At the castle, my mini witch and wizard joined a broomstick training session while girls dressed as Hermione posed for selfies against the castle’s famous backdrop.
Of Northumberland’s natural attractions, the Farne Islands – an important Grey Seal and seabird sanctuary – are a must-see. Inner Farne reopened this spring after a two-year bird flu closure, but summer is the best time to visit, when you’ll see puffins and migratory birds.
However, in winter, there’s still the chance to see seals and their pups on boat tours from Seahouses, a seaside town which, along with the dinky village of Craster, is renowned for its traditional smokehouses. We joined one of Billy Shiel’s Boat Trips and ticked off guillemots, kittiwakes and puffins from our checklist. While the affectionately nicknamed “Tommy Noddies” head to the open sea in autumn, the end of October is prime time for spotting some of the 3,000 fluffy grey seal pups which are born here each year.
The captain took us to the spot where local heroine Grace Darling helped rescue survivors of the 1838 SS Forfarshire shipwreck. Her life is honoured in the RNLI Grace Darling Museum, in Bamburgh, the location of one of the county’s spectacular castles, and where our children were fascinated by a Saxon combat lesson, as part of a pop-up living history weekend.
Between Seahouses and Alnwick are the sprawling ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle, on a remote headland buffeted by the North Sea. The huge, ruined castle was built in the early 14th century by Earl Thomas of Lancaster, possibly in a show of might against his adversary King Edward II.
We finished our trip at Barter Books, a curious second-hand bookshop housed in Alnwick’s former train station, whose sprawl of shelves is packed to the rafters with pre-loved tomes in every genre. There’s a quaint tearoom, a miniature train that chugs along the shelves and – if you visit in the colder months – a roaring fire.
By the time I was back at the school gates, the kids had seen stunning wildlife, enjoyed interactive history lessons, stepped into a storybook and had swathes of beach all to themselves – just some of the reasons Northumberland is back on our radar for half term.
How to get there
Berwick upon Tweed is on the East Coast Mainline, served by LNER trains between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh. Trains to Morpeth are operated from London Kings Cross and Edinburgh by Lumo.Where to stay
Five nights at Farne View Cottage in Seahouses, for a family of four in the week of 25 October, start at £676 with sykescottages.co.ukWhat to visit
Those keen to embrace spooky season will find loads of events going on across October, with many being easy on the wallet, too. Look out for free Halloween activities at sites including Bamburgh Castle, 15 per cent off at English Heritage-owned Warkworth Castle (when you book online) and free Halloween activities at National Trust properties such as Wallington Hall.More information
visitnorthumberland.com