The Kingdom of Northumbria

The walking tour of Durham will help you discover this beautiful 1000 year old city. Whilst strolling along cobbled streets and riverside footpaths, you will view some of the world's best architecture and encounter gripping tales of the Kings, Prince Bishops and local people who have made Durham one of England's most fascinating and historically significant cities. Take in spectacular views of Durham Cathedral and Castle, which are designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  During the Saxon, Norman and Medieval periods, the Prince Bishops of Durham had ecclesiastical and political sovereignty over County Durham. Their influence touched all aspects of the county’s life and left a fascinating legacy, which can still be traced today. 

Beamish is the first open-air regional museum in England. Once you enter Beamish, you are transported back to the 19th century. Explore the 350 acre site as you learn all about the story of people in the North East.

Lindisfarne, also called Holy Island, is a tidal island off the northeast coast of England, which constitutes the civil parish of Holy Island in Northumberland. In 635AD Saint Aidan came from Iona and chose to found his monastery on the island of Lindisfarne.  The monastery was destroyed during the Viking invastions but re-established as a priory following the Norman Conquest of England. Other notable sites built on the island are St Mary the Virgin parish church (originally built 635 AD and restored in 1860), Lindisfarne Castle, several lighthouses and other navigational markers, and a complex network of lime kilns. In the present day, the island is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a hotspot for historical tourism and bird watching.  As of February 2020, the island had three pubs, a hotel and a post office.  

Alnwick Castle is a castle and country house in Alnwick in the county of Northumberland. It is the seat of the 12th Duke of Northumberland, built following the Norman conquest and renovated and remodelled a number of times. Within the imposing castle keep, are the beautifully decorated State Rooms. Home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, the rooms are filled with treasures and stories from Alnwick Castle’s history. Its State Rooms house an outstanding collection and  paintings include works by Titian, Canaletto, Van Dyck, and William Dobson. Furniture highlights are two Baroque cabinets made for Versailles, 18th-century chairs and tables by John Linnell, Regency furniture by Nicholas Morel and Robert Hughes and a marquetry table by Blakes of London. The collection also comprises porcelain by Meissen, Sèvres and Minton. The Alnwick Garden is a complex of formal gardens adjacent to Alnwick Castle in the town of Alnwick.  Alnwick Garden, designed by the Duchess of Northumberland, is a unique contemporary landscape where you can lose yourself in the mysterious Bamboo Labyrinth, explore the Poison Garden and discover the Grand Cascade.  The gardens have a long history under the dukes of Northumberland, but fell into disrepair until revived at the turn of the 21st century.