I had a quick wander up Walltown Crag after we did the museum, but I'd like to do a lot more of the Wall in the next few years.  Sadly you can't cycle the proper wall, as that would have been a better option timewise.  You can cycle near it obviously but it's not quite the same. 

We also joined the English Heritage while we were away, so we'll be making use of that for Corbridge and Housesteads as well.

We often have week's holiday in Northumberland - as Leon says loads of castles, Roman stuff a bit further south, Newcastle and Durham if you need some shops (always good for Mrs Fred!)

Also beaches and hills (lots of hills!) it all seems very unspoilt and much less busy then heading south for holidays. Some bits can be a bit remote - we stayed near Otterburn one year, and spent a long time driving each day to get to places to see. Last year we stayed a bit inland from Bamburgh, just west of the A1 on the hills - with a great view out over the castle and the Farn Islands.

But Northumberland is COLD, WET, and WINDY.......

IanS

You don't go there to sunbathe you wazzerk! That's why Tenerife was invented.

He's back! He's back!

Quote from: fred    12df on 16 August 2014, 04:20:11 PM
Some bits can be a bit remote - we stayed near Otterburn one year, and spent a long time driving each day to get to places to see.

We were in Rothbury and found it similar.  Vindolanda / Kielder / Lindisfarne were all over an hours drive away, but all in different directions!

It is a big county.

Quote from: ianrs54 on 16 August 2014, 04:53:25 PM
But Northumberland is COLD, WET, and WINDY.......

IanS

Its generally less of all 3 than the NW.

But yes a coat is generally better for the beach than swimming costumes!

Rothbury its self is nice - and the Armstrong house just outside is a great place to explore. But you really feel the distances when you want to go somewhere which appears fairly close.

Quote from: fred    12df on 16 August 2014, 06:10:48 PM
Rothbury its self is nice - and the Armstrong house just outside is a great place to explore.

We were tempted to go there, and loads of people we spoke to recommended it, but at £16 per adult it was about £80 for the 6 of us just to get in.  Plus they want cash on the gate as well, no payment by card!

Yes, this is why we went for national trust membership,  its around £100 a year - so at 1.5 visits you are quids in - as most NT properties seem to be around £10-20 a head

It's definitely a county where you need a car and time to explore. Some of the Roman remains north of the Wall are pretty spectacular, especially along Dere Street.

Quote from: fred    12df on 16 August 2014, 06:34:52 PM
Yes, this is why we went for national trust membership,  its around £100 a year - so at 1.5 visits you are quids in - as most NT properties seem to be around £10-20 a head

Ditto, and English Heritage

The best thing with EH is that you can get it with Tesco Vouchers at about 3:1 exchange rate.  We tend to have just had 1 adult membership, which gets me and the kids in. Then the odd time my wife wants to go to a castle its only a few quid to get in - but with NT she tends to went to go to far more places, and they are much more expensive to get in, so we went for full family membership.

I do like with the memberships that you will just pop into places to see what they are like (or for a quick second or third visit) - and if you only spend half and hour there you feel you have had a good time, rather than thinking about how much you had to pay to get in.

Compared to places like Warwick castle that is hugely expensive, busy, and really rather underwhelming (especially considering the quality of the setting they have), I think EH and NT are great value for money.

We didn't bother with Alnwick Castle for that reason.  I get that Harry Potter was filmed there, but £25 per adult to access the castle and gardens was far too much.

Went to Warwick on Friday - used Tesco vouchers so £7.50 a person - glad, would have been upset if we'd had to pay the £100 for all 4 full price. Merlin have disneyfied it.  The castle is still good, but covered in food and merchandising tents- £6.95 for hotdog and chips - we took sandwiches.  The dungeon is now a ghost tour thingie - like a walking ghost train for an extra £9 (no we didn't go).