Rothbury
is one of the most scenic small towns in the ancient county
of Northumberland, and makes an excellent base from which
to discover the beautiful landscape of this most picturesque
of English regions.
 |
| Rothbury |
Rothbury is a small town of some two and
a half thousand people, which sits near Northumberland National
Park. Indeed, nearly a quarter of all the land in Northumberland
is protected on natural heritage grounds, and Rothbury is
situated very close to its fantastic coastline, which is a
visitor attraction in its own right. The ancient monastery
at Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island, is not far away,
and has proved an enduring favourite with visitors for many
years. Rothbury and its surrounding area is very popular with
hikers, walkers, and anyone with a love of the great outdoors,
and it pays to take some time to explore the countryside in
a way that staying in a big town simply doesn’t allow
you to do. As we’ll see, it’s a perfect base for
a self catering holiday in the north of England, and there
are hundreds of holiday cottages and lodges in the surrounding
region for you to choose from at your leisure.
Rothbury is located a few miles southwest
of historic Alnwick,
with its famous castle erected over nine hundred years ago,
and probably now best known for its role as the stand-in for
Hogwarts School in the Harry Potter movies. It is also handy
for Morpeth,
which is nowadays the administrative capital of Northumberland,
and a charming market town in its own right. Other local attractions
include Northumberland National Park, Hadrian’s Wall
(which is just 45 minutes from Rothbury) and the beautiful
Cheviot Hills, which attract walkers from all over the country.
A popular sight for visitors is the magnificent
country house at Cragside, which was once home to noted industrialist
Lord Armstrong and which has been administered by the National
Trust since 1977. Cragside was the first house in the world
to be lit by hydroelectric power, and boasts one of Europe’s
largest and finest rock gardens. It’s well worth a visit.
As well as the beautiful scenery of Northumberland, of course,
a self catering holiday in Rothbury also allows you to explore
neighbouring areas like Newcastle, travel down into Yorkshire,
or up to the Scottish Borders with its historic market towns
such as Selkirk or Hawick.
|
