7 Must-Visit Northumberland National Trust Sites
You might be surprised by just how many National Trust gems are hidden away in Northumberland. The county’s rugged coast and undulating moorland hills are home to Lindisfarne, the Farne Islands and Hadrian’s Wall, as well as the gorgeous Northumberland National Park, wild Kielder Forest and some of England’s darkest (ie, starriest) skies.
From world-renowned heritage sites to lesser-known attractions (including the first house in the world to be powered by electricity), read on to discover the Northumberland National Trust sites you absolutely must visit.
There’s so much to see in Northumberland that you may well need to extend your stay or come back several times… but whenever you visit you’re going to need somewhere to lay your head. Whether you’re travelling solo, with friends, with kids or dogs, Pitchup has a vast choice of Northumberland accommodation, ranging from simple farm pitches to coastal holiday parks and high-end glamping pods with lots of luxurious extras.
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Allen Banks and Staward Gorge
Dog-walkers, this one’s for you. The River Allen cuts a deep gorge through both ancient woodland and Allen Banks’ ornamental ‘wilderness garden’ designed by Victorian gardner Susan Davidson; both are criss-crossed with miles of waymarked paths with riverside walks that are especially colourful in autumn. Four-legged visitors need to be kept on the lead if you walk through farmers’ fields, but at other times they’re free to roam as they please. Human visitors can look out for rare wildlife like dormice, red squirrels and roe deer, find the medieval ruins of Staward pele tower, and stroll through the Victorian wilderness garden.
Good to know: There are no catering facilities here, but there are plenty of picnic tables along the walk routes.
If you’re looking for other scenic Northumberland walks, we have quite the selection by the coast. Check out our six favourite Northumberland coastal walks.
Cherryburn
Proving that not all National Trust properties have to be grand, Cherryburn in the Tyne Valley is a traditional Northumberland farm with a stone cottage, farmyard, stables and barns surrounded by gardens buzzing with bees and butterflies. Thomas Bewick, perhaps Northumberland’s greatest artist, printmaker and naturalist, was born here in 1753 and his life is celebrated with a major collection of his work.
Cherryburn is less well known than bigger National Trust sites like Cragside, and so is often pleasantly quiet. There’s room for kids to have a run around in the garden and you can get a decent brew at the small tea room, which has far-reaching views over the Tyne Valley.
Cragside House and Gardens
Cragside’s name is very literal: it’s up on the top of a crag that tumbles down through thickly wooded glen to the rushing water of Debdon Burn. In 1880, it became the first house in the world to be lit by electricity.
This was the home of visionary Victorian couple Lord and Lady Armstrong. Lord William was passionate about innovation, engineering and science, while Lady Margaret had a deep love of the natural world. Together, they created a remarkable house, powered by hydroelectricity and packed with some of the Victorian world’s most advanced technology.
The grounds host a colossal plant collection (the Armstrongs planted over seven million trees) including towering North American trees in the Pineteum; lily ponds and exotic glasshouse plants in the Formal Garden; and heather, which blooms along the Rock Garden’s winding pathways.
Kids can be kept entertained at the adventure playgrounds or in the labyrinth cut through rhododendrons, and there are various self-led family routes through the house. If you’d like more ideas for days out, have a look at six of the best things to do in Northumberland.
Housesteads Roman Fort
Who hasn’t heard of Hadrian’s Wall? This massive structure took six years to build (starting in 122 AD) and stretches for 73 miles/117.5 km from the west to east coasts. It marked the outer fringes of the mighty Roman Empire, which at the time covered vast swathes of the known world. The wall was a defence against border attacks from the Picts, but its forts, barracks and settlements were home to vibrant multicultural communities of soldiers from across the Empire as well as civilians.
Currently the National Trust looks after parts of the wall and Housesteads Roman Fort, the most complete ancient fortification of its type in Britain. Its construction started in 124 AD, soon after building of the wall itself began. The Romans knew the site as ‘Vercovicium’, meaning ‘place of the effective fighters’, and the sprawling remains of the ancient barrack blocks, hospital and communal lavatories give a rare insight into their military operations.
You can take guided tours of the fort led by experts dressed as centurions, walk along sections of the wall or hike to Sycamore Gap to pay tribute to the landmark tree that was illegally felled in 2023.
Inner Farne, Farne Islands
The Farne Islands archipelago is home to Britain’s most famous seabird sanctuary. Just getting there is an adventure, as their craggy shores are a couple of miles’ boat ride from Seahouses Harbour on the Northumberland coast. Keep an eye out for marine wildlife as you cruise over the waves – as well as puffins and other birds, the islands have a huge grey seal colony. At peak breeding season between May and July, Inner Farne is home to around 100,000 pairs of puffins, guillemots, Arctic terns and up to 20 other species of seabirds nesting in burrows tucked precariously into the cliffs.
Stays on the island are restricted to an hour to protect the environment; in that time you can follow a well-maintained circular walk with stunning views of the neighboring islands and over the North Sea to Bamburgh Castle. As well as all the birds milling and circling around you, hopefully you’ll see Atlantic grey seals lolling on the rocks. Adding cultural interest to the natural wonders on the island, you’ll encounter St Cuthbert's Chapel, dedicated to the famous hermit, and a Victorian lighthouse as you walk.
Good to know: Arctic terns are notorious for their protective behavior during nesting times, often dive-bombing visitors to Inner Farne in an attempt to defend their young – you’re advised to wear a sturdy hat if you’re visiting during breeding season.
Lindisfarne Castle
The Holy Island of Lindisfarne isn’t quite an island – to visit, you’ll need to wait until low tide when its causeway is uncovered, so take heed of the local tide times. Missionary monk St Aidan arrived here from Iona in 635 AD and founded Lindisfarne Priory.
Walk east from the priory to National Trust-owned Lindisfarne Castle, a craggy 16th-century fortification built atop a volcanic plug. It possesses its own claim to antiquity – many of its stones were ‘borrowed’ from the ruins of the old priory. In 1901, Edward Hudson (founder of Country Life magazine) bought the place and converted it into an Edwardian country house with the aid of architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, and it’s this incarnation that visitors see today.
Tours take in the kitchens, a surprisingly cosy stone-vaulted dining room and several bedrooms as well as the wind indicator, a highly ornate gadget designed in the 1910s to monitor the wind. There are spectacular views along the Northumberland coast from the Upper Battery too. Come in summer to see the neighbouring Gertrude Jekyll Garden awash with colour.
Wallington
Woodland, walled gardens and rolling hills surround the ornate 17th-century mansion at Wallington near Morpeth. This was once the home of Sir Charles Philips Trevelyan, an eccentric Victorian who had Pre-Raphaelite artist William Bell Scott decorate the entrance hall to his mansion with frescoes featuring scenes from the history of Northumberland. As well as touring the house and its collections of ceramics, rare books and family portraits, you can explore the Walled Garden, hire a bicycle and pedal along the bike trails with the family, or take long walks through the woodland with your dogs.
There are play parks for younger visitors and plenty of options for refreshments, including a couple of kiosks selling soft drinks in the grounds and a pizza van, which is often there during school holidays. Otherwise you can stop for a cuppa at the Clocktower Café.
For even more information on what to do and see in Northumberland, check out Pitchup’s series of comprehensive guides to the North East of England. If you’d like to stick around exploring the region for a few days while taking full advantage of the fresh air and scenery, we suggest taking a look at the numerous options for alfresco accommodation featured on Pitchup.