Bockenfield Country Park

Pick your flavour of landscape and sally forth to sample it by foot, bike or car… you could venture coastwards first, for the Farne Islands, Bamburgh Castle, Holy Island, seal spotting and birdwatching… or cruise around the national park to spot many a species among its varied wildlife. History? Many a stately and historic home or country house is in Northumberland, along with handsomely old churches and villages, and that Alnwick Castle we mentioned, the Hogswarty home built just after the Norman conquest. Gardens are plentiful too: have a wander around the Jekyll garden on Holy Island, the greeneries of Chillingham Castle, the ones at Kirkley Hall… If you're a golfer, you won't be teed off to hear an 18-hole championship golf course is less than 500 metres from Bockenfield Country Park – and foodies won't be teed off at the tasty treats on its restaurant menu either.