Great Britain 7 Northeast England v1 m56577569830517798

8/10/2019 Great Britain 7 Northeast England v1 m56577569830517798

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As far removed from London and the genteel pleasures of Englands pastures green as you

could imagine, the northeast has always been frontier country passionate, independent andgenerally isolated from the rest of the island below. Its brooding beauty is in evidence throughout

the epic countryside, from the windswept coastline lined with long empty beaches punctuated

by lonely castles to the vast sweep of the interior, home to the heather-carpeted Cheviots and

the awe-inspiring wilderness of Northumberland National Park, which stretches to the North

Pennines. Beyond them is Scotland, the other actor in an 800-year-old historical drama of war,

bloodshed and conquest: no wonder the folks up here have a reputation for being hardy.

Its been tough round these parts since prehistory, and its taken an almost superhuman

effort to leave a mark on this indomitable landscape. The Romans were especially successful;

their legacy is the magnificent Hadrians Wall, which served as their empires northern frontier

for nearly 300 years. The Normans werent half bad either: they dotted the landscape with

more castles and built one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world. Against their splendidbackdrops, these marvellous constructions serve only to reinforce an impression of a landscape

that hasnt changed all that much since it was part of the ancient kingdom of Northumbria.

If you look closely, however, you will see that the landscape is run through with dark, men-

acing scars: dotted throughout are the rusting hulks of an industry that drove this region for

nearly 700 years. Mining is all but defunct now, yet the cities it built are still very much alive,

none more so than Newcastle, one of the most dynamic urban centres in England.

Northeast EnglandOrientation & InformationThe Pennine hills are the dominant geologi-cal feature, forming a northsouth spine thatdivides the region from Cumbria and Lanca-shire in the west and provides the source ofmajor rivers such as the Tees and the Tyne.

The major transport routes are east of thisspine, from Durham northwards to Newcastle

and Edinburgh. Newcastle is an importantferry port for Scandinavia (see p625 for de-tails). Theres a northeast region website atwww.thenortheast.com.

ActivitiesWith the rugged moors of the Pennines andstunning seascape of the Northumberland

POPULATION: 2.5 MILLION AREA: 3320 SQ MILES

HIGHLIGHTS

Gettin doon in toon with a bottle of dog,

aka taking on Newcastles wild nightlife

(p624)

Walking like a Roman hiking along the

stunning Hadrians Wall (p632)

Castle-spotting along the blustery white-

sand beaches of Northumberland(p637)

Reliving Durhams industrial history during a

fabulous day out at the Beamish Open Air

Museum (p630)

Going Norman in Durham (p627), whose

cathedral is a spectacular World Heritage

Site

Hiking to the top of the Cheviot in North-

umberland National Park(p641)

Northumberland

upon-Tyne

NP

Hadrian's Wall

Northumberland

Newcastle-

Durham

Northumberland National Park

Hamsterley Forest

Soonho

peB

urn

WhiteadderW

ater

Hadrian's

Wall

Lidd

elW

ate

r

Yorkshire DalesNational Park

NorthYork Moors

National Park

BorderForestPark

NorthumberlandNational Park

HamsterleyForest

Newcastle

Dunstanburgh Castle

ScotchCorner

RabyCastle

Barnard Castle

Belford

Wolsingham

Corbridge

Redcar

Ashington

Blyth

Allenheads

Nenthead

Edmundbyers

Stanhope

PierceBridge

CastletonNewbiggin-on-Line

BamburghCrookham

Richmond

Egglescliffe

Alston

Saltburn-by-the-Sea

Craster

Bellingham

Allendale

Danby

Eyemouth

Embleton

Guisborough

Earlston

Duns

Low Newton-by-the-Sea

Kirkharle

Haltwhistle

Ireshopeburn

LangdonBeck

Stokesley

Seahouses

Ford

St Boswell's

WestAuckland

Amble

Bowes

Reeth

Crook

KirkYetholm

Belsay

Alnmouth

Warkworth

Blanchland

Tebay

Coupland LoftusAppleby

Stanley

Middleton-in-Teesdale

Brough

Sedgefield

Etal

Rothbury

Chirnside

Jedburgh

Frosterley

Killhope

BishopAuckland

Newbiggin

Catterick

Kirkby

Stephen

Hexham

Morpeth

Melrose

Berwick-upon-Tweed

Wooler

Seaham

Billingham

Kelso

Coldstream

Peterlee

Hartlepool

Stockton-on-Tees

Consett

Brampton

Whitley Bay

Wallsend

Middlesbrough

Durham

Tynemouth

South Shields

Darlington

Alnwick

Sunderland

Newcastle-upon-Tyne

HighForce

NorhamCastle

CaldronSnout

ClevelandHills

L a m m e rm u i

r Hi l ls

Cle

ve l

andH

ills

The

Pe

nn

in

es

No

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t

hP

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n

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i

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s

NorthSea

CUMBRIA

NORTHUMBERLAND

DURHAM

NORTHYORKSHIRE

SCOTLAND

HolyIsland

FarneIslands

KielderWater

DerwentReservoir

To Bergen, Gothenburg& Ijmuiden

Beamish Open-Air Museum

55N

1W

Tevio

t

Tees

Rede

Gret

a

Till

Tweed

Eden

Tyne

Hadrian'sWall

A1

A697

A697

A68

A696A68

A1

A68

A66M6

A66

B6278

B6277

A686

A69

A69

A695

A1068

A19

A167

A698

A693

See Hadrian's Wall & Northumberland NP Map (p633)

To Dunbar (24mi);Edinburgh (48mi)

ToGalashiels(5mi)

To Penrith (15mi);Ravenglass(65mi)

NORTHEAST ENGLAND 0 20 km0 12 miles

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coast, theres some good walking and cyclingin this region. If youre out in the open, beprepared for wind and rain at any time ofyear. But when the sun shines, you cant gowrong. More details on walking and cyclingare given in the Outdoor Activities chapter(p83), and suggestions for shorter routes aregiven throughout this chapter. Regional tour-ism websites all contain walking and cycling

information, and tourist information centres(TICs; referred to throughout this book sim-ply as tourist offices) all stock leaflets (free)plus maps and guides (usually 1 to 5) cover-ing walking, cycling and other activities.

CYCLING

There are some excellent cycling routes inthis part of the world. A longtime favouriteis the Coast & Castles Cycle Route, which runssouthnorth along the glorious Northumber-land coast between Newcastle-upon-Tyne andBerwick-upon-Tweed, before swinging inlandinto Scotland to finish at Edinburgh. (This

route is part of the National Cycle Network see the boxed text, p88.) Of course you canalso do it northsouth, or just do the north-east England section. The coast is exposed,though, so check the weather and try to timeyour ride so that the wind is behind you.

The 140-mile Sea to Sea Cycle Route(C2C; www.c2c-guide.co.uk) runs across northern Englandfrom Whitehaven or Workington on theCumbrian coast, through the northern part ofthe Lake District, and then over the wild hillsof the North Pennines to finish at Newcastle-upon-Tyne or Sunderland. This popular routeis fast becoming a classic, and most people go

west to east to take advantage of prevailingwinds. Youll need five days to complete thewhole route; the northeast England section,from Penrith (in Cumbria) to the east coast,is a good three-day trip.

The other option is the brand-new HadriansCycleway (www.cycleroutes.org.uk),a 172-mile routeopened in July 2006 that runs from SouthShields in Tyneside west along the wall anddown to Ravenglass in Cumbria.

WALKING

The North Pennines are billed as Englandslast wilderness, and if you like to walk in quiet

and fairly remote areas, these hills along withthe Cheviots further north are among thebest in England. Long routes through this areainclude the famous Pennine Way, which keeps

mainly to the high ground as it crosses theregion between the Yorkshire Dales and theScottish border, but also goes through sectionsof river valley and some tedious patches ofplantation. The whole route is over 250 miles,but the 70-mile section between Bowes andHadrians Wall would be a fine four-day taster.Elsewhere in the area, the great Roman ruin ofHadrians Wallis an ideal focus for walking.

Theres a huge range of easy loops takingin forts and other historical highlights. A verypopular walk is the long-distance route fromend to end, providing good options for any-thing from one to four days (see p633).

Getting There & AroundBUS

Bus transport around the region can be dif-ficult, particularly around the more remoteparts of Northumbria in the west. Call%0870608 2 608 for information on connections,timetables and prices.

Several one-day Explorer tickets are avail-

able; always ask if one might be appropriate.The Explorer North East (adult/child 5.75/4.75), avail-able on buses, covers from Berwick downto Scarborough, and allows unlimited travelfor one day, as well as numerous admissiondiscounts.

TRAIN

The main lines run north to Edinburgh viaDurham, Newcastle and Berwick, and westto Carlisle roughly following Hadrians Wall.Travelling to/from the south, it may be nec-essary to make connections at Leeds. Phone%0845 748 4950 for all train inquiries.

There are numerous Rover tickets forsingle-day travel and longer periods, so ask ifone might be worthwhile. For example, theNorth Country Rover(adult/child 61.50/30.75)allowsunlimited travel throughout the north (notincluding Northumberland) any four daysout of eight.

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE%0191 / pop 189,870Newcastle a hipster capital? It wouldnt haveseemed at all possible a couple of decades ago

when the city was orphaned by the demiseof coal and coal-related industry. Newcastlestumbled around a bit before falling firmlyinto the arms of urban rejuvenation, which

has seen it transformed into the superstylinburg it is today, bursting with art galleries,restaurants and trendy bars.

Tell that to the tens of thousands of punterswho roll into town on a Friday and stum-ble back out on a Sunday having partiedto near-exhaustion in what is undoubtedlyBritains most powerful magnet for hen andstag nights. Because for all of its new-found

sophistication, Newcastle is still about thewild and crazy nightlife, the alpha and omegaof so many visits to the city.

If you do come, we hope you take a mo-ment to cherish the citys greatest strength:the locals. Geordies are a fiercely independentbunch, tied together by history, adversity andthat impenetrable dialect, the closest languageto 1500-year-old Anglo-Saxon left in England.They are also proud, hard-working and in-defatigably positive perhaps their greatestquality considering how tough life has been.

ORIENTATIONThe River Tyne marks the boundary betweenNewcastle to the north and Gateshead to thesouth; it is also one of the focal points for

visitors to the city. Newcastles attractive Vic-torian centre which the local council hascalled Grainger Town to the uncertain shrugsof the locals is only a short, uphill walk fromthe river. Between the river and the centre isCentral Station (train). The coach station ison Gallowgate, while local and regional busesleave from Eldon Square and Haymarket busstations. Jesmond is north of the city centre,and easily reached by bus or with the excellentMetro underground system.

The Tynes southern bank home to theimpressive Baltic gallery and stunning Sage is as far into Gateshead as youll likely needto venture.

MapsAll tourist offices have handy, free tearawaymaps of Newcastle and Gateshead. The Ord-nance SurveysMini-Map (1.50) is a handy

foldaway pocket map of Newcastle, but notGateshead. The Newcastle Map Centre (%2615622; www.newtraveller.com; 1st fl, 55 Grey St) suppliescopious maps and guides.

INFORMATIONBookshopsBlackwells Bookshop(%232 6421; 141 Percy St) Acomprehensive range of titles.Waterstones(%261 6140; 104 Grey St) Theresanother branch, also near Monument Metro, but this one isparticularly finely housed.

Emergency

Police station(%214 6555; cnr Pilgrim & Market Sts)

Internet AccessInternet Exchange(%221 1746; Newcastle CityLibrary, Princess Sq; per 30min 1;h9am-7.45pm Mon-Sat, noon-3.45pm Sun)

LaundryClayton Road Laundrette(%281 5055; 4 ClaytonRd, Jesmond)

Medical ServicesNewcastle General Hospital(%273 8811; Westgate Rd)Half a mile northwest of the centre, off Queen Victoria St.

NEWCASTLE IN

Two DaysNewcastle is all about Quayside, where youll find the famous Tyne bridges (p621) and the re-

maining bits of 17th-century Newcastle, including Bessie Surtees House (p621). A good walk is

to cross the Millennium Bridge into Gateshead and check out Baltic (p622) and the Sage(p625).

Wander back across the bridge and hop on a Quayside Q2 bus out to the Ouseburn Valley to

visit the Biscuit Factory (p622) and (if youre with the kids) Seven Stories( p622).

Back in the elegant Victorian centre, visit the Laing Art Gallery (p621) and the Life Science

Centre (p621). Stop off in Blakes Coffee House (p624) for a pick-me-up. Work your way up to

the Trent House Soul Bar (p624) and find that song you love but havent heard in years on the

incredible jukebox. And just keep going; everyone else is, so why shouldnt you?

The ne xt day, i f your head can take it, take the b us s outh through Gateshead to the Angel of

the North statue (p626). Unfortunately, theres not much else going on here, so youll have tohead back into town. Pick a bar, any bar, and do as they do round these parts. But remember:

short sleeves only!

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MoneyThomas Cook(%219 8000; 6 Northumberland St) Hasa bureau de change; its just east of Monument.

PostMain post office(35 Mosley St;h9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, to 12.30pm Sat) In the city centre.

Tourist InformationGateshead Quays Visitor Centre(%478 4222; StMarys Church, Oakwellgate;h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 11am-5pm Sat & Sun) Information on Gatesheads attractions.Tourist officeAirport (%214 4422); Grainger St(%277 8000; www.visitnewcastlegateshead.com; 132Grainger St;h9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Wed, Fri & Sat, to7.30pm Thu year-round, plus 10am-4pm Sun Jun-Sep);Guildhall (%277 8000;h11am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-6pmSat, 9am-4pm Sun). All provide a booking service (%2778042) as well as other assorted tourist sundries.

SIGHTSQuaysideNewcastles most recognisable attractions are

the seven bridges that span the Tyne and someof the striking buildings that line it. AlongQuayside, on the rivers northern side, is ahandsome boardwalk that makes for a pleas-ant stroll during the day but really comes tolife at night, when the bars, clubs and restau-rants that line it are full to bursting. A reallygreat way of experiencing the river and itssights is by cruise (see p623).

TYNE BRIDGES

The most famous view in Newcastle is thecluster of Tyne bridges, and the most famousof these is the Tyne Bridge (192528), built at

about the same time as (and very reminiscentof) Australias Sydney Harbour Bridge. Thequaint little Swing Bridgepivots in the middleto let ships through. Nearby, High Level Bridge,designed by Robert Stephenson, was theworlds first road and railway bridge (1849).The most recent addition is the multiple-award-winning Millennium Bridge(aka BlinkingBridge; 2002), which opens like an eyelid tolet ships pass.

OTHER SIGHTS

The Tynes northern bank was the hub ofcommercial Newcastle in the 16th century.

On Sandhill is Bessie Surtees House (EH;%2611585; 41-44 Sandhill; admission free;h10am-4pm Mon-Fri),a combination of two 16th- and 17th-centurymerchant houses all dark wood and sloping

angles. Three rooms are open to the public.The daughter of a wealthy banker, feisty Bessieannoyed Daddy by falling in love with JohnScott (17511838), a pauper. It all ended insmiles because John went on to become LordChancellor. Today it is run in conjunctionwith English Heritage (EH).

Just across the street is the rounded Guild-hall, built in 1658. It now houses a branch of

the tourist office.

City CentreNewcastles Victorian centre, a compact areabordered roughly by Grainger St to the westand Pilgrim St to the east, is supremely elegantand one of the most compelling examples ofurban rejuvenation in England. At the heartof it is the supremely handsome Grey St, linedwith fine classical buildings undoubtedlyone of the countrys finest thoroughfares.

LIFE SCIENCE CENTRE

This excellent science village (%243 8210; www

.lifesciencecentre.org.uk; Scotswood Rd; adult/child 7.50/4.95;h10am-6pm Mon-Sat, 11am-6pm Sun, last admission 4pm),part of the sober-minded International Centrefor Life (a complex of institutes devoted tothe study of genetic science), is one of themore interesting attractions in town. Througha series of hands-on exhibits and the latesttechnology you (or your kids) can discover theincredible secrets of life. The highlight is theMotion Ride, a motion simulator that, amongother things, lets you feel what its like toscore a goal at St James Park and bungee

jump from the Tyne Bridge. Theres lots ofthought-provoking arcade-style games, and

if the information sometimes gets lost on theway, never mind, kids will love it.

LAING ART GALLERY

The exceptional collection at the Laing (%2327734; www.twmuseums.org.uk; New Bridge St; admission free;

h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 2-5pm Sun)includes works byKitaj, Frank Auerbach, Henry Moore and acollection of paintings by John Martin (17891854), a Northumberland-born artist.

Outside the gallery is Thomas Heather-wicks famous Blue Carpet(2002) with shim-mering blue tiles made from crushed glassand resin.

DISCOVERY MUSEUM

Newcastles rich history is uncovered througha fascinating series of exhibits at this excellent

0 400 m0 0.2 miles

StJames

CentralStation

Monument

Haymarket

St JamesPark

InternationalCentrefor Life

Boating Lake

GraingerMarket

BiggMarket

Chinatown

GraingerTown

GATESHEAD

LeazesPark

EldonSquare

HanoverGardens

CarliolSquare

Tyne

Centr

al

Mwy

Westgate

Rd

Ru

th

erfo

rd

St

MosleyS

t

BarrackRd

Bath

La

Westgate Rd

Collingwood St

Nevill

eSt

Wate

rl

oo

St

StJa

mesBlv

d

Wellington

St Corp

ora

tion

St

WestmorlandRd

Scotsw

oodRd

St

Nich

olas St

PrinceC

ons

ort

Rd

Gateshe

ad

Hwy

Ty

neBridg

e

New Bridge St

Railw

ayForth

St

GroatM

arket

Percy

St

Clayto

nSt

Sandhill

QueenVicto

riaRd

Strawb

erryPl

Gallow

gate

Durant Rd

JohnDobsonSt

City Rd

Melbourn

eSt

Newg

at

e

St

Gi

bson

St

Wellington

St

Grain

gerSt

NewBridge St

Quays

idePink La

LeazesL

a

Worswic

kSt

Pilg

rim

St

HighBr

idge

Bla

ndf

ord

S

q

GreySt

Dean

St

Hanover

St

Leazes

Park

Rd

Northum

berlandSt

Market

St

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To Segedunum;

Wallsend (6mi);Ferry Terminal

(8mi)

To Clayton RoadLaundrette;

Jesmond (1mi)

NewcastleUniversity

University ofNorthumbria

To Airport(7mi); Jedburghvia A696 (56mi)

To Hexhamvia A69(23mi)

To Hexhamvia A69(23mi)

To Saltwell Park(1mi); Gateshead(2.5mi); the Southvia A1; the West

via A69

To Angel of theNorth (4mi); Bede'sWorld; Jarrow (7mi);

South Shields (10mi);Sunderland (11mi)

St NicholasCathedral

Grey'sMonument

To Ouseburn Valley;Seven Stories; Biscuit

Factory; Head ofSteam@The Cluny (1mi)

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE

40

42

41

TRANSPORT

393837363534

ENTERTAINMENT

33323130

2928

DRINKING

27262524

EATING

23222120

SLEEPING

191817

16151413

12

SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

1110

987654321

INFORMATION

B2 Bus Station............................

B1 Station...................................

A2 Station...................................Haymarket Bus

Gallowgate Coach

Eldon Square

World Headquarters................. C2Theatre Royal............................ B2Sage Gateshead........................ D3Powerhouse Nightclub.............. A3Foundation............................... D2Digital....................................... A4

Trent House Soul Bar................. B1Tokyo....................................... B3Forth......................................... B3Crown Posada.......................... C3

Camp David............................. A3Blackie Boy................................ B3

Secco Ristorante Salentino........ C2Paradiso Caf Bar...................... C2Blake's Coffee House................ B2Big Mussel................................ C3

Premier Lodge.......................... C3Malmaison............................... D3Greystreethotel......................... C3Albatross Inn!............................ B3

River Tyne Cruises.................... D3Life Science Centre................... A4Laing Art Gallery & Blue Carpet.. C2International Centre for Life....(see 18)

Guildhall................................... C3Discovery Museum................... A3Castle Garth Keep..................... C3Bessie Surtee's House................ C3

Art........................................ D3Baltic Centre for Contemporary

Waterstone's............................. B2Waterstone's............................. B2Thomas Cook............................. C2Police Station.............................. C2Newcastle Map Centre................ B2Newcastle General Hospital......... A1Main Tourist Office..................... B2Main Post Office......................... B3Internet Exchange....................... B3Gateshead Quays Visitor Centre.. D3Blackwell's Bookshop................... B1

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Book accommodation online at lonelyplanet.com N E W C A S T L E - U P O N - T Y N E T o u r s

museum(%232 6789; www.twmuseums.org.uk; BlandfordSq; admission free;h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 2-5pm Sun).The exhibits, spread across three floors ofthe former Co-operative Wholesale Societybuilding, surround the mightily impressive30m-long Turbinia, the fastest ship in theworld in 1897. The different sections are allworth a look; our favourites were the self-explanatory Story of the Tyne and the interac-

tive Science Maze.

CASTLE GARTH KEEP

The New Castle that gave its name to thecity has been largely swallowed up by thetrain station, leaving only the square Normankeep(adult/child 1.50/50p;h9.30am-5.30pm Apr-Sep, to4.30pm Oct-Mar)as one of the few remaining frag-ments. It has a fine chevron-covered chapeland great views across the Tyne bridges fromits rooftop.

Ouseburn ValleyAbout a mile east of the city centre is the Ouse-

burn Valley, the 19th-century industrial heart-land of Newcastle and now one of the cityshippest districts. Pubs, bars, restaurants andclubs now occupy the once-derelict Victorianmills and warehouses. To get there, jump ontothe yellow Quayside Q2 bus that runs a loopthrough the valley from the city centre.

BISCUIT FACTORY

No prizes for guessing what this brand-newpublic art gallery (%261 1103; www.thebiscuitfactory.com; Stoddart St; admission free;h10am-8pm Tue-Sat, 11am-5pm Sun) used to be. What it is now,though, is the countrys biggest art shop,

where you can peruse and buy work by art-ists from near and far in a variety of mediums,including painting, sculpture, glassware andfurniture. Prices are thoroughly democratic,ranging from 20 to 25,000, but even if youdont buy, the art is excellent and theres atop-class restaurant upstairs.

SEVEN STORIES THE CENTRE FOR

CHILDRENS BOOKS

A marvellous conversion of a handsome Vic-torian mill has resulted in Seven Stories (%0845271 0777; www.sevenstories.org.uk; 30 Lime St; adult/child5/4;h10am-5pm Mon-Wed, Fri & Sat, to 6pm Thu, 11am-

5pm Sun), a very hands-on museum dedicatedto the wondrous world of childrens literature.Across the seven floors youll find originalmanuscripts, a growing collection of artwork

from the 1930s onwards and a constantlychanging programme of exhibitions, activi-ties and events designed to encourage the AAMilnes of the new millennium.

GatesheadYou probably didnt realise that that bit ofNewcastle south of the Tyne is the town ofGateshead, but local authorities are going to

great lengths to put it right, even promotingthe whole kit-and-caboodle-on-Tyne as New-castleGateshead. A bit clumsy, but we get thepoint. To date, the ambitious programme ofdevelopment has seen the transformation ofthe southern banks of the Tyne, but theres asyet little to make you travel further afield thanthe waters edge.

BALTIC THE CENTRE FOR

CONTEMPORARY ART

Once a huge, dirty, yellow grain store over-looking the Tyne, Baltic (%478 1810; www.balticmill.com; admission free;h10am-6pm Thu-Tue, to 8pm

Wed)is now a huge, dirty, yellow art gallery torival Londons Tate Modern. Unlike the Tate,there are no permanent exhibitions here, butthe constantly rotating shows feature the workand installations of some of contemporaryarts biggest show stoppers. The complex hasartists-in-residence, a performance space, acinema, a bar, a spectacular rooftop restau-rant (youll need to book) and a ground-floorrestaurant with riverside tables. Theres also a

viewing box for a fine Tyne vista.

NEWCASTLE FOR CHILDRENNewcastle is friendly, full stop. Although at

first glance the bonhomie mightnt seem toextend past buying rounds in the pub, oncloser inspection theres plenty to keep theyoung uns entertained. The new and utterlywonderful Seven Stories (left) is the perfectdestination for any kid who has an imagina-tion, while closer to the centre the Life ScienceCentre (p621) and the Discovery Museum(p621) are brilliant and should keep the kidsbusy for the guts of a day.

QUIRKY NEWCASTLETake in the David Lynch vibe at Blackie Boy(p624),where its not all it appears to be. Pop

your coins into the worlds best jukebox at theTrent House Soul Bar (p624)for the stompingsound of northern soul and pretend that JamesBlunt had stayed in the army. Buy some art at

the Biscuit Factory (opposite) before check-ing out the gig list at the Head of Steam@TheCluny (p624). Cross one of the Tyne bridges(p621) on foot.

TOURSThere are a handful of tour options:River Tyne Cruises(%296 6740/1; www.tyneleisureline.co.uk; adult/child 12/7;htours noon Sat & Sun

May-early Sep) Three-hour river cruises departing fromQuayside pier at Millennium Bridge, opposite Baltic.Tom Keating Tours(%488 5115; www.tomkeating.co.uk) Expert, tailor-made tours of the city by a well-respected blue-badge guide. Tours of surrounding regionalso available.Walking Tours (adult/child 3/2;h2pm Wed & SatJun & Sep, Mon-Sat Jul-Aug) One-and-a-half-hour walkingtours of the main sites of interest, run by and departingfrom the Grainger St branch of the tourist office.

SLEEPINGAlthough the number of city-centre optionsis on the increase, they are still generally re-

stricted to the chain variety either budgetor business that caters conveniently to theparty people and business folk that make upthe majority of Newcastles overnight guests.Most of the other accommodations are inthe handsome northern suburb of Jesmond,where the forces of gentrification and studentpower fight it out for territory. As the city is amajor business destination, most places droptheir prices for Friday and Saturday nights.

City CentreWith only one exception, the closer you getto the river, the more youll pay.

Albatross Inn! (%233 1330; www.albatrossnewcastle.com; 51 Grainger St; dm/d from 16.50/22.50;piw) Fi-nally, a hostel in the city centre! Its brand new,clean and fully equipped with decent-sizeddorms, a self-catering kitchen, top-notch bath-room facilities, CCTV, electronic key cards, aninternet station and even a small car park.

Premier Lodge(%0870 990 6530; www.premierlodge.com; Quayside; r from 28)With a superb location inthe old Exchange Building, this budget chain isright in the heart of the action. If youre here forthe party, you shouldnt care that your roomhas about as much flavour as day-old chewinggum if all goes according to plan, you wont

be spending much time here anyway!Malmaison(%245 5000; www.malmaison.com; Quay-side; d 119-140, ste 225-350;p) The affectedlystylish Malmaison touch has been applied

to this former warehouse with considerablesuccess, although it could pull the brake onthe quasi-poetic publicity. Big beds, sleeklighting and designer furniture flesh out theRooms of Many Pillows.

Greystreethotel (%230 6777; www.greystreethotel.com; 2-12 Grey St; d/ste 135/175;p) A bit of de-signer class along the classiest street in thecity centre has been long overdue: the rooms

are gorgeous if a tad poky, all cluttered upwith flat-screen TVs, big beds and handsomemodern furnishings.

JesmondThe bulk of Newcastles budget and mid-range accommodation is concentrated in thenortheastern suburb of Jesmond, mainly onOsborne Rd. There are literally dozens ofhotels and B&Bs along this street; here werecommend our favourites.

Catch the Metro to Jesmond or West Jes-mond, or bus 80 from near Central Station, orbus 30, 30B, 31B or 36 from Westgate Rd.

Newcastle YHA Hostel(%0870 770 5972; www.yha.org.uk; 107 Jesmond Rd; dm from 13.95;hend Jan-endDec)This nice, rambling place has small dormsthat are generally full, so book in advance. Itsclose to the Jesmond Metro stop.

Adelphi Hotel(%281 3109; 63 Fern Ave; s/d 39.50/60)Just off Osborne Rd, this attractive hotel hasnice floral rooms that are clean and very neat a rare thing around here for this price range.

Gresham Hotel (%281 6325; www.gresham-hotel.com; 92 Osborne Rd; s/d fr om 50/70)Plenty of colourslight up the rooms at this pleasant hotel at-tached to the trendy Bar Bacca; its extremelypopular with weekend visitors who swear by

the attentive-but-informal service.oJesmond Dene House (%212 3000; www

.jesmonddenehouse.co.uk; Jesmond Dene Rd; s 115, d 145-195, ste 225-270;p) As elegant a hotel as youllfind anywhere, this exquisite property is theperfect marriage between traditional stylesand modern luxury. The large, gorgeousbedrooms are furnished in a modern inter-pretation of the Arts & Crafts style and arebedecked with all manner of technologicalgoodies (flat-screen digital TVs, digital radios,wi-fi) and wonderful bathrooms completewith underfloor heating.

EATINGThe Geordie palate is pretty refined thesedays and there are a host of fine dining op-tions in all price categories that make their

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mark. Conversely, if all youre looking for isstomach-lining crappy fast-food and dodgyethnic cuisine, well theres plenty of that too.

City CentreBlakes Coffee House (%261 5463; 53 Grey St; breakfast2-3.95, sandwiches 3;h9am-6pm)There is no-where better than this high-ceilinged caffor a Sunday-morning cure on any day of the

week. Its friendly, relaxed and serves up thebiggest selection of coffees in town, from thegentle push of a Colombian blend to the toxicshove of Old Brown Java. We love it.

Big Mussel (%232 1057; www.bigmussel.co.uk; 15The Side; mains 6-12;hlunch & dinner)Mussels andother shellfish all served with chips are a

very popular choice at this informal diner.There are pasta and vegetarian options as well,and students get 15% off everything. Theresanother branch (%261 8927) on Leazes ParkRd,close to St James Park, that does a roaringtrade on match days.

Paradiso Caf Bar(%221 1240; 1 Market Lane; mains

8-12;hlunch & dinner Mon-Sat, to 7pm Sun) Hiddenaway in a small alley off Pilgrim St is one ofthe citys most popular spots. Good food,a mellow atmosphere and a fabulous littlebalcony for alfresco action keeps this placefull almost all the time.

Secco Ristorante Salentino (%230 0444; 86 Pilgrim St;mains 17-22;hlunch & dinner) Top-notch food fromSalento in the Italian heel of Puglia makes thisplace an easy contender for best Italian restau-rant in town. Some punters have been disap-pointed with the slowish service, which, for theprice, should probably be a little snappier.

JesmondPizzeria Francesca(%281 6586; 134 Manor House Rd, Jes-mond; mains 4-12;hlunch & dinner Mon-Sat)This is howall Italian restaurants should be: chaotic, noisy,friendly, packed cheek-to-jowl and absolutelyworth making the effort for. Excitable, happywaiters and huge portions of pizza and pastakeep them queuing at the door get in line andwait because you cant book in advance.

DRINKINGHey, guess what? Geordies love a good nightout! Whether its the scantily clad brash andbrazen draining coloured cocktails in and

around the bars of Bigg Market or the moresophisticated punter sipping the same in thehotspots along Quayside and Mosley St, thereare few cities that pursue the art of the bevvy

with the same untrammelled fervour. And ifyoure looking for a spit n sawdust kind ofplace to enjoy a traditional ale, well there areplenty of those too.

We darent even begin to list the pubs andbars in town, but heres a handful to start with.Get a bottle of dog and get doon.

Blackie Boy (11 Groat Market)At first glance, thisdarkened old boozer looks like any old tradi-

tional pub. Look closer. The overly red light-ing. The single bookcase. The large leatherarmchair that is rarely occupied. The s ignageon the toilets: Dick and Fanny. This placecould have featured in Twin Peaks,which iswhy its so damn popular with everyone.

Crown Posada(31 The Side)An unspoilt, real-alepub that is a favourite with more seasoneddrinkers, be they the after-work or instead-of-work crowd.

Forth (Pink Lane) Its in the heart of the gaydistrict, but this great old pub draws all kindswith its mix of music, chat and unpretentiousatmosphere.

Tokyo (17 Westgate Rd) Tokyo has a suitablydarkened atmosphere for what the cognos-centi consider the best cocktail bar in town;but we loved the upstairs garden bar whereyou can drink, smoke and chat with a view.oTrent House Soul Bar (1-2 Leazes Lane)The

wall has a simple message: Drink Beer. BeSincere. This simply unique place is the bestbar in town because it is all about an ethosrather than a look. Totally relaxed and utterlydevoid of pretentiousness, it is an old-schoolboozer that out-cools every other bar becauseit isnt trying to. And because it has the best

jukebox in all of England you could spend

years listening to the extraordinary collectionof songs it contains. It is run by the samefolks behind the superb World Headquartersnightclub.

ENTERTAINMENTAre you up for it? Youd better be, becauseNewcastles nightlife doesnt mess about. Thereis nightlife beyond the club scene youll justhave to wade through a sea of staggering,glassy-eyed clubbers to get to it. For currentlistings go online to www.thecrackmagazine.com. Club admissions range from 4 to 15.

Live MusicHead of Steam@The Cluny (%230 4474; www.headofsteam.co.uk; 36 Lime St, Ouseburn Valley) This is oneof the best spots in town to hear live music,

attracting all kinds of performers, from ex-perimental prog heads to up-and-comingpop goddesses. Touring acts and local talentfill the bill every night of the week. Take theMetro to Byker.

Sage Gateshead (%443 4666; www.thesagegateshead.org; Gateshead Quays) Norman Fosters magnificentchrome-and-glass horizontal bottle is not justworth gaping at and wandering about in it

is also a superb venue to hear live music, fromfolk to classical orchestras. It is the home ofthe Northern Sinfonia and Folkworks.

NightclubsDigital(%261 9755; www.yourfutureisdigital.com; TimesSq)The newest of Newcastles megaclubs is thistwo-floored danceteria with one of the bestsound systems weve ever heard. Our favouritenight is Thursdays Stonelove (4), a journeythrough 40 years of alternative rock and funk.Saturdays Shindig (10 before 11pm, 12after) is all about four to the floor.

Foundation (%261 8985; www.foundation-club.com;

57-59 Melbourne St) This warehouse-style clubfeatures a massive sound system, fantasticlighting rig and regular guest slots for heavy-weight DJs from all over. If you want a night ofhard-core clubbing, this is the place for you.

World Headquarters (%261 7007; www.trenthouse.com; Curtis Mayfield House, Carliol Sq) Dedicated to thegenius of black music in all its guises funk,rare groove, dance-floor jazz, northern soul,genuine R & B, lush disco, proper house andreggae this fabulous club is strictly for truebelievers, and judging from the numbers,there are thousands of them.

TheatreTheatre Royal(%232 2061; www.theatre-royal-newcastle.co.uk; 100 Grey St)The winter home of the RoyalShakespeare Company is full of Victoriansplendour and has an excellent programmeof drama.

SportNewcastle United Football Club(%201 8400; officialwww.nufc.co.uk, unofficial www.nufc.com; St James Park,Strawberry Pl) Its more than just a football team:it is the collective expression of Geordie hopeand pride as well as the release for decades ofeconomic, social and sporting frustration. Its

fabulous ground, St James Park (%

box office261 1571) is always packed. Match tickets goon public sale about two weeks before a gameor you can try the stadium on the day, but

theres no chance for big matches, such asthose against arch-rivals Sunderland.

GETTING THERE & AWAYAirNewcastle International Airport (%286 0966; www

.newcastleairport.com)is 7 miles north of the city offthe A696. It has direct services to Aberdeen,London, Cardiff, Dublin, Belfast, Oslo, Am-sterdam, Paris, Prague, Brussels and a numberof destinations in Spain.

BoatDFDS Seaways (%0870 533 3000; www.dfdsseaways.co.uk) operates ferries to Newcastle fromKristiansand in Norway, the Swedish port ofGothenburg and the Dutch port of Ijmuiden,near Amsterdam. For online ferry bookings,check out www.newcastleferry.co.uk.

BusNational Express buses arrive and depart fromthe Gallowgate coach station. You can get tomost anywhere, including London (27.50,seven hours, six daily) and Manchester (16.60,five hours, six daily). For Berwick-upon-Tweed(two hours, five daily) take bus 505, 515 or 525from Haymarket bus station.

Local and regional buses leave from Hay-market or Eldon Square bus stations. For localbuses around the northeast, dont forget theexcellent-value Explorer North East ticket,

valid on most services for 6.50.

TrainNewcastle is on the main rail line betweenLondon and Edinburgh. Services go to Aln-mouth (for connections to Alnwick; 6.20,

GAY & LESBIAN NEWCASTLE

Newcastles gay scene is pretty dynamic,

with its hub at the Pink Triangle formed

by Waterloo, Neville and Collingwood Sts,

but stretching as far south as Scotswood

Rd. There are plenty of gay bars in the area

and one outstanding nightclub.

Camp David (8-10 Westmorland Rd) An excel-

lent mixed bar that is as trendy with straights as itis with the gay community.Powerhouse Nightclub(%261 4507; 9-19Westmorland Rd) Newcastles brashest queernightclub, with flashing lights, video screens andlots of suggestive posing.

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20 minutes, four daily), Berwick (15.30, 45minutes, every two hours), Edinburgh (39,1 hours, half-hourly), London Kings Cross(105.50, three hours, half-hourly) and York(21.30, 45 minutes, every 20 minutes). Theresalso the scenic Tyne Valley Line west to Car-lisle. See p634 for details.

GETTING AROUND

To/From the Airport & Ferry TerminalThe airport is linked to town by the Metro (3,20 minutes, every 15 minutes).

Bus 327 links the ferry (at Tyne Commis-sion Quay, 8.5 miles east), Central Stationand Jesmond Rd. It leaves the train station 2hours and 1 hours before each sailing.

Theres a taxi rank at the terminal; it costsabout 15 to the city centre.

CarDriving around Newcastle isnt fun thanksto the web of roads, bridges and one-waysystems, but there are plenty of car parks.

Public TransportTheres a large bus network, but the bestmeans of getting around is the excellent un-derground Metro, with fares from 55p. Thereare also several saver passes. The tourist officecan supply you with route plans for the busand Metro networks.

The DaySaver (4.20, after 9am 3.40)gives un-limited Metro travel for one day, and theDayRover(adult/child 5/2.50)gives unlimited travelon all modes of transport in Tyne and Wearfor one day.

TaxiOn weekend nights taxis can be rare; try NodaTaxis(%222 1888), which has a kiosk outside theentrance to Central Station.

AROUND NEWCASTLEANGEL OF THE NORTHThe worlds most frequently viewed workof art is this extraordinary 200-tonne, rust-coloured human frame with wings (aka theGateshead Flasher) towering over the A1 (M)about 5 miles south of Newcastle if youre

driving, you just cant miss it. At 20m highand with a wingspan wider than a Boeing 767,Antony Gormleys most successful work is thecountrys largest sculpture. Buses 723 and 724

from Eldon Sq station, or 21, 21A and 21Bfrom Pilgrim St, will take you there.

SEGEDUNUMThe last strong post of Hadrians Wall was thefort of Segedunum (%295 5757; www.twmuseums.org.uk; adult/child/concession 3.95/free/2.25;h9.30am-5.30pm Apr-Aug, 10am-5pm Sep, 10am-3.30pm Nov-Mar), 4miles east of Newcastle at Wallsend. Beneath

the 35m tower, which you can climb for someterrific views, is an absorbing site that in-cludes a reconstructed Roman bathhouse (withsteaming pools and frescoes) and a fascinatingmuseum that gives visitors a well-roundedpicture of life during Roman times.

Take the Metro to Wallsend.

COUNTY DURHAMPicturesque, peaceful villages and unspoiltmarket towns dot the lonely, rabbit-inhabitedNorth Pennines and the gentle ochre hills

of Teesdale. At the heart of it all is CountyDurhams simply exquisite capital, one ofEnglands most visited towns and an absolutemust on your northern itinerary.

Ironically, this pastoral image, so resonantof its rich medieval history, has only comeback to life in recent years; for most of thelast three centuries the county was given overalmost entirely to the mining of coal, and thecountryside is punctuated with the relics of thatonce all-important industry, now slowly beingreclaimed by nature. Brutal and dangerous,coal mining was the lifeblood of entire com-munities; its sudden end in 1984 by stroke of

a Conservative pen has left some purposelesstowns and an evocatively scarred landscape.Durham has had a turbulent history, though

it pales in comparison with its troublesomenorthern neighbour. To keep the Scots andlocal Saxon tribes quiet, William the Con-queror created the title of prince bishop in1081 and gave it vice-regal power over an areaknown as the Palatinate of Durham, whichbecame almost a separate country. It raised itsown armies, collected taxes and administereda separate legal system that incredibly wasnt fully incorporated into the greater Eng-lish structure until 1971.

Getting AroundThe Explorer North East ticket (see p618) is

valid on many services in the county.

DURHAM%0191 / pop 42,940The best way to arrive in Durham is by early-morning train on a clear day. As you emergefrom the train station, look across the RiverWear to the hilltop peninsula, and youll seethe main reason for coming in all its resplend-ent glory. Englands most beautiful Roman-esque cathedral, a masterpiece of Norman

architecture, rates pretty high on our brilliantBritain list. Consider the setting: a huge castle,the cathedral and, surrounding them both, acobweb of cobbled streets usually full of upper-crust students attending Durhams other bigpull, the university. Its all so...English.

OK, so the university may not have thehallowed prestige of Oxbridge it was only

founded in 1832 but its terrific academicreputation and competitive rowing team makethe disappointment of not getting into Oxfordor Cambridge that bit easier to bear.

Once youve visited the cathedral, thereslittle else to do save walk the old town streetsand find new spots from which to view Dur-hams main attraction. We recommend thatyou visit as a day trip from Newcastle unless

youre planning some in-depth explorationof the surrounding county, in which caseDurham is a tidy base.

OrientationMarket Pl, the tourist office, castle and cath-edral are all on the peninsula surrounded bythe River Wear. The train and bus stations

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INFORMATION

Cycle Force...................... C1Bus Station....................... B2

Swan & Three Cygnets.... C2Shakespeare.................... C2

Emilio's Ristorante........... C2Brown Sugar.................... C2Almshouse....................... C2

University College............ C2St John's College............. C3St Cuthbert's Society........ B4Mrs Koltai........................ D1Mr Nimmins.................... D1Georgian Town House..... B2Cathedral View................ D1

Cruiser......................... C2Prince Bishop RiverMuseum of Archaeology.... B3Durham Heritage Centre... C3Durham Cathedra l............. C3Durham Castle................... C2Cloisters & Treasures.......(see 7)Browns Boathouse.........(see 10)

Waterstone's..................... C2Tourist Office..................... C1

Thomas Cook.................... C2Public Library..................... C1Post Office........................ C2

DURHAM

To FarnleyTower (200m)

To Crook Hall(200m); Durham

Light InfantryMuseum (0.3mi);

Beamish (8mi)

To A1(M) (1mi);Grange Camping

& Caravan Site(2mi); Sunderland

(12mi)

To A177 viaA1(M) (3mi);

Stockton(18mi)

ToOriental

Museum(3mi)

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Book accommodation online at lonelyplanet.com C O U N T Y D U R H A M D u r h a m

are to the west, on the other side of the river.Using the cathedral as your landmark, youcant really go wrong. The main sites arewithin easy walking distance of each other.InformationPost office(Silver St;h9am-5.30pm Mon-Sat)Public library (Millennium Pl;h9.30am-5pm Mon-Sat) The only place in town to check email.

Thomas Cook(%382 6600; 24-25 Market Pl) Near thetourist office.Tourist office(%384 3720; www.durhamtourism.co.uk; 2 Millennium Pl;h9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Sat,10am-4pm Sun) In the Gala complex, which includes atheatre and cinema.Waterstones(%383 1488; 69 Saddler St) A goodselection of books.

SightsDURHAM CATHEDRAL

Durhams most famous building and the mainreason for visiting unless someone you knowis at university here has earned superlative

praise for so long that to add more would beredundant; how can you do better than the19th-century novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne,who wrote fawningly: I never saw so lovely amagnificent a scene, nor (being content withthis) do I care to see better. Lets not go nutshere. No building is that beautiful, but the de-finitive structure of the Anglo-Norman Roman-esque style is still pretty amazing. We woulddefinitely put it in our top-church-in-Englandlist as do many others, including Unesco, whodeclared it a World Heritage Site in 1986.

The cathedral(%386 4266; www.durhamcathedral.co.uk; donation requested;h9.30am-8pm mid-JunAug,

9.30am-6.15pm Mon-Sat & 12.30-5pm Sun Sepmid-Jun,private prayer & ser vices only 7.30-9.30am Mon-Sat, 7.45am-12.30pm Sun year-round) is enormous and has apretty fortified look; this is due to the factthat although it may have been built to paytribute to God and to house the holy bonesof St Cuthbert, it also needed to withstandany potential attack by the pesky Scots andNorthumberland tribes who werent toothrilled by the arrival of the Normans a fewyears before. Times have changed, but thecathedral remains an overwhelming presence,and modern-day visitors will hardly fail to beimpressed by its visual impact.

The interior is genuinely spectacular. Thesuperb nave is dominated by massive, pow-erful piers every second one round, withan equal height and circumference of 6.6m,

and carved with geometric designs. Durhamwas the first European cathedral to be roofedwith stone-ribbed vaulting, which upheld theheavy stone roof and made it possible to buildpointed transverse arches the first in Eng-land, and a great architectural achievement.The central tower dates from 1262, but wasdamaged in a fire caused by lightning in 1429,and was unsatisfactorily patched up until it

was entirely rebuilt in 1470. The western tow-ers were added in 121726.

Built in 1175 and renovated 300 years later,the Galilee Chapel is one of the most beautifulparts. The northern sides paintingsare rare sur-

viving examples of 12th-century wall paintingand are thought to feature St Cuthbert and StOswald. The chapel also contains the VenerableBedes tomb. Bede was an 8th-century North-umbrian monk, a great historian and polymathwhose work The Ecclesiastical History of theEnglish Peopleis still the prime source of infor-mation on the development of early ChristianBritain. Among other things, he introduced the

numbering of years from the birth of Jesus.The Bishops Throne, built over the tombof Bishop Thomas Hatfield, dates from themid-14th century. Hatfields effigy is the onlyone to have survived another turbulent time:the Reformation. The high altar is separatedfrom St Cuthberts tombby the beautiful stoneNeville Screen, made around 137280. Untilthe Reformation, the screen included 107statues of saints.

The cathedral has worthwhile guided tours(adult/child/student 3.50/free/2.50;h10.30am, 11.30am& 2.30pm Mon & Sat). Evensong is at 5.15pm fromTuesday to Saturday (Evening Prayer on

Monday) and at 3.30pm on Sunday.Theres a splendid view from the top of thetower (adult/child 3/1.50;h10am-4pm Mon-Sat mid-AprSep, to 3pm Oct-Mar), but youve got to climb325 steps to enjoy it.

Cloisters & TreasuresThe monastic buildings are centred on thecloisters, which were heavily rebuilt in 1828.The west door to the cloisters is famous forits 12th-century ironwork. On the westernside is the Monks Dormitory (adult/child 1/30p;h10am-3.30pm Mon-Sat, plus 12.30-3.15pm Sun Apr-Sep),now a library of 30,000 books and displaying

Anglo-Saxon carved stones, with a vaultedundercroft that houses the Treasures and arestaurant. There is also an audiovisual display(adult/child 1/30p;h10am-3pm Mon-Sat Apr-Nov) on

the building of the cathedral and the life ofSt Cuthbert.

The Treasures (adult/child 2.50/70p;h10am-4.30pm Mon-Sat, 2-4.30pm Sun) refer to the relics ofSt Cuthbert, but besides his cross and coffin,theres very little here related to the saint.The collectionis made up mostly of religiousparaphernalia from later centuries.

DURHAM CASTLEBuilt as a standard motte-and-bailey fort in1072, Durham Castle(%374 3800; www.durhamcastle.com; adult/concession 5/3.50;htours only, on the hour10am-noon & 2-4pm Jun-Oct, 2-4pm Mon, Wed, Sat & Sun Nov-

May)was the prince bishops home until 1837,when it became the first college of the newuniversity. It remains a university hall, andyou can stay here (see p630). The castle hasbeen much altered over the centuries, as eachsuccessive prince bishop sought to put hisparticular imprimatur on the place, but heavyrestoration and reconstruction were necessaryanyway as the castle is built of soft stone on

soft ground. Highlights of the 45-minute tourinclude the groaning 17th-century Black Stair-case, the 16th-century chapel and the beauti-fully preserved Norman chapel (1080).

OTHER SIGHTS

Near the cathedral, in what was the St Maryle Bow Church, is the Durham Heritage Centre(%386 8719; St Mary le Bow, North Bailey; admission 1.50;

h2pm-4.30pm Jun, 11am-4.30pm Jul-Sep, 11am-4.30pm Sat& Sun Apr, May & Oct) , with a pretty crowded collec-tion of displays on Durhams history from theMiddle Ages to mining. Its all suitably grim,especially the reconstructed prison cells.

Crook Hall(%384 8028; www.crookhallgardens.co.uk;Sidegate; adult/child 4.50/4;h1-5pm Fri-Mon Easter, SunMay & Sep, Sun-Fri Jun-Aug)is a medieval hall with1.6 hectares of charming small gardens, about200m north of the city centre.

ActivitiesBOATING

The Prince Bishop River Cruiser (%386 9525; ElvetBridge; adult 4.50;h2pm & 3pm Jun-Sep)offers one-hour cruises.

You can hire a rowing boat from BrownsBoathouse (%386 3779; per hr per person 3), belowElvet Bridge.

WALKING

There are superb views back to the cathedraland castle from the riverbanks; walk around

the bend between Elvet and FramwellgateBridges, or hire a boat at Elvet Bridge.

Guided walks(adult/child 3/free;h2pm Wed, Sat &Sun May-Sep)of 1 hours leave from MillenniumPl contact the tourist office for details. Ghostwalks(%386 1500; adult/child 3/1;h6.30pm Mon Jun-Sep, 8.30pm Jul & Aug) lasting 1 hours also driftaround town.

SleepingIts all about a cathedral view round theseparts. But when you consider that its visiblefrom pretty much everywhere, its quality, notquantity, that counts. The tourist office makeslocal bookings free of charge, which is a goodthing considering that Durham is always busywith visitors: graduation week in late Juneresults in accommodation gridlock.

Farnley Tower(%375 0011; w ww.farnley-tower.co.uk;The Avenue; s/d from 55/75;pn)A beautiful Vic-torian stone building that looks more like asmall manor house than a family-run B&B,this place has 13 large rooms, none better than

the superior rooms, which are not just spa-cious but have excellent views of the cathedraland castle. The service is impeccable.

Cathedral View (%386 9566; www.cathedralview.com; 212 Gilesgate; s/d from 60/75)This plain-frontedGeorgian house has no sign, but inside it doesexactly what it says on the tin. Six large roomsdecorated with lots of cushions, and coordi-nated bed linen and window dressings make upthe numbers, but its the three at the back thatare worth the fuss: the views of the cathedral aresuperb. A small breakfast terrace with the samesplendid vista is an added touch of real class.

Georgian Town House(%/fax 386 8070; 10-11 Cross-

gate St; s/d from 60/80)This listed building in themiddle of town has large, airy rooms decoratedin the true spirit of Laura Ashley: elaboratestencilling, plenty of pillows and fancy windowdressings. Its close to the cathedral, so therooms facing it have great views. Theres also asmall garden with flowers and a rockery.

A couple of small, similarly priced B&Bs onGilesgate may not offer much in the way ofdcor, size or cathedral view, but are worth atry if youre stuck:Mr Nimmins(%384 6485; www.nimmins.co.uk; 14Gilesgate; s/d 24/44)Mrs Koltai(%386 2026; 10 Gilesgate; s/d 25/42)

EatingCheap eats arent a problem in Durhamthanks to the students, but quality is a little

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thin on the ground. Some pubs do good barfood; see Drinking (below).

Almshouse (%386 1054; Palace Green; dishes 4-7;h9am-5pm)Fancy imaginative and satisfyingsnacks (how about spicy beef with red-beancasserole and rice?) served in a genuine 17th-century house right on Palace Green? Its ashame about the interior, though, which hasbeen restored to look like any old museum

caf.Brown Sugar (%454 2242; New Elvet; dishes 5-7.50;h7.30am-11pm Mon-Sat, 9am-10.30pm Sun) Thistrendy coffee shopcum-bar is a favouritewith university students, who fold into theoversize leather couches, nibble on a ciabattasandwich (no ordinary bread here, mate) andtalk about how much study they should bedoing. A perfect hang-out.

Emilios Ristorante(%384 0096; 96 Elvet Bridge; pizzaor pasta from 6.95;hlunch & dinner Mon-Sat, dinner onlySun)Durhams top spot for pizza, pasta andother Italian staples has a wonderful loca-tion overlooking the Wear. Try the malfatti

al forno,a kind of oven-baked ravioli filledwith ricotta cheese and spinach.

DrinkingDurham may have a big student population,but most students seem to take the wholestudy thing really seriously, because the night-life here isnt as boisterous as you might expectfrom a university town. There is, however, afistful of lovely old bars. The tourist office hasa bimonthly Whats Onguide.

Shakespeare (63 Saddler St) As authentic a tradi-tional bar as youre likely to find in these parts,this is the perfect locals boozer, complete with

nicotine-stained walls, cosy snugs and a smallcorner TV to show the racing. Needless to say,the selection of beers and spirits is terrific. Notsurprisingly, students love it too.

Swan & Three Cygnets (%384 0242; Elvet Bridge)This high-ceilinged riverside pub with court-yard tables overlooks the river. It also servessome pretty good bar food (mains around8.50) usually fancy versions of standardbar fare such as bangers and mash.

Getting There & AwayBUS

The bus station is west of the river on NorthRd. All National Express buses arrive here,while bus 352 links Newcastle and Blackpool

via Durham, Barnard Castle, Raby Castle andKirkby Stephen. Destinations include Edin-burgh (21.50, four hours, one daily), Leeds(13.80, 2 hours, four daily) and London(27.50, 6 hours, four daily). There are threedaily National Express buses to Newcastle(2.50, 30 minutes); bus 21 provides a half-hourly service but takes twice as long becauseit makes plenty of stops along the way.

TRAIN

There are services at least hourly to Lon-don (105.50, three hours), Newcastle (4.60single, 20 minutes) and York (20.60, onehour).

Getting AroundPratts Taxis(%386 0700)charges a minimum of2.40. Cycle Force(%384 0319; 29 Claypath)charges10/17 per half-/full day for mountain-bikehire.

AROUND DURHAMBeamish Open-Air MuseumCounty Durhams greatest attraction is Beam-ish

(%0191-370 4000; www.beamish.org.uk; admission Nov-

Mar 6, Apr-Oct adult/child 16/10;h10am-5pm Apr-Oct, to4pm Tue-Thu, Sat & Sun Nov-Mar, last entry 3pm year-round), aliving, breathing, working museum that offers

a fabulous, warts-and-all portrait of industriallife in the northeast during the 19th and 20thcenturies. Instructive and lots of fun to boot,this huge museum spread over 121 hectareswill appeal to all ages.

You can go underground, explore mineheads, a working farm, a school, a dentistand a pub, and marvel at how every crampedpit cottage seemed to find room for a piano.

Dont miss a ride behind an 1815 Steam Ele-phant locomotive or a replica of StephensonsLocomotion No 1.

Allow at least three hours to do the placejustice. Many elements (such as the railway)arent open in the winter call for details.

Beamish is about 8 miles northwest ofDurham; its signposted from the A1 (M) take the A693 west at junction 63. Buses 709from Newcastle (50 minutes, hourly) and720 from Durham (30 minutes, hourly) runto the museum.

BARNARD CASTLE

%01833 / pop 6720Barnard Castle, or just plain Barney, is any-thing but: a thoroughly charming markettown packed with atmospheric pubs and an-tique shops, with a daunting ruined castle atits edge and an extraordinary French chateauon its outskirts. If you can drag yourself away,it is also a terrific base for exploring Teesdaleand the North Pennines.

Staff at the tourist office (%690909; [email protected]; Woodleigh, Flatts Rd;h9.30am-5.30pmEaster-Oct, 11am-4pm Mon-Sat Nov-Mar)handle visitorinquiries.

SightsTHE CASTLEOnce one of northern Englands largest castles,Barnard Castle (EH;%638212; www.english-heritage.org.uk; admission 3.40;h10am-6pm Easter-Sep, to 4pmOct, Thu-Mon only Nov-Mar)was partly dismantledduring the 16th century, but its huge bulk,on a cliff above the Tees, still manages tocover more than two very impressive hec-tares. Founded by Guy de Bailleul and rebuiltaround 1150, its occupants spent their timesuppressing the locals and fighting off theScots on their days off they sat around en-

joying the wonderful views of the river.

BOWES MUSEUM

The 19th-century industrialist and art fanaticJohn Bowes didnt do things by halves, so

when he commissioned French architect JulesPellechet to build a new museum to show offhis terrific collection, the result was this ex-traordinary, Louvre-inspired French chateau1.5 miles west of town. Opened in 1892, theBowes Museum (%690606; www.bowesmuseum.org.uk; adult/child 7/free;h11am-5pm) could givethe Victoria & Albert Museum a run for itsmoney, with lavish furniture and paintings

by Canaletto, El Greco and Goya. The mu-seums most beloved exhibit, however, is themarvellous mechanical silver swan, operatedat 12.30pm and 3.30pm.

Sleeping & EatingMarwood House (%637493; www.kilgarriff.demon.co.uk; 98 Galgate; s/d 27/48)A handsome Victorianproperty with tastefully appointed rooms (theowners tapestries feature in the dcor and herhomemade biscuits sit on a tray), MarwoodHouses standout feature is the small fitnessroom in the basement, complete with a saunathat fits up to four people.

Greta House (%631193; www.gretahouse.co.uk; 89Galgate; s/d 28.50/55)This lovely Victorian homestands out for the little touches that show thatextra bit of class fluffy bathrobes, face clothsand posh toiletries. What really did it for usthough was the stay-in service: a tray of lovelyhomemade sandwiches and a superb cheese-board to nibble at from the comfort of bed.

Old Well Inn (%690130; www.oldwellinn.co.uk; 21The Bank; s/d from 34.50/79)You wont find largerbedrooms in town than at this old coachinginn, which makes it an excellent option forfamilies it even takes pets. It has a reputationfor excellent, filling pub grub, although the

service is somewhat lacklustre at times.

Getting There & AwayBus 352 runs daily between Newcastle andBlackpool via Durham, Bishop Auckland, Bar-nard Castle, Raby Castle and Kirkby Stephen.

AROUND BARNARD CASTLEThe ransacked, spectral ruins of EgglestoneAbbey (hdawn-dusk), dating from the 1190s,overlook a lovely bend of the Tees. You canenvisage the abbeys one-time grandeur de-spite the gaunt remains. Theyre a pleasantmile-long walk south of Barnard Castle.

About 7 miles northeast of town is thesprawling, romantic Raby Castle(%660202; www.rabycastle.com; admission 7;hcastle 1-5pm, grounds11am-5.30pm Sun-Fri Jun-Aug, Wed & Sun May & Sep) , a

UNIVERSITY ACCOMMODATION

Several colleges rent their rooms during the holidays (Easter and July to September). The rooms

are generally modern and comfortable, like most contemporary student halls. Phone%374 7360or click on www.dur.ac.uk/conferences/tourism for more information.

St Johns College(%334 3877; 3 South Bailey; s/d without bathroom 25.50/48) This college is right next to thecathedral; none of the rooms come with en suite.St Cuthberts Society (%374 3364; 12 South Bailey; s/d 24/45) A few doors down from St Johns, with similarstudent-style rooms.

University College (%374 3863; s/d with bathroom 36/66, without bathroom 25/45) Smack on the PalaceGreen, this has the best location. Some rooms are available year-round, such as the bishops suite (per person 85),decked out with 17th-century tapestries.

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stronghold of the Catholic Neville familyuntil it engaged in some ill-judged plotting(the Rising of the North) against the oh-soProtestant Queen Elizabeth in 1569. Mostof the interior dates from the 18th and 19thcenturies, but the exterior remains true to theoriginal design, built around a courtyard andsurrounded by a moat. There are beautifulformal gardens and a deer park. Buses 8 and

352 zip between Barnard Castle and Raby (20minutes, eight daily).

NORTH PENNINESThe North Pennines stretch from westernDurham to just short of Hadrians Wall inthe north. In the south is Teesdale, the gentlyundulating valley of the River Tees; to thenorth is the much wilder Weardale, carvedthrough by the River Wear. Both dales aremarked by ancient quarries and mines in-dustries that date back to Roman times. Thewilds of the North Pennines are also home tothe picturesque Derwent and Allen Valleys,

north of Weardale.For online info, check out www.northpennines.org.uk.

HADRIANS WALLBritains most famous Roman construction isproof that when it came down to the big jobs,the Romans werent shirkers. Besides theirother accomplishments, they threw up thisbloody great big wall between AD 122 and128 to keep us (Romans, subdued Anglo-Saxons) in and them (hairy barbarians from

Scotland) out. Or so the story goes.The truth, however, is a little more prosaic.Emperor Hadrian didnt order the wall builtbecause he was afraid of northern invasion.The truth is no part of the wall was impen-etrable a concentrated attack at any singlepoint would have surely breached it butwas meant to mark the border as though tosay that the Roman Empire would extend nofurther. By drawing a physical boundary, theRomans were also tightening their grip on thepopulation to the south for the first time inhistory, passports were issued to citizens of theempire, marking them out not just as citizensbut, more importantly, as taxpayers.

Irrespective of the whys and wherefores,the wall was a mighty impressive bit of en-gineering, a spectacular 73-mile testament

to ambition and the practical Roman mindstretching across the narrow neck of the islandfrom Solway Firth in the west almost to themouth of the Tyne in the east. Even today,almost 2000 years after the first stone waslaid, the sections that are still standing remainan awe-inspiring sight, proof that when theRomans wanted something done, they justknuckled down and did it.

The section from Newcastle to the RiverIrthing was built of stone, and turf blockswere used on the section to Solway roughly3m thick and 4.5m high. A 3m-deep, 9m-wideditch and mound were excavated immediatelyin front (except where there were naturaldefences). Every Roman mile (1.62 miles;even in measurement the Romans outdidus) there was a gateway guarded by a smallfort (milecastle) and between each milecastlewere two observation turrets. Milecastles arenumbered right across the country, startingwith Milecastle 0 at Wallsend and ending withMilecastle 80 at Bowness-on-Solway. Between

each was a series of turrets, tagged alphabeti-cally, so Milecastle 39 was followed by Turret39B, Turret 37B and then Milecastle 40.

A series of forts were developed as basessome distance south (and may predate thewall), and 16 actually lie astride it. The primeremaining forts on the wall are Cilurnum(Chesters), Vercovicium (Housesteads) andBanna (Birdoswald). The best forts behindthe wall are Corstopitum, at Corbridge, andVindolanda, north of Bardon Mill.

OrientationNow a World Heritage Site, Hadrians Wall

crosses beautiful, varied landscape. Startingin the lowlands of the Solway coast, it crossesthe lush hills east of Carlisle to the bleak,windy ridge of basalt rock known as Whin Silloverlooking Northumberland National Park,and ends in the urban sprawl of Newcastle.The most spectacular section lies betweenBrampton and Corbridge.

Carlisle, in the west, and Newcastle, in theeast, are good starting points, but Brampton,Haltwhistle, Hexham and Corbridge all makegood bases.

The B6318 follows the course of the wallfrom the outskirts of Newcastle to Birdoswald;from Birdoswald to Carlisle it pays to have adetailed map. The main A69 road and the rail-way line follow 3 or 4 miles to the south. Thissection follows the wall from east to west.

InformationCarlisle and Newcastle tourist offices aregood places to start gathering information,but there are also tourist offices in Hex-ham, Haltwhistle, Corbridge and Brampton.The Northumberland National Park Visitor Centre(%01434-344396; Once Brewed;h10am-5pm mid-MarMay, Sep & Oct, 9.30am-6pm Jun-Aug) is off theB6318. Theres a Hadrians Wall information line

(%01434-322002; www.hadrians-wall.org) too. Maysees a spring festival, with lots of re-creationsof Roman life along the wall (contact touristoffices for details).

Walking & CyclingThe newish Hadrians Wall Path is an 84-mileNational Trail that runs the length of the wall

from Wallsend in the east to Bowness-on-Solway in the west. The entire route shouldtake about seven days on foot, giving plenty oftime to explore the rich archaeological herit-age along the way. Anthony Burtons Hadri-ans Wall Path National Trail Guide(AurumPress; 12.99), available at most bookshopsand tourist offices in the region, is good forhistory, archaeology and the like, while the

Essential Guide to Hadrians Wall Path Na-tional Trail (Countryside Agency; 3.95) is atop guide to everyday facilities and servicesalong the walk.

If youre planning to cycle along the wall,tourist offices sell the Hadrians Wall CountryCycle Map(3); youll be cycling along part ofHadrians Cycleway (see p618).

YarrowWater

ttrick

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r

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A697

A68

A7

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A68

NorthumberlandNational Park

Border

ForestPark

Newcastle

Chillingham

Castle

BirdoswaldRoman Fort

HousesteadsRoman Fort& Museum

VindolandaRoman Fort& Museum

ChestersRoman Fort& Museum

LanercostPriory

Tower KnoweVisitor Centre

Roman ArmyMuseum

CorbridgeMuseum

CragsideHouse

TheCheviot(815m)

LeaplishWaterside

Park

Selkirk

Belford

BonchesterBridge

Bellingham

Deadwater

Wark

HaydonBridge

Low Brunton

Rochester

Morebattle

Bewcastle

Greenhead

Elsdon

Alwinton

Newmill

HumbletonHill

KirkharleKershopefoot

LangleyCastle

Ridsdale

St Boswell's

Catlowdy

Teviothead

Belsay

Stannersburn

AllenBanks

Byrness

Ingram

Kielder

OnceBrewed

Acomb

Netherton

Whittingham

ChattonKirk Yetholm

Hownam

Kirkcambeck

Lambley

Falstone

Whygate

BardonMill

Chollerford

Corbridge

Sewingshields

Gowanburn

Hexham

Melrose

Wooler

Kelso

Haltwhistle

Ponteland

Newcastleton

Jedburgh

Brampton

Otterburn

Town Yetholm

Rothbury

Hawick

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KielderWater

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B6341

HADRIAN'S WALL & NORTHUMBERLAND NP 0 10 km0 6 miles

To Penrith(15mi)

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Getting There & AroundBUS

The AD 122 Hadrians Wall Bus (get it? threehours, six daily June to September) is ahail-and-ride, guided service that runs be-tween Hexham (the 9.15am service starts inWallsend) and Bowness-on-Solway. Bus 185covers the route the rest of the year (Mondayto Saturday only).

West of Hexham the wall runs parallel tothe A69, which connects Carlisle and New-castle. Bus 685 runs along the A69 hourly,passing near the youth hostels and 2 to 3 milessouth of the main sites throughout the year.

The Hadrians Wall Rover(adult/child 1-day 6.50/4.50, 3-day 13/9) is available from the driver orthe tourist offices, where you can also gettimetables.

TRAIN

The railway line between Newcastle and Car-lisle (Tyne Valley Line) has stations at Cor-bridge, Hexham, Haydon Bridge, Bardon Mill,

Haltwhistle and Brampton. This service runsdaily, but not all trains stop at all stations.

CORBRIDGE%01434 / pop 2800The mellow commuter town of Corbridgeis a handsome spot above a green-bankedcurve in the Tyne, its shady, cobbled streetslined with old-fashioned shops. Folks havelived here since Saxon times when there wasa substantial monastery, while many of thebuildings feature stones nicked from nearbyCorstopitum.

The tourist office(%632815; www.thisiscorbridge

.co.uk; Hill St;h

10am-6pm Mon-Sat, 1-5pm Sun mid-MaySep, 10am-5pm Mon-Sat Eastermid-May & Oct) ispart of the library.

Corbridge Roman Site & MuseumWhats left of the Roman garrison town ofCorstopitum(EH;%632349; admission incl museum 3.80;h10am-6pm Apr-Sep, to 4pm Oct, Sat & Sun only Nov-Mar)lies about a half a mile west of Market Plon Dere St, once the main road from Yorkto Scotland. It is the oldest fortified site inthe area, predating the wall itself by some 40years, when it was used by troops launchingretaliation raids into Scotland. Most of whatyou see here, though, dates from around AD200, when the fort had developed into a civil-ian settlement and was the main base alongthe wall.

Sleeping & EatingRiverside Guesthouse (%632942; www.theriversideguesthouse.co.uk; Main St; s/d from 42/62, without bathroomfrom 32/50;p)An excellent guesthouse in themiddle of town, Riverside has large, comfort-able rooms and unfussy, friendly service. Itsespecially popular with walkers.

Errington Arms(%672250; Stagshaw, B6318 off A68roundabout; mains 8-13;h11am-11pm Mon-Sat, noon-

3pm Sun)About 3 miles north of town is thismarvellous 18th-century stone pub wheredelicious food is served up in suitably at-mospheric surroundings. From the mouth-watering ploughmans lunch to more intricatedelicacies such as loin of lamb with mushroomand chive risotto, it wont disappoint; you canwash it all down with a pint of real ale.

Valley Restaurant(%633434; www.valleyrestaurants.co.uk; Station Rd; mains 9-14;hdinner Mon-Sat)Thisfine Indian restaurant in a lovely buildingabove the station supplies a unique service aswell as delicious food. A group of 10 or morediners from Newcastle can catch the Passage

to India train to Corbridge accompanied bya waiter, who will supply snacks and phoneahead to have the meal ready when the trainarrives!

Getting There & AwayBus 685 between Newcastle and Carlislecomes through Corbridge, as does the half-hourly bus 602 from Newcastle to Hexham,where you can connect with the HadriansWall bus AD 122. Corbridge is also on theNewcastleCarlisle railway line.

HEXHAM%

01434 / pop 10,690Long famed for its fine Augustinian abbey,handsome Hexham was awarded CountryLifes Best Market Town award for 2005, afitting tribute to this bustling town interlinkedwith cobbled alleyways. It is the most substan-tial of the wall towns, with more restaurants,hotels and high-street shops than anywherebetween Newcastle and Carlisle. The touristoffice (%652220; www.hadrianswallcountry.org; Went-worth Car Park;h9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm Sun mid-MayOct, 10am-5pm Mon-Sat Octmid-May)is northeastof the town centre.

SightsStately Hexham Abbey (%602031;h9.30am-7pmMay-Sep, to 5pm Oct-Apr)is a marvellous example ofEarly English architecture. Inside, look out for

the Saxon crypt, the only surviving elementof St Wilifrids Church, built with inscribedstones from Corstopitum in 674.

The Old Gaol (%652349; adult/child 3.50/2;h10am-4.30pm Apr-Oct, Mon, Tue & Sat Octmid-Nov) , completedin 1333 as Englands first purpose-built prison,was recently revamped and all four floors canbe visited in all their gruesome glory. Thehistory of the Border Reivers a group of

clans who fought, kidnapped, blackmailedand killed each other in an effort to exercisecontrol over a lawless tract of land along theAngloScottish border throughout the 16thcentury is also retold, along with tales of thepunishments handed out in the prison.

Sleeping & EatingAcomb YHA Hostel(%0870 770 5664; www.yha.org.uk;Main St; dm 9.50;hEaster-Oct)Simple accommoda-tion basic bunks and functional bathrooms is on offer in this converted stable on the edgeof Acomb village, 2.5 miles north of Hexhamand 2 miles south of the wall. Hexham can

be reached by bus (745 and 880, frequently)or train.West Close House (%603307; Hextol Tce; s/d from

22/48;pn)This immaculate 1920s house,in a leafy cul-de-sac off Allendale Rd (theB6305) and surrounded by a beautiful garden,is highly recommended for its friendlinessand comfort.

Dipton Mill(%606577; Dipton Mill Rd; mains around6-10) For sheer atmosphere, you cant beatthis superb country pub 2 miles out on theroad to Blanchland, among woodland andby a river. It offers sought-after ploughmanslunches and real ale, not to mention a terr ific

selection of whiskies.There are several bakeries on Fore St and, ifyou turn left into the quaintly named Priest-popple near the bus station, youll find a selec-tion of restaurants.

Getting There & AwayBus 685 between Newcastle and Carlislecomes through Hexham hourly. The AD122 and the winter-service bus 185 connectwith other towns along the wall, and thetown is on the NewcastleCarlisle railwayline (hourly).

CHESTERS ROMAN FORT & MUSEUMThe best-preserved remains of a Roman cav-alry fort in England are at Chesters(EH;%01434-681379; admission 3.80;h9.30am-6pm Apr-Sep, 10am-4pm

Oct-Mar), set among idyllic green woods andmeadows and originally constructed to housea unit of troops from Asturias in northernSpain. They include part of a bridge (beauti-fully constructed and best appreciated fromthe eastern bank) across the River North Tyne,four well-preserved gatehouses, an extraordi-nary bathhouse and an underfloor heatingsystem. The museum has a large collection of

Roman sculpture. Take bus 880 or 882 fromHexham; it is also on the route of HadriansWall bus AD 122.

HALTWHISTLE%01434 / pop 3810Its one of the more important debates incontemporary Britain: where exactly is thecentre of the country? The residents of Halt-whistle, basically one long street just north ofthe A69, claim that theyre the ones. But thenso do the folks in Dunsop Bridge, 71 miles tothe south. Will we ever know the truth? Inthe meantime, Haltwhistle is the spot to get

some cash and load up on gear and groceries.Thursday is market day.The tourist office (%322002;h9.30am-1pm &

2-5.30pm Mon-Sat, 1-5pm Sun May-Sep, 9.30am-noon &1-3.30pm Mon-Tue & Thu-Sat Oct-Apr) is in the trainstation.

Ashcroft (%320213; www.ashcroftguesthouse.co.uk; Lantys Lonnen; s/d from 34/68) is a marvellousEdwardian home surrounded by beauti-fully manicured, layered lawns and gardensfrom which there are stunning views (alsoenjoyed from the breakfast room). The own-ers like their flowers so much they deco-rated most of the house accordingly. Highly

recommended.Bus 685 comes from Newcastle (1 hours)and Carlisle (45 minutes) 12 times daily.Hadrians Wall bus AD 122 (June to Sep-tember) or 185 (October to May) connectsHaltwhistle with other places along the wall.Bus 681 heads south to Alston (55 minutes,three daily Monday to Saturday). The townis also on the NewcastleCarlisle railway line(hourly).

AROUND HALTWHISTLEVindolan da Ro man Fo rt & MuseumThe extensive site of Vindolanda (%01434-344277;www.vindolanda.com; admission 4.95, with Roman Army Mu-seum 7.50;h10am-6pm Apr-Sep, to 5pm Feb, Mar, Oct & Nov) offers a fascinating glimpse into the daily lifeof a Roman garrison town. The time-capsule

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museum displays leather sandals, signatureRoman toothbrush-flourish helmet decora-tions, and countless writing tablets such as astudents marked work (sloppy), and a par-ents note with a present of socks and under-pants (things havent changed in this climateyou can never have too many).

The museum is just one part of this large,extensively excavated site, which includes

impressive parts of the fort and town (exca-vations continue) and reconstructed turretsand temple.

Its 1.5 miles north of Bardon Mill betweenthe A69 and B6318 and a mile from OnceBrewed.

Housesteads Roman Fort & MuseumThe walls most dramatic site and the best-preserved Roman fort in the whole country is at Housesteads(EH;%01434-344363; admission 3.80;h10am-6pm Apr-Sep, to 4pm Oct-Mar). From here,high on a ridge and covering 2 hectares, youcan survey the moors of Northumberland

National Park, and the snaking wall, with asense of awe at the landscape and the aura ofthe Roman lookouts.

The substantial foundations bring fort lifealive. The remains include an impressive hos-pital, granaries with a carefully worked-out

ventilation system and barrack blocks. Mostmemorable are the spectacularly situatedcommunal flushable latrines, which summonup Romans at their most mundane.

Housesteads is 2.5 miles north of BardonMill on the B6318, and about 3 miles fromOnce Brewed. Its popular, so try to visit out-side summer weekends, or late in the day

when the site will be quiet and indescribablyeerie.

Other SightsOne mile northwest of Greenhead near Wall-town Crags, the kid-pleasing Roman Army Mu-seum(%016977-47485; www.vindolanda.com; admission3.95, with Vindolanda 7.50;h10am-6pm Apr-Sep, to5pm Feb-Mar & Oct-Nov)provides lots of colourfulbackground detail to wall life, such as how farsoldiers had to march per day and whetherthey could marry.

Ok, so technically its in Cumbria (we wonttell if you dont), but the remains of the once-formidable Birdoswald Roman Fort(EH;%016977-47602; admission 3.80;h10am-5.30pm Mar-Oct), on anescarpment overlooking the beautiful IrthingGorge, were part of the wall and so merit

inclusion in this chapter on logical grounds.Theyre on a minor road off the B6318, about3 miles west of Greenhead;

Great Britain 7 Northeast England v1 m56577569830517798

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