It’s England’s least-populated county, with all the space and freedom that implies, yet Northumberland is often ignored as people zip through heading for Scotland or places further south. An outrage! Here, in the most north-easterly part of England, you will find sweeps of near-empty beaches, a veritable phalanx of castles and grand country piles, Hadrian’s eponymous wall and enough outdoor adventures to exhaust the most energetic.
Wildlife-lovers can enjoy a hike through Kielder Forest, one of the few remaining strongholds of red squirrels in the UK, while the county also offers some of the most spectacular dark skies – you can even book a stargazing session at the Kielder Observatory.
