Two Northumberland castles named among the UK's most beautiful ahead of Halloween

Two of Northumberland's castles have been named among the most picturesque in the UK ahead of Halloween this year.

Research compiled by villa rental company The Thinking Traveller found Bamburgh Castle and Alnwick Castle were among the most popular in the country according to Instagram data. With more than 70 castles in Northumberland, the only surprise is that there weren't more of the county's fortresses named among the UK's most stunning - with the Tower of London, Edinburgh Castle and Windsor Castle taking the top three spots.

Both Northumberland castles have held events during the half-term ahead of Halloween with Alnwick Castle inviting guests to join in its Bat Trail and Ghosts in the Ground, while Bamburgh Castle offers Hope the Dragon's Halloween trail. While Alnwick Castle closes for the season on October 30, Bamburgh Castle is gearing up once again to host its Christmas Kingdom - set to be the largest indoor Christmas event in the North East.

Read more: Two North East castles have been voted among the 10 most haunted in the UK

While both castles are among the most "Instagrammable," neither has been voted the UK's scariest ahead of Halloween, but it was a Northumberland castle that came out on top. That honour instead went to Chillingham Castle, famed for its supposed paranormal activity, boasting a White Pantry Ghost among others.

Alnwick also made it onto that list, coming in fifth place. Said to have a Grey Lady and even a vampire, for some it will be a relief that its doors will be locked before midnight hits on October 31!

Alnwick Castle (Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)

Antoine Levy of The Thinking Traveller, said: "The history attached to these architectural landmarks is truly captivating, from heroic battles and ghostly legends to tragic love stories; every year thousands of people flock to explore where history meets legend. We wanted to find out which of these iconic landmarks were the most popular and create a resource that would inspire travellers to visit the most photogenic castles."

The 15 most Instagrammed castles in the UK

1. Tower of London
2. Edinburgh Castle
3. Windsor Castle
4. Warwick Castle
5. Leeds Castle, Kent
6. Cardiff Castle
7. Eilean Donan Castle
8. Stirling Castle
9. Hever Castle
10. Bamburgh Castle
11. Dunnottarr Castle
12. Highclere Castle
13. Alnwick Castle
14. Urquhart Castle
15. Conwy Castle

Which castle do you think is the most picturesque in Northumberland? Let us know!

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