The Area
Haltwhistle
The pretty rural town of Haltwhistle is located just 2 miles from the Northumberland National Park and the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage site. It claims to be the ‘geographic centre of Britain’ and is certainly a popular spot with walkers and cyclists.
Haltwhistle boasts a good range of shops and pubs - one of which, The Black Bull, is a real ale pub serving good food! There is an excellent leisure centre with heated open air swimming pool and cycle hire in the town, with pony trekking nearby. One of the best preserved stretches of Hadrian's Wall is only a mile to the north with various museums, forts and milecastles to be seen. There is even an ongoing 'dig' at the nearby site of Vindolanda. This truly is magnificent walking, riding and cycling country, with the Pennine Way and various bridleways and cycle routes passing rivers, forests, castles and of course, Hadrian's Wall. Visitors will enjoy this location in all weather and all seasons – a regular train and bus service from the town to Newcastle, The Metro Centre and Carlisle, means that you can leave the car behind and enjoy!
The village hosts its own bi-annual walking festival which runs in the Spring and Autumn. There are a variety of scenic circular walks from this town for all ages and abilities known as the Haltwhistle Rings. Haltwhistle holiday cottages provide the perfect base for anyone interested in exploring the world famous Hadrian’s Wall. With major visitor attractions such as The Roman Army Museum, Housesteads and Roman Vindolanda on your doorstep, you can have lots of fun finding out about the life and times of the Roman Army.
There is a Tourist Information Centre in the centre of Haltwhistle, which can advise you on great walks, cycle routes and days out. There are also some lovely restaurants, cafes, independent shops and pubs in the town centre.
The friendly village market in nearby Greenhead, is held every second Sunday of every month – if timings coincide with your visit, this is great for buying some delicious local produce as well as meeting local craftspeople. Another Northumberland Farmer’s Market is in the neighbouring town of Hexham. This market is held on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month in the Market Place.
Explore the stunning and peaceful local countryside, yet still be within easy reach of other nearby attractions such as Carlisle, Gretna Green and South West Scotland to the west and the city of Newcastle, the market town of Hexham and the Northumberland Coast to the east. South of Haltwhistle are the magnificent Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty North Pennines.
Northumberland
Explore Northumberland by car on unbelievably quiet roads and enjoy some incredibly scenic drives. In Northumberland you can drive a distance of 60 - 70 miles and meet only a few dozen cars during journeys to Hadrian's Wall and Berwick upon Tweed.
Visit some of the many gardens in Northumberland. As well as the famous Alnwick Garden, find out more about other horticultural delights in Northumberland, such as Belsay Quarry Gardens, Howick Hall and Cragside.
How about visiting some of the many National Tust properties and English Heritage Propertiesin Northumberland? The National Trust properties include Lindisfarne Castle, Cragside Estate and Wallington Hall. English Heritage Properties in the region include Warkworth Castle, Lindisfarne Priory and Hadrian's Wall.
What to do near to Haltwhistle
The Sill
The Sill is the UK’s National Landscape Discovery Centre at Once Brewed in the Northumberland National Park. The building is the result of an innovative partnership between Northumberland National Park and YHA England and Wales. A showcase of local pride and passion, it features exhibitions, learning and event spaces, a local food café, a brand new Youth Hostel, and a shop specialising in local crafts and produce
Haltwhistle Burn
Take a gentle amble from the rear of The Grey Bull along the well signed route beside the Haltwhistle Burn. Enigmatic ruins, abundant wildlife and the tranquility of the flowing water. The Burn is for everyone. Recently re-surfaced and with new bridges and wickets, the footpath beside Haltwhistle Burn is accessible for buggies for most of it's length.
Winding it's way down from the Roman Wall to the old stone houses of Town Foot, the wooded valley of the Haltwhistle Burn has a secret to unfold. Starting from the peaty soil of the wild moor land high above the town, the water of the burn runs through the military zone of the Roman Wall, across high meadows, through a dramatic sandstone gorge and down, between lushly wooded banks to join the waters of the River Tyne. Walk the Burn and enjoy the diverstiy of wildlife and the peace of the countryside.
Cycling
Four of the most famous cycle routes are near Haltwhistle.Keen cyclists will be in their element, but Northumberland's quiet rural roads are also perfect for more leisurely cyclists wanting to explore the countryside
There are dozens of outstanding cyle trails nearby, whatever your ability or passion. There is a total of 350 miles of cycle paths in Northumberland. Four of the most famous cycle routes in the country run through Northumberland: Hadrian's Cycleway, The Coast & Castles, Pennine Cycleway, and the UK's most popular route, the Sea to Sea (C2C).
https://visithaltwhistle.com/cycling
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrians Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain and is now an 84 mile National Trail stretching coast to coast across Northern England. The vast majority of the remaining sections of Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site can be found in Northumberland, with five of the eight excavated forts and endless stretches of unbroken wall rising and falling over dramatic landscapes. Around a 30 minute drive from Brandy Bank, you can visit some fascinating tourist sites along the wall, including Housesteads Roman Fort and Chesters, some of the best well presevered Roman Calvary forts in Britain. Visit the English Heritage website: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/hadrianswall/ for more details.
The famous Roman Vindolanda Fort and museum also lies on the wall and is one of the North East's most famous and not to be missed tourist attractions. Formerly a key military post on the northern frontier of Britain, it is one of Europe's most important Roman archaeological sites, with live excavations taking place every year.
Golf
Situated 15miles from The Grey Bull is Hexham Golf Club.
This picturesque parkland course overlooks the River Tyne and is amongst the best in the region. A favourite for all golfers and 'a must play' for anyone visiting Northumberland
Fishing
Angling in the rivers around Haltwhsitle is extremely popular since the fish are plentiful and the rivers are beautiful.
Permits to fish for Seniors & Non-Member Day Permits can be obtained from Mr W Eals, 4 Fair Hill, Haltwhistle. NE49 9EE. Tel: 01434 321818. The number of rods is limited to 4 per day, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Permits to fish for Junior Anglers (aged upto 17 Years) can be obtained from Armstrongs Carpets on Haltwhistle Main Street. Open from 9am - 5pm Monday to Saturday,(closes 12.30pm on Wednesday). A Season Ticket costs £15. This includes a FREE Lure or Pack of Flies.
The Fishpal Tyne web site can give you current water levels and other up to date information, www.fishpal.com/England/Tyne/ Water levels can also be found by Phoning: 0906 619 7722 (Press 1 when connected).
Kielder and the National Park
Kielder and the National Park brings together Kielder Water, Kielder Observatory and the Northumberland National Park – it’s nature on a grand scale! The views are bigger, the night sky brighter, the sports wilder and the smiles wider. We’re home to the biggest man-made lake in Northern Europe and, at over 250 square miles, the largest working forest in England. The best way to explore Kielder is to start at one of our three visitor centres, Tower Knowe, Leaplish or Kielder Castle. So what are you waiting for? Follow these directions to get here and get ready for the greater outdoors made just for you.
If you just want to explore more about Kielder Water and Forest, click to visit the Visitkielder website, which is very informative and inspiring.
Walking
Northumberland is the ideal location for country and coastal walks and has been credited by Country Walking magazine as 'the best place for walking in the country;.Whether you're an experienced walker or enjoy more leisurely rambles Northumberland offers both challenging long distance trails and leisurely circular walks, it also has some fantastic coastal paths. Perhaps one of the most famous walks is Hadrian's Wall path which follows the Roman Frontier and is now a World Heritage Site. Another great long distance route is St Oswalds Way which links Holy Island with Hadrian's Wall and encompasses all that Northumberland has to offer along its 156km length. But of course you don't have to cover the whole walk to enjoy it!
Wildlife enthusiasts will feel right at home on the Northumberland Coast where in the summer the sea and offshore islands are teaming with seabirds. Fulmars glide effortlessly alongside the path and the dunes are ablaze with colourful yellow rattle, pink orchids and the deep purple cranesbill.
If you are looking for a beautiful, dramatic county to holiday in then the tranquillity of Northumberland will definitely appeal to you.
Haltwhistle
Haltwhistle
Haltwhistle burn
Kielder Water
