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Boon’s Calibre Travel 2025 The Splendours of Northumberland Thursday 10th July 2025 for 5 days, half-board
Our exciting 5-tour tour, explores the splendours of Northumberland, a region rich in history and natural splendour. Highlights of our three carefully planned excursions include, NT Cragside House, the first house in the world to be lit by hydro-electricity, with its incredible designer gardens; magnificent Kielder Forest, home to ospreys & red squirrels; stunning Kielder Water, Northern Europe’s largest manmade lake; Hadrian’s Wall; and the interesting Sill National Landscape Discovery Centre. In addition, we have a split day, where we have the opportunity to either explore medieval Alnwick “Windsor of the North”, with its fine castle and the multi-award-winning Alnwick Garden, or remain with the coach and visit the magical Holy Island of Lindisfarne and Grace Darling’s Bamburgh, a coastal village overlooked by an imposing castle. There will also be a brief stop at Gormley’s iconic “Angel of the North” and the opportunity to explore the award-winning floral, spa town of Harrogate and the historic city of Durham on our outward and return journeys.
Our base for this tour is the 4* Holiday Inn Gosforth Park, a popular hotel set in 16 acres of grounds, conveniently located at Seaton Burn, just north of Newcastle. Each stylish bedroom boasts en-suite bathroom and is fully equipped with all the usual facilities. Accommodation is arranged over two floors (there is a lift), with many ground floor rooms and two bedrooms adapted for the disabled. Meals may be taken in the chic Blagdon Brasserie and a relaxing drink in the Mercury bar. For the energetic, there is a leisure centre with indoor swimming pool.
Day 1: On leaving our local boarding points, we head north, stopping en-route in the award-winning floral spa town of Harrogate, with its glorious gardens, graceful architecture and excellent shopping opportunities. On leaving Harrogate, we continue on to our hotel, arriving in good time for dinner.
Day 2: Today’s excursion takes us along Hadrian’s Wall to The Sill National Landscape Discovery Centre, beautifully situated at the gateway to the Northumberland National Park, with spectacular views from its rooftop terrace. After visiting the exhibitions and the shop, with its selection of locally inspired products, and taking refreshment in the café, we head into the magnificent Kielder Forest. An area of beauty and serenity, Kielder Forest, one of Northumberland’s most popular attractions, is a haven for wildlife, including rare ospreys and red squirrels, and, at its heart, is stunning Kielder Water Reservoir, Northern Europe’s largest manmade lake. We take a coach tour of the lake and spend time in the interesting visitor centre, with its exhibitions, shop and café, before making our way back to our hotel for dinner.
Day 3: Today we have the opportunity to either visit the historic town of Alnwick or Holy Island and Bamburgh. We will drop off in Alnwick, home of Alnwick Castle & Alnwick Gardens, and then continue on to Holy Island and Bamburgh with the remainder of the party.
On leaving our hotel we head northward to Northumberland’s medieval town of Alnwick, with its cobbled streets and traditional shops and pubs. The centrepiece is Alnwick Castle, reputedly one of the finest in England. Often referred to as the “Windsor of the North”, Alnwick is also home of the multi-award-winning Alnwick Garden, a fabulous attraction and the inspiration of the Duchess of Northumberland. The twelve acres of meandering and magnificent gardens have developed and grown into, “a Garden for everyone”, featuring the largest collection of European plants in the UK, the largest Japanese Cherry Orchard in the World, a Grand Cascade, comprising 120 water jets, and the world’s largest Treehouse Restaurant.
We drop off those who wish to visit Alnwick, and then continue onto the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, birthplace of Christianity in Northumbria, accessible only at low tide via a causeway. Time to explore this unique settlement, with its castle, priory, harbour, and other attractions, before we visit Bamburgh, a coastal resort, former home to heroin Grace Darling, boasting award-winning beaches, an imposing castle and views across to the Farne Islands. Either explore the village or visit the magnificent castle, used in the filming of the latest Indiana Jones movie, before we return to our hotel for dinner, picking up in Alnwick en-route.
Day 4: Following breakfast today, we visit “Britain's original smart home” which sits at the heart of incredible designer gardens. The National Trust’s Cragside House and Gardens, known as “a wonder of its age”, was the first house in the world to be lit by hydro-electricity. Powered by hydraulics, this pioneering home, surrounding by a fantasy mountain landscape of man-made lakes, tumbling waterfalls and swathes of rhododendron, is filled with amazing Victorian gadgets designed for efficient modern living. Cragside was the home of inventor and arms manufacturer, William Armstrong, and his wife Margaret, who between them created this unique estate. Ample time to marvel at this truly unique property, before we return to our hotel across the scenic Northumberland National Park and alongside Hadrian’s Wall.
Day 5: We depart after breakfast, and commence our return journey. Our visit today is to the university city of Durham, beautifully situated in a loop of the River Wear, with its winding cobbled streets and iconic cathedral, dominating its magnificent skyline. After time to explore, we make our way home, with comfort stops en-route.
Includes: 4 nights half-board (dinner, bed & breakfast) in en-suite bedrooms, ground floor rooms, lift, leisure facilities. 3 excursions & visits to places of interest en-route. Admission to Cragside House & Gardens is extra (National Trust Members are FREE). Visits to Alnwick Castle, Alnwick Garden and Bamburgh Castle are optional and admissions are extra. Payments to these venues can be made on-line, by telephone or in person on the day.
Cost per person sharing a Double or Twin Room: £649 Supplement for Single Occupancy of a Double/Twin room: £96 (10 max)
Deposit: £65 per person, balance due 8 weeks prior to travel |