Alnwick

One of Alnwick’s most stunning attractions is Alnwick Garden. This exciting venue features the Grand Cascade as its centrepiece, creating a series of spellbinding water displays. The Rose and Ornamental Gardens mix European garden design and superb planting but that’s just the beginning. Attractions include the incredible Tree House (at 6,000sq feet, one of the largest in the world), the Labyrinth, the Serpent Garden and the Poison Garden where a mix of the unique and beautiful create an enchanted landscape where the imagination runs riot and the senses are stirred. Another of the area’s famous landmarks is Alnwick Castle, the film location for Harry Potter’s Hogwarts School in the first two films and the Cate Blanchett film ‘Elizabeth’. This incredible medieval building now houses world class restaurant The Sanctuary which has established itself as ‘the’ place for a unique dining experience. Northumberland is famed for its castles and as well as Alnwick Castle there are four others located nearby. As well as all this regal activity there’s the fascinating Bailiffgate Museum and the legendary Barter Books, described by the New Statesman as ‘The British Library of second-hand bookshops’. There’s so much going on in and around Alnwick you may need a sabbatical rather than a day trip.