HOSTELS IN NORTH ENGLAND -- NORTHUMBERLAND, NEWCASTLE, DURHAM

The northern Pennines is a near wilderness area with stretches of empty moorland mixed with pleasant wooded valleys with hostels. Northumberland is spacious and breezy with distant views and good for cycling, and a variety of hostels. Hadrian's Wall (Roman wall) runs through and has several hostels close by. Off the uncrowded coast is Lindisfarne (Holy Island) and the Farne Islands for bird life. There are several bunkhouses in the area.

• Hadrian's Wall Walk along a historical legend amid widespread views.
• Pennine Way Long-distance footpath -- or do just a bit of it with clean air and cosy hostels.
• Kielder Lake and Forest Manmade, but fine scenery and lots of water activities.
• Northumbrian CoastNot for swimming, but wonderful scenery, beaches, birds, castles, and Lindisfarne with Christian history.
• North Pennines Wild moorlands, secluded valleys, mining history.
• Vale of Eden Soft friendly scenery, delightful villages.
• Driving England to Scotland Soft friendly scenery, delightful villages.

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NORTHUMBRIA

This section describes the counties of Northumberland, Durham and part of Cumbria. Although not the most sought-out part of England, this region has its own unique atmosphere that makes it well worth a brief visit. If you have only an hour or two, drive through the Vale of Eden and look at the villages and small towns. Or, if you are following the eastern route through Northumberland, stop and have a walk in Redesdale Forest. If you have more time, go a slower route and enjoy the peaceful forest and lakeshore around the artificial Kielder Water. There is a new hostel here, so this is a delightful place to spend a night. Or stay at Byrness hostel, well placed for bus and car travellers. If you have days available and are a keen walker, walk the Pennine Way or part of it and get thoroughly familiar with some wild country.

If driving between England and Scotland, don't just rush from London to Edinburgh, but deviate a bit and, if possible, spend a night somewhere in this area. The locals are very friendly and always keen to help you (whether you need it or not!), but you will find the local dialect hard to understand; it has an intonation quite unlike any other dialect of English.

• NewcastleChief city.
• Durham Fine castle and cathedral above river.
• Northumberland Hadrian's Wall, open views, bracing coast.
• The North Pennines Wild and empty.
• Vale of Eden Cosy lanes and friendly villages.

Newcastle-on-Tyne

is the chief city in this area, an impressive workaday city but not a scenic destination, populated by a boisterous good-hearted people with an accent quite different from any other in Britain. It has 2 hostels:

Durham

Durham is a small city with just a few items of interest, but these are outstanding. A great cathedral and a castle, both standing on a tall crag, with a fine walk around the loop of the river. The University is one of the oldest in England. If you have a rail pass, or if you are driving up the eastern side of Britain, it is an essential stop. It has no hostel, but the University has dorm beds available in the summer.

Northumberland

Northumberland is a county of wide spaces and open long-distance views. Weather is usually cool and breezy but much drier than the Lake District, and if you walk you will really feel a breath of fresh air. This is ideal country for motoring and energetic cycling (the energy is needed against the wind and hills!)

North Northumberland

Berwick-on-Tweed is a delightful little town on the main route from London to Edinburgh (frequent trains and buses) and an ideal place to visit for an afternoon. You can walk round the old walls for good views of the town, sea and countryside. If you have time, stop overnight at the pleasant little hostel:

The Pennine Way

The Pennine Way, Britain's most famous long-distance footpath, runs through Northumberland. You don't have to walk the whole Way to enjoy the rugged countryside and spacious views -- just stay in one of the hostels on the route for a couple of nights. There are several small self-catering hostels along the Pennine Way.

At the extreme northern end of the Way, just over the border in Scotland, is Kirk Yetholm hostel.

Moving south you come to the village of Bellingham (pronounced BELLIN- jum)(hourly buses from Hexham) which is pleasant and well-placed for walkers, cyclists and car tourers. It has a pleasant 1 to 2 hour local walk along a wooded valley with waterfalls. It has no takeaway food shops. It has a high-quality bunkhouse on a working farm:

Beside the Pennine Way in delectable countryside, 3 km from nearest main road (hourly buses from Bellingham and Hexham) along narrow road and rough track with 4 gates, with lots of local walks in the adjacent wide open countryside, is a beautifully-located small bunkhouse:

Kielder

If you are driving to Scotland, a very attractive route is by Europe's largest artificial lake, Kielder Water. There are lots of outdoor activiites here as well as cycling and walking. You can get here by bus (about 1 per day) from Bellingham, but no long-distance buses come this way. Halfway along the lake is a resort centre with fine views which includes a bunkhouse:

At the head of the lake is Kielder village with a well-appointed YHA hostel:

Hadrian's Wall

This is one of the star attractions of Northumberland. The interesting bits of the wall are well scattered, so plan your tour carefully. A good base is Hexham, which you can get to by train from Carlisle and Newcastle (hourly including Sundays), with a hostel 2 miles away at Acomb. If you want to visit the Wall by public transport, there's a leaflet (from any local hostel or phone 01434-322002). The total bus network is good, but some run only in summer. There's a 3-day bus rover ticket for £8. If you want to visit the Wall within a day, take a tour from Newcastle or Carlisle.

You can walk the length of the Wall or just visit parts of it. There are several available hostels, most of them on the bus route. Here they are from west to east.

The following hostel is 3 km from the Wall so a fair walk, but ideal if you want a base in this area far from roads amid unspoilt countryside.

Hadrian's Lodge 2 miles from the Wall and 2 miles from Haydon Bridge used to be a bunkhouse but is now a more luxury B&B. They do have a bunkroom but with no self-catering and priced higher than most hostels.

Northumberland Coastline

Northumberland has a lovely coastline with unspoilt beaches, better for brisk walks than sunbathing or swimming. Lindisfarne and the Farne Islands are a popular destination, and there is an impressive castle at Bamburgh. Near this section of coast you have a choice of 3 bunkhouses:

Near Beadnell is a bunkhouse almost on the beach, easily reached by 5 buses a day from Newcastle, 3 from Berwick:

A few miles inland, good for car travellers, 2 trains/day or transport from Alnwick:

In the village of Belford (5 buses per day from Newcastle & Berwick, also eve and Sun) is a bunkhouse where you can join in climbing, walking or beach activities daily or get transport to the beach:

The North Pennines

This area is the nearest thing to wilderness that England can manage -- miles of remote rather austere moorland with little habitation. The Pennine Way passes through, and there's lots of scope for long- distance hikes with not too much up-and-down, sweeping views, and you will meet few people. The terrain is highly exposed and weather conditions can be harsh, though the hostels are comfortably protected in little valleys. Bus access is pretty poor. A fine cross-country cycle route also passes through the area.

Alston is a fascinating small town, the highest and remotest in England. Nenthead 10 km away has a mining heritage centre. Both these places have 2 buses a day from Carlisle and 1 from Haltwhistle (no buses Sundays).

Alston's YHA hostel has closed. There may be another hostel called Compasst, while Nenthead has two simple bunkhouses, one in the mining centre and one attached to the pub.

Ninebanks hostel is a quiet retreat in a moorland valley, with no nearby pub and no adequate bus service, but with excellent secluded walking.

There are 4 buses a day (not Sundays) from Durham via Consett to Edmundbyers.

The Vale of Eden

In marked contrast to the moorland, this is a comfortable verdant vale with a soft climate, woods and pastureland, and some lovely villages built of warm red sandstone. This is ideal cycling country, and if you drive be sure to take your time. The scenic Settle-Carlisle railway (5 trains per day incl Sundays) gives the best access, with stations within walking distance of the following 3 hostels. Penrith is on the main rail line from London to Glasgow with frequent trains, and also has 2 express buses a day. There are 4 buses a day from Penrith to Kirkby Stephen.

Dufton is a tiny village from which there is a fine day's walk across the Pennines to Teesdale.

Kirkby Stephen is a delightful little town with many interesting corners. It has a hostel (the former Methodist Chapel at the top of the main street) which is very sociable, although the guests are mostly serious walkers busy planning their next day's route along the Pennine Way or Coast-to-Coast. There are several buses a day in several directions. This is also a base for walks on the Howgill Fells 6 km away, with moderate but rewarding hikes along valleys and ridges empty of people.

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