Fifty miles up from Durham and passing the famous Angel of the North,en route along the great north road.
Not a particularly “ great” drive as there are road widening works for a fair number of miles. However,Alnwick was the first stop and having got to grip with parking arrangements- you have to buy a disc from a local shop for £1.00 and display it on your dashboard .You can keep the disc and parking is free thereafter.
A walkabout and coffee near the market square.
Refreshed and ready for the Gardens and castle – five minute walk away.
The Alnwick Garden is a complex of formal gardens adjacent to Alnwick Castle in the town of Alnwick, Northumberland, England. The gardens have a long history under the dukes of Northumberland, but fell into disrepair until revived at the turn of the 21st century. From The Alnwick Garden:- “”The Alnwick Garden gives pleasure in so many ways to so many people from all walks of life. It has become a contemporary pleasure garden, which brings joy to millions. When I see photographs of it in darkness I feel that I’m watching it sleep, resting in preparation for the people it has to entertain the following day. To me, a garden without people is dead and people have bought The Alnwick Garden to life and restored its soul.” – The Duchess of Northumberland”
This was one example.
Some of the contemporary features .
12 acres of meandering and attractive Gardens are home to the world’s largest Tai Haku Cherry Orchard, a Grand Cascade comprising 120 water jets and the worlds largest Treehouse Restaurant. We were very impressed with the rose collection.
Adjacent is the impressive Alnwick Castle,recently famous for its Harry Potter associations.
History on a grand scale. After the Angel of the North this is known as the Windsor of the North
Alnwick Castle is the second largest inhabited castle in the country and has been home to the Duke of Northumberland’s family, the Percys, for over 700 years.
Combining medieval architecture with Italianate State Rooms, Alnwick Castle is regarded as one of the UK’s most significant heritage destinations.
The Castle’s rich history is brimming with drama, intrigue and extraordinary people; from a gunpowder plotter and visionary collectors, to decadent hosts and medieval England’s most celebrated knight: Harry Hotspur.It is certainly an extraordinary building – a bit too much for me.
Picnic lunch and 9 miles to a coastal contrast – Craster.
The name of picturesque Craster is thought to come from ‘craw ceastere’ referring to some kind of fortified place inhabited by crows or someone called Crow.
A family called the Crasters lived in the area for centuries. Craster is famous for its kippers which are smoked on oak chippings to give them the distinctive Northumbrian flavour. The village is a starting point for the short coastal walk we took to the wonderfully situated Dunstanburgh Castle.
Dunstanburgh Castle
From Craster, a mile long footpath leads to the extensive coastal ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle, which are situated on a Whin Sill outcrop overlooking the sea.
Said to be on the site of a stronghold of the ancient Britons Dunstanburgh was built in 1313 by Thomas, Earl of Lancaster and was extended in the 1380s by John of Gaunt. Although it is a ruin today it occupies the largest site of any castle in the region and has a very romantic location. As a Lancastrian stronghold, the castle played an important role in the Wars of the Roses.
The sad legend of Sir Guy the Seeker.
Sir Guy the Seeker
According to legend, there is a secret cavern hidden beneath the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle in which a beautiful young maiden lies sleeping in a deep spell cast upon her by an evil wizard.
The legend claims that on a wild stormy night, many centuries ago, a young knight by the name of Sir Guy the Seeker was looking for shelter at Dunstanburgh when he was approached by the wizard. With a fierce expression and flaming hair, the wizard terrified Sir Guy, but he meant the knight no harm and instead presented him with a challenge:
“Sir Knight ! Sir Knight !
If your heart be right,
And your nerves be firm and true,
Sir Knight ! Sir Knight a beauty bright
In durance waits for you”
Sir Guy accepted the challenge and asked to be taken to the place where the young girl lay sleeping. The wizard escorted Sir Guy along a dark winding stairway. Sir Guy’s heart started beating fast – was he the victim of a trick?
Could Sir Guy trust the wizard to keep his promise that a young maiden lay sleeping and awaiting a rescuer? He followed the wizard with fear.
And now they go both high and low,
Above and undergound,
And in and out, and about and about,
And round, and round, and round.
Eventually after much walking the stairway finally terminated at a great door which was bolted shut with the aid of a hideous venomous snake. Without fear, the wizard removed the snake from the door which opened to reveal a huge but darkened hall.
At the end of the hall lay the beautiful young maiden as the wizard had promised. She was indeed beautiful as she lay sleeping in a tomb of crystal which was guided on either side by two ugly skeleton figures, the one on the right holding a falchion bright, the one on the left holding a horn.
The wizard explained that the young maiden’s fate depended on whether he should choose the horn or the sword. After considering for much time, Sir Guy finally chose to blow the horn, but his choice proved disastrous, he fell into an immediate sleep and awoke to find himself caught once more in the storms outside Dunstanburgh Castle.
As might be expected Sir Guy was to spend the rest of his life searching for the secret cave where the girl lay sleeping. Alas, it was to no avail, the unhappy knight was to die a remorseful man. The words of the old wizard haunted his mind to the very end:
Shame on the coward who sounded a horn
When he might have unsheathed a sword!
We enjoyed our first,contrasting experiences of Northumberland and would certainly like to return and explore even further north,next time.
ensuitepilgrim's Blog 
Fascinating
Thanks John