Northumberland Villages and History

Burnfoot and Northumberland

Northumberland, if you haven't visited before, you are in for a surprise. It is a County made up of two Small Towns, Rothbury and Alnwick and many smaller villages set about 4-6 miles apart, each individual with many of the crafts and traditions practised for centuries, still being carried on. Vast tracts of land are still owned by the Percy Family of Alnwick Castle and the Cragside Estate of Lord William Armstrong, now run by the National Trust.

Leaving the A1 onto the A697, you will see the occasional house or Garden Centre before reaching the first Village of Longhorsley, orginally Roman. Most of the inhabitants of Northumberland from here, live either side of this old Roman Road.

Turning left onto the B6344, again, you will see the occasional house until reaching the Town of Rothbury and is made up of The main street, lined with shops, Guest Houses and Hotels. It may be small, but the array and variety of the shops is really incredible. Shoes, Clothes, Fishing, Crystal, Antiques, Food and Speciality Food, award winning butchers, quaint cafes and Tea Rooms. It is a busy place with many visitors, especially day trippers, who enjoy the shopping or sitting and walking along the river, which has a park and picnic area. Here too, the new 18 hole Rothbury Golf Course

Cragside House sits above Rothbury in its' magnificent Grounds on the B6341 and stretches back to reach the A697.

Leaving Rothbury, we reach the Village of Thropton, sitting on the edge of the Caistron Nature Reserve and Trout Fishing Lake. Overlooked by the Simonside Hills. the River Coquet running by, the scenery is stunning.

Turning right at the Cross Keys pub, if continuing up this road, we reach the Hamlets of Lorbottle, a rural farming community, Calally and Cartington leading to the old Roman Town of Whittingham and the A697.

Turning left at the T junction from the turn at the Cross Keys, leads to the now small Village of Snitter, that once had a Castle and famous Cock fighting pub, The Half Moon, of which there is now no evidence.

Continuing up this road leads to the Steads of Trewitt and the Hall, originally built in 1805, then purchased by Lord Armstrong, updated and used as a Shooting Lodge.

Continuing down Robert's Law, we now reach Netherton Burnfoot, again purchased by Lord Armstrong, who introduced the double vortex turbine to run the Farm and constructed Fish Pass. Here he built a pond to hold the water to power the turbine and created a haven for flora and fauna and a host of wildlife. The Farm buildings are now being converted into Holiday Cottages and here, in this beautiful Valley sits Burnfoot House with wonderful views of the Cheviot and Simonside Hills. The small woods and fields have an abundance of birds including the Heron, who sit on the bank of the Burns, hopefully to catch the fish which travel up to the Pass to spawn. A small herd of deer have made their home here as have a family of Badgers. Foxes are often seen but are usually most unwelcome, due to their wholesale slaughter of Pheasant and other small animals. Here too, we have domestic animals and horses. Riding and Racing stables are found locally including Burnfoot.

Nearby is the Village of Netherton, with the Star Inn, famous for its' award winning real ale. The Doomsday Book identified Netherton as one the the 10 towns of Coquetdale, which, to achieve this, had to have 100 houses, there aren't that many now but some of the houses and buildings are over 300 years old.

We now go on to Alwinton, here is the 68 Pennine route, popular with walkers and cyclists alike. Some mediaeval village ruins in the hills surrounding the Village can only be reached by walking or on horseback . Many ancient sites exist around the area of Netherton, Alwinton and Harbottle..The scenery here is breath taking.

Proceeding to Harbottle, on the edge of the Forest, the ruins of Harbottle Castle sit on a hill. Many Battles have taken place here as it was quite strategic for the marauding Scots and many Kings and Queens have, at one time, stayed here. The village itself sports a pub and a church and this area has been classified as an Area of Natural Beauty and they aren't wrong. Continuing on the road into the forest, the road circles back to Thropton, and the road to Otterburn

Rothbury Golf Course

Recommended 'Stay and Play' Accommodation

Have you tried a Boat trip around the Farne Islands,

watch the Seals and other Wildlife.

Vegetarian Menu available

Pets welcome with well behaved Owners

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