Northumberland Holiday Guide 2009
drover’s hostelry called The Hollybush Inn (01434 240 391). The an excellent reputation with local diners and provides a perfect
drovers have been replaced by walkers and cyclists exploring stop for visitors exploring the central section of Hadrian’s Wall.
the National Park but the pub has been little altered since the
17
th
Century and serves hearty home cooked food in a cosy West of Wall, The Milecastle Inn (01434 321 372) near
bar and dining room. Haltwhistle is in the heart of the best Roman sites at
Housesteads, Vindolanda, and Walltown Crags and has a
The North Tyne Valley – Northumberland’s best kept secret particular reputation for its speciality homemade pies.
Kielder is the source of the river North Tyne which flows south
to join the main Tyne at Hexham. Along the way there are
East of Wall there is a well preserved section of the Roman
Medieval castles, Saxon churches and cosy pubs offering
earthworks called the ‘vallum’ near the village of Matfen and
traditional food and a warm welcome.
Matfen Hall Hotel (01661 886 500). This elegant neo-gothic
country house has two AA rosettes for the Library & Print
The Barrasford Arms (01434 681 237) is a fabulous country
Room restaurant.
pub-restaurant run by award winning chef Tony Binks whose
The neighbouring village of Great Whittington offers The
food philosophy sums up the Northumbrian attitude to food:
Queen’s Head (01434 672 267) to tempt serious foodies.
taste is more important than frills. Though he has only run his
Whether you’re a connoisseur of traditional fish & chips or
pub for two years, it has already been named ‘Destination
warm to a hearty game casserole, The Queen’s Head is well
Restaurant of the Year’ and Tony’s mentor, the legendary Albert
worth a detour.
Roux, is a regular visitor.
Beyond Matfen, the best preserved section of Hadrian’s
monument is at Heddon-on-the-Wall and in the neighbouring
village of Horsley there’s a picturesque pub called The Lion
& Lamb (01661 852 952). This early 18
th
century farmhouse
became a coaching inn in 1744 and still refreshes weary travellers
with freshly prepared food and fine cask conditioned ales.
Tyne Valley – Roman forts and medieval castles
Hadrian’s Wall runs along the northern slopes of the Tyne Valley
whilst on the southern side Langley Castle (01434 688 888) is
a beautifully restored medieval castle near Haydon Bridge. The
Josephine Restaurant has an AA Rosette and is named after
the wife of the man who began the restoration in the 1880s.
Langley sits on the A686 road to Alston from Haydon Bridge
and this village boasts The General Havelock Inn (01434
684 376) recently featured in Rick Stein’s ‘Food Heroes’ TV
programme, with superb food, excellent ales and a pleasant
riverside dining room.
Across the river from Barrasford is Wark and the superb
Battlesteads Country Inn & Restaurant (01434 230 209). This
was once a temperance pub but now serves cask ales to
accompany the excellent contemporary-British dishes, made
with locally sourced produce where possible, served in the
recently refurbished restaurant.
The North Tyne and the South Tyne, meet to form the Tyne
between the villages of Acomb and Warden. There’s a pleasant
Hadrian’s Wall – The Roman Empire’s lasting legacy walk from either village to the rivers’ confluence and though
The North Tyne village of Wall is, as the name implies, located there is no bridge across ‘water’s meet’ you can start and end
by a well preserved stretch of Hadrian’s Wall and the village pub at a gorgeous pub: the Sun Inn (01434 602 934) in Acomb or
is, of course, called The Hadrian (01434 602 233). This pub has The Boatside Inn (01434 602 233) in Warden.
52 www.visitnorthumberland.com
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