Northumberland Holiday Guide 2009
The North Pennines – ‘England’s Last Wilderness’
South of Hexham, the hills of the North Pennines rise steeply
to the 2,000 foot peaks of the spine of England. This corner of
Northumberland was known as ‘The Shire’ long before Tolkien
used the name for Lord of the Rings, and in Hexhamshire there
are four exceptional places to dine.
The first is The Dipton Mill Inn (01434 606 577) which is a
delightful country pub with good food, pretty beer garden and
micro-brewery. The second is The Travellers Rest (01434 673
231), on the B6306 road to the village of Slaley, which is an
historic wayside inn serving superb food in a cosy restaurant
and bar.
The third Hexhamshire destination for fans of fine food is the
Lord Crewe Arms Hotel & Restaurant (01434 675 251) in the
lovely upland village of Blanchland. The village was once an
abbey and The Lord Crewe’s bar is in the old abbey crypt,
whilst the restaurant is in the abbot’s house.
Between The Travellers Rest and Blanchland is Slaley village
and the fourth of our fine food stops: the Victorian shooting
lodge of Slaley Hall (0845 375 2808). This is now one of
the north’s top golf venues. Slaley Hall claims its Claret
Jug restaurant is the best 19
th
hole in the region and with a
menu offering Lindisfarne oysters followed by beef braised in
Newcastle Brown Ale this is no idle boast.
We are now in the very south of Northumberland, close to
the Durham border, and in the village of Hedley-on-the-Hill
near Stocksfield there is The Feathers (01661 843 607) pub-
restaurant with a hatful of awards, including ‘Local Food Pub of
the Year’ awarded by the National Food & Drink Awards 2008
Hexham – Award winning Market Town
and ‘County Dining Pub of the Year’ awarded by The Good Pub
Warden and Acomb lie across the river from Hexham, the
Guide 2009. This pretty pub is a superb example of what the
Medieval capital of Tynedale recently voted ‘best place to
chefs of Northumberland do best: serve outstanding modern
live’ by readers of Country Life magazine. The Beaumont
cooking, made from the finest local ingredients, in superb
Hotel (01434 602 331) has views of the 12
th
century abbey
surroundings - yum!
and has long been a Hexham landmark. The town also has a
pretty little municipal golf course by the river. The Tyne Green
Golf Club (01434 608154) celebrated its centenary in 2008
and welcomes golfing and non-golfing visitors to its club
house carvery.
By contrast Bouchon Bistrot (01434 609 943) is a relative
newcomer to Northumberland gastronomy but with a menu
offering delights such as ‘roasted skate wing with beurre
noisette’, French born chef Greg Bureau has quickly won an
enviable reputation for his authentic bistro cuisine.
Heading east from Hexham, the River Tyne flows past the
picturesque village of Corbridge famous for superb shops,
Roman fort and The Angel Inn (01434 632 119), with delicious
food and a recently refurbished restaurant and rooms.
Wylam – Birthplace of the railways
Beyond Corbridge is the village of Wylam where railway
pioneer George Stephenson was born. On the hillside above
George’s humble cottage, is Close House (01661 852 255) a
four star country house hotel whose Bewicke’s Restaurant is
highly regarded.
www.visitnorthumberland.com 53
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