Northumberland should be named the best place to visit in the UK every year in a row, as far as we are concerned.
The county knocked nine-times winner Cornwall off the top spot in the for Best UK Holiday County/Destination in the in the 2018 British Travel Awards. In that year, more than 10 million people visited the county, spending more than £1bn.
Here are a few reasons we think Northumberland deserves to win (again):
It’s a stunningly beautiful place
That's the sun coming up over Bamburgh Castle, and it's just one of the county's utterly stunning views.
With unique history
From the Holy Island of Lindisfarne - named by Anglo-Saxons, raided by Vikings, home to renowned works of early Christian illumination - to the stunning Medieval costal castles, Northumberland has thousands of years of heritage which visitors can immerse themselves in.
And some truly ancient monuments
Heard of Hadrian’s Wall? Yeah, that’s up here. At Duddo, there’s even a mysterious 4,000-year-old standing stone circle, our very own Stonehenge.
Our beaches are gorgeous - oh, and quiet
From sweeping Druridge Bay to castle-sheltered Embleton Bay, we’ve plenty of spectacular beaches to choose one.
Head to Blyth for its beachhuts, or Seahouses for that quaint seaside town vibe.
The best bit? Though popular in the summer, the size and number of the beaches means it’s easy to find a peaceful spot.
No wading through the crowds you might find at certain other popular holiday destinations.
And if you do find a crowd, it will probably be a wild one
Northumberland may not be swamped with people, but if you visit the likes of the Farne Islands, you’re bound to see spectacular crowds of seabirds like these gorgeous puffins, as well as seals galore. Take a boat trip and you might spot dolphins playing in the wake.
We’ve literally got Hogwarts here
Alnwick Castle is so magical, filmmakers chose it to represent parts of the wizarding school in Harry Potter and the Philospher’s Stone.
In fact, Northumberland is picturesque and varied enough to have been singled out for filming a huge number of different projects. We’ve hosted big-budget films as varied as Transformers and Michael Fassbender’s Macbeth, as well as TV shows like Vera. So whatever you’re a fan of, we’ve probably got a location you’ll want to visit.
And our skies are officially the best
Europe’s biggest dark sky park? That’s ours too
So good, you might catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights
There aren’t many places in England you’d see something like that
Don’t get us started on the food
The coastal location means all the stunning seafood you’d expect, with local specialities like Craster kippers a must-try.
Or the drink
Northumberland-made Hepple Gin proved good enough for royalty when Prince Charles came to visit last year - and who are we to argue?
There’s plenty to do
Sailing, climbing and mountain biking at Kielder; hiking in the Cheviots; salmon fishing in the pure waters of the Tyne at Hexham; visiting castles, wildlife parks and museums - there’s not much chance of you getting bored.
