The Bothy at Ivy Cottage is perfectly sandwiched between the Northumberland National Park/Kielder Forest and the North Pennies AONB – all good reasons to make your base here, while you travel around this wonderful county and some of its neighbours! Below is just a small sample of the many, and varied things to see and do while in Northumberland.
You’ll cut through dramatic countryside with sweeping moors and woodland to arrive in the town.
Things to do around Haltwhistle
- Walks & Trails Haltwhistle – the closest town to The Bothy at Ivy Cottage, and the geographical centre of Britain, is a popular place to stop, especially with walkers and cyclists. The town even hosts its own walking festival, so you can put your best foot forward on a range of walks, including the Haltwhistle Rings – 22 circular walks through historic countryside bordering the town. 2 miles
- Hadrian’s Wall A UNESCO World Heritage site, Hadrian’s Wall was built by Roman soldiers in the 2nd century c. 121AD. This was one of Ancient Rome’s fortified borders, which gave them security against the barbarians at its gate! The recognised National Trail, is 84 mi (135 km) long Hadrian’s Wall Path, that follows (with deviations that mean the trail is longer than the wall) the whole length of the wall from Wallsend to the Solway Firth (or vice versa). The path is relatively easy going for most of its route, with the notable exception of the middle section around Steel Rigg (just 8 miles from the Bothy). Here the path rises and falls steeply as it follows the escarpment. This section is however regarded as the most beautiful.
- A selection of Forts and Milecastles line the wall – the more well-known are:
- Vindolanda (Charitable Trust) A pre-Hadrianic Roman fort from c. 85AD to 370AD, incorporated into Hadrian’s defences when the Wall was built in AD 122. Vindolanda was also the scene of one of the most outstanding archaeological finds in the UK when Dr Robin Birley found the 2,000 year old slivers of wood written on in ink, with requests for food and warm socks from a Roman solider, the first of many significant finds. From spring through to autumn, archaeological excavations are undertaken by a dedicated team of professionals leading an army of volunteers. Their aim is to unravel the mysteries of the Roman occupation and what life was like for their soldiers and communities, and they provide stunning examples of Roman and early British culture. 5.7 miles
- Roman Army Museum Lies surrounded by more magnificent countryside next to a sweeping section of Hadian’s Wall, and based at the site of one of the first Roman Forts – Carvoran. The museum is an authentic and dramatic tribute to Rome’s military legacy in Britain. See first-hand how Roman soldiers lived on the front line of Emperor Hadrian’s British frontier. Explore reconstructions, and objects excavated along the Wall. View the exclusive 3D film ‘Edge of Empire’ which depicts what day-to-day life was like on the wall for the Roman soldier, and the impact of Imperial Rome on its most Northern border. 3 miles
- Housesteads Roman Form The most complete Roman Fort in Britain. You can wander through the remains of the Barrack blocks, the hospital and Commandants House. Admire the stunning, panoramic views from this ancient fortress and explore the interactive museum, showing objects once belonging to Roman soldiers. 7 miles
- Chesters Roman Fort & Museum The most complete Roman Cavalry fort in Britain. A chance to see the well preserved baths, steam rooms and Officers’ quarters. 15 miles
- Walltown Crags, Greenhead (English Heritage) Sits between Bidroswalk Roman Fort and Housesteads and is a good spot to stop between the two and take in, what is arguably the most spectacular bit of Hadrian’s Wall, as it snakes along the Crags of the Whin Sill. 3.5 miles
- The South Tynedale Light Railway You can enjoy a scenic ride through the picturesque South Tyne valley from Alston Station (just a 30 min drive from the Bothy), to Slaggyford, taking you through the beautiful landscape of the North Pennines AONB, in vintage coaches, hauled by vintage steam, buttery electric or diesel locomotives – the North of England’s highest gauge railway. 14 miles
Churches/Priorys/Abbeys
- Lanercost Priory At the gateway to Hadrian’s Wall, a World Heritage Site, the beautiful and now tranquil setting of the 12th century Augustinian Priory belies an often troubled history. 10 miles
- Hexham Abbey Is one of the earliest seats of Christianity in England. Since its beginning (built in 674 to 678), it has witnessed periods of immense turmoil and change both within this region, and within the English Church. A stunning building and a ‘must see’ during your visit to Northumberland. 15 miles
- Durham Cathedral Built in 1096 to house the Shrine of St Cuthbert, it is renowned for its magnificent Romanesque architecture and spectacular location, set grandly next to Durham Castle. The Community of Cuthbert arrived in Durham from Lindisfarne in 995 and built an Anglo-Saxon Cathedral. In 1083 a community of Benedictine Monks was established in Durham, following the Norman conquest. Construction of the Cathedral, as we know it today was started in 1093 by Bishop William of St Calais. 47 miles
Museums
- Beamish “Take a tram ride back in time and experience the sights, sounds and smell of the past” Beamish is a world famous open air, interactive museum, telling the story of life in North East England during the 1820s, 1900s, and the 1940s. 42 miles
Historical Houses
- Wallington (National Trust) Set in 100 acres of rolling parkland, the estate includes a wooded dene (valley), ornamental lakes, lawns, and a recently refurbished walled garden. The original house dates back to 1475 – this is a beautiful and historic family home full of stories, a woodland perfect for walking and play, a walled garden to inspire, and a working estate to explore. 28 miles
- Cragside (National Trust) Enter the world of Lord Armstrong – Victorian inventor, innovator and landscape genius. Discover the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity with its incredible gardens where you can wander round for hours. And if you visit in late April, May or June you will be stunned by the abundant and beautiful Rhododendron and Azaleas throughout the entire Estate. 46 miles
Castles & Fortified Houses
- Alnwick Castle Is one of Britain’s most iconic castles. One of the North East and Northumberland top tourism destinations and home of the Dukes of Northumberland, and of course, Harry Potter! Origins of the Castle date back to the Norman period. Since 1309, it’s been the home of the Percy Family. It is the second largest inhabited castle in the UK and has served as a military outpost, a teaching college, a refuge for evacuees, a film set and not least, as a family home. Travel through history in this living and evolving Castle. 56 miles
- Belsay Hall, Castle & Gardens (National Trust) A 14th-century medieval castle, Belsay breaks all the moulds – part medieval castle, part Grecian Hall, part exotic gardens. You can climb to the top of the 13th century Pele Tower, with its rounded turrets and battlements, once the home of the Middleton family. 38 miles
Cumbria & The Lakes
- From Ivy Cottage, turn left on to the A69 and head for the Lakes – Pooley Bridge – 41 MILES – which is at the northern end of Ullswater and regarded as the gateway to the Lakes is less than an hour fifteen away, with Coniston and Windermere a few miles further on.