Delightful market town with no crowds hailed as ‘perfect for a staycation’

This small market town in Northumberland might look simple at first, but it’s full of historic landmarks and lovely countryside views, giving visitors a taste of Roman times.

Picking the right place for a UK break can be tough, especially with so many people heading to the usual busy spots.

But if you’d rather avoid packed places like the Cotswolds or Cornwall and enjoy some peace and quiet, Northumberland could be just the place.

One quiet town in Northumberland has recently been picked as a great staycation spot by the travel blog The Crazy Tourist.

Image credit: Photo © Paul Buckingham (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Only 25 miles from Newcastle, the town welcomes about 120,000 visitors a year, and it’s packed with history and surrounded by beautiful scenery.

Set between Northumberland National Park and the North Pennines, the area has loads of countryside to explore. There are also lovely parks like the Sele, Hexham House grounds and the abbey gardens.

No trip to Hexham would be complete without seeing the famous Hexham Abbey. It was first built in 674AD using stones from old Roman buildings, then rebuilt in the 1200s.

Today, Hexham Abbey still shows signs of its Roman past, including pagan carvings, and much of its old medieval Priory has been carefully restored. It’s one of the earliest Christian sites in England.

Image credit: Photo © Kenneth Allen (cc-by-sa/2.0)

If you love history, you’ll be excited to know that Hadrian’s Wall is just a short drive away. It stretches 73 miles across the country and once marked the edge of the Roman Empire.

The wall was built in 122AD on orders from Emperor Hadrian and was guarded by Roman soldiers. Now, you can walk along the Hadrian’s Wall Path, where those soldiers once marched.

There are plenty of great walking trails along the wall, crossing some of the most scenic parts of northern England. One popular choice is the Birdoswald Roman trail, which follows the River Irthing past the longest unbroken part of the wall.

Remember - LeaveNoTrace!

As with anywhere outdoors, kindly keep these areas pristine and wild by taking all trash with you. The amount of complaints we have seen since the pandemic is crazy. It's really not that hard to take your rubbish with you!

Litter tends to spread, so if you see any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the hidden gem, it will help keep the area tidy.

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