Northumberland today is one of the most prosperous farming areas in the British Isles, but its aspect was not always quite so peaceful and settled. This is ‘Border country’ and was a lawless and dangerous region where Scottish and English armies went to war against each other frequently and local lords fought each other constantly for 300 years. Evidence of this turbulent past is to be seen everywhere and is indeed one of Northumberland’s great attractions for visitors. Great castles such as Bamburgh and Alnwick, ruined fortresses, fortified priories and village houses with 8-foot thick walls clustered about a strongly built tower are examples of this need for protection and defence.
It was on Holy Island off the coast of Northumberland that Christianity flourished when monks from Iona were sent to convert the English. It is now home to Lindisfarne Castle, separated from the mainland by a causeway which can be crossed at low tide.
Moorlands and dales, fells and gorges, rivers and a coastline where rocky cliffs alternate with sand dunes and beaches form a landscape that is very attractive to walkers, climbers and anglers. Visitors to Northumberland discover a great sense of space, an underlying wildness, and a strong sense of history.