The night in Horsley near Newcastle was a delight, and the Airbnb apartment where we stayed was in an old, Victorian converted barn which offered one of the most comfortable night’s sleep throughout the entire trip.
Our route for Day 6 took us along the eastern coast of Northumberland and eventually into Scotland. We had two nights in Edinburgh awaiting us, but we didn’t want to rush the drive. On my must-see list was Alnwick Castle, private home to the Duke of Northumberland and his family.
The countryside along the drive was nothing short of spectacular.
The approach to Alnwick was breathtaking. I cannot imagine living in an expansive estate such as this.
Guinea fowl! Chuck and I were excited to see these birds because we’d long wondered what guinea fowl actually looked like in person. (Thank you, Great British Baking Show, for making us care so deeply about identifying ground-nesting birds and other ingredients of a game pie.)
Alnwick Castle is home to the scene in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone when the first years learned how to fly on their brooms. Tourists can enjoy the same experience.
We didn’t learn to fly on brooms, but we did practice a little archery.
At every turn, Alnwick was a stunner.
This was the view from atop one of the battlements:
We couldn’t take photos inside the home – cause it’s someone’s HOUSE – but I did see with my OWN EYES the most beautiful library ever, home to 15,000 books. I snagged a photo from the internet, so I didn’t break any rules by sneaking a photo with my own camera.
GOOD GRACIOUS ALMIGHTY.
The library was used in a 2014 Christmas episode of Downton Abbey, and yes, I squealed upon learning this detail.
We took a quick walk through the little town on our way back to the car. (How many photos do I have of my husband from behind?)
We drove north to Bamburgh Castle at the suggestion of Becca and Luke, but by the time we arrived we could only explore the outside. We’d missed the time limit for entr. Boo.
I took this photo with my cell phone from inside the car on our approach to the castle grounds:
Nestled on the seaside, the castle is surrounded on one side by sandy dunes. It is utterly breathtaking!
On the other side of the castle is the tiny town of Bamburgh.
As the sun set, we got back in the car and concluded our time in England. I nursed a little sadness because it felt like time had flown by too quickly. Fortunately, we had four more days together in the UK, and it was finally time to explore Scotland.
If you’re interested, click here to watch my Instastories from England.
Up next: Edinburgh