Northumberland is a true northern star

Wild, beautiful and steeped in history, Northumberland has it all.

It’s England’s northernmost county, tucked away above Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough.

The location can make Northumberland a little bit of a forgotten corner of the nation’s tourism map. But being right on the border, it’s the handiest of places for Scots to take a break.

At nearly 2,000 square miles and stretching from the Borders to Hadrian’s Wall, it can be hard to know where to start.

But having become hooked on the area over the past few years, I’ve discovered some of this wild and beautiful gem’s must sees and dos.

Here’s a handy guide. To experience the beaches and coast, there’s no better place than Alnmouth.

Turn left at the end of the picturesque little high street and take the path just beside the first tee at the local golf club, the oldest nine-hole municipal course in England.

When the tide’s out, boy does it go out, leaving the estuary to your right walkable and the little boats marooned.

You’ll always find company with plenty of dog walkers and we’ve found it’s a great place for stone skimming and kite flying. There are a few nice tearooms and restaurants and I’d recommend the Red Lion.

“Arrive a stranger, leave a friend” says the sign over the bar and we’ve found it very true.

If the weather’s OK there’s a decked terrace at the far end of the beer garden giving great views over the estuary.

There’s a real sense of unchanging times in Alnmouth and it’s always great to be back. But if you want an alternative beach and pub then Low Newton’s the place to head for.

It’s the start point for a great coastal walk and the beach is a beauty.

So is the pub, the Ship Inn, which faced an uncertain future until Christine Forsyth was looking for a fresh challenge in life, having never run a pub. Now it’s thriving and has a fantastic range of beers from their own brewery.

A few miles away is Alnwick, which has one of a fab four group of castles I’d highly recommend.

Probably the most famous in the county, it’s familiar the world over as one of the main locations for Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films.

While there are historical tours, the regular Potter ones are among the most popular and rightly so, as they are great fun.

The cosmopolitan appeal is evident from the multicultural tour group although I’m not sure the eager American guy really had to shamelessly beat the kids to the answers.

The youngsters will also love the Dragon Quest attraction, which, trust me, can give adults a bit of a scare, too.

The castle is still home to the Percy family and the wedding dress and coach of Lady Melissa, who was married in front of Princes William and Harry last year, are on display.

Warkworth castle, another of the Percy’s castles, is also worth a look with the splendid keep, or tower, a real marvel. Third up is Chillingham, with the bloody torture dungeon enough to send chills down any spine.

So too are the wild cattle. Standing exposed in the field with a guide telling you of their deadly nature while keeping you moving cautiously away from them really gets the pulse racing.

Finally, Bamburgh Castle with fantastic views directly over the Farne Islands. It was from there that Grace Darling staged her amazing rescue of survivors of the Dundee-bound SS Forfarshire in 1838.

Nearly 200 years on, the tale is still remarkable, all the more so when you see her actual coble boat at the RNLI museum in Bamburgh.

It’s huge, heavy and it’s hard to imagine how a slip of a girl could have kept it off the jagged rocks in those storm-tossed waters.

Bamburgh castle was actually saved from ruin by famous 19th Century engineering pioneer Lord Armstrong.

And no visit to Northumberland would be complete without seeing his amazing home at Cragside, now run by the National Trust.

It was the first house in the world lit by electricity and that’s just one of the many claims to fame of the forward-thinking industrialist.

More info on all of the attractions at northumberland.com. There’s lovely, handily-placed accommodation at the Bamburgh Castle Inn in Seahouses. Winter breaks are on offer at £49.95 for dinner, bed and breakfast. bamburghcastlehotel.co.uk.