Dukes Of Hazard
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday August 30, 2003
The English border country's bloody past seems far removed from today's landscape of romantic castles and inspiring views, writes Steve Meacham.
On the banks of Kielder Water, the largest man-made lake in Europe, there's a sign commemorating what is said to be the first international soccer match ever played, back in 1790. The game was the idea of the Duke of Northumberland and his Scottish counterpart, the Duke of Buccleugh, who found their neighbouring moors, either side of the border, devoid of grouse. Why not get their beaters and gun-bearers to play a friendly match, showing that the feuds which had bedevilled the border lands for centuries were well and truly a thing of the past?
The sign indicates the match was only a partial success. The game, which had few rules and no limit to the numbers on each side, began well enough after breakfast, with a break for lunch. By the time it ended, just before sunset, the English had won by two goals to nil.
However, eight players were killed with several more dying of their wounds in subsequent days. The Duke of Northumberland sacked his head gamekeeper - though it is not clear whether he was held to account for the loss of life or the absence of grouse.
Fortunately, these days the lands that straddle the official England-Scotland divide are a good deal calmer than they used to be. Yet those ancient animosities are what make Northumberland one of the most picturesque counties to visit in Britain: romantic castles, elegant country houses, the poetic remains of saintly monasteries; terrible battlefields, probably the most famous wall outside China - the 117-kilometre-long defensive structure built on the orders of the Roman emperor Hadrian. Oh, yes, and some of the most inspiring landscape and unspoilt beaches in Europe.
Few Australians visit Northumberland. It's a five-hour motorway trek north of London (or three hours on the train) and its scenic delights are less well known than those of, say, the Cotswolds, the Lake District or the West Country. Yet it's well worth including on your agenda, particularly for anyone heading to Scotland.
The traditional gateway to Northumberland, though no longer administratively part of the county, is Newcastle upon Tyne. Once a grimy coal, steel and shipbuilding city, an engine room of the British empire, Noo-Kass-El (as its pronounced by the Geordies who live there) endured a slow, painful decline throughout the 20th century, culminating in the bleak years under Margaret Thatcher when it had one of the highest unemployment rates in western Europe.
But now Newcastle has undergone a stunning resurrection and is widely regarded as possibly the funkiest, most energetic British city outside London. The fog has lifted from the Tyne. Grey Street, with its lively Theatre Royal and handsome columned buildings, is one of the great treasures of Georgian architecture, the rival of anything in Bath. It descends steeply down to the revitalised riverside warehouses, now converted into wine bars, nightclubs and fancy restaurants.
There is a new bridge among the historic ones that have long been the most recognisable symbol of the city - the pedestrianised Millennium Bridge was unveiled in 2000, linking the city to the new Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art on the Gateshead side. Other museums in the city include the Hancock national history museum, Newcastle Discovery, the Laing art gallery and, a short drive south, the award-winning Beamish open-air museum, which has recreated many aspects of traditional northern life.
But lively though Newcastle is, you'll want to head out to the countryside. Near-empty roads and sweeping vistas make the county one of the most enjoyable motoring destinations in England. From Newcastle it's a 20-kilometre drive to the quaint market town of Morpeth and a further 30 kilometres to Alnwick, ancestral home since 1309 of the Percy family, who later became the dukes of Northumberland, among the most powerful families of Europe.
Alnwick Castle, now open to the public, dates from Norman times, though the medieval interiors were transformed into a Renaissance-style palace in the 19th century. Treasures include paintings by Canaletto, Titian, Van Dyck and Andrea del Sarto, but it's the imposing fortress itself, and the superb grounds laid out by the famous landscape gardener Capability Brown (a local man), that remain in the memory.
From Alnwick, head north-east to the coast, stopping at Seahouses, a fishing port known for producing what are arguably the best smoked kippers in Britain. Seahouses is also the departure point for those heading out by boat to the National Trust-owned Farne Islands, a group of lonely rocky outcrops that were once important ecclesiastical retreats but are now highly regarded as birdwatching reserves.
If you stay on the mainland, the road north will take you to Bamburgh Castle. Moviegoers might recognise it; the imposing castle has been used innumerable times as the backdrop for historical romances and sagas, including Roman Polanski's version of Macbeth. The castle is among the most visually striking in Britain, perched high on cliffs over a windswept beach. There's been a military fortress on the site since the iron age, and it has been fought over by Anglians, Vikings, Normans, Scots and English. However, those who venture inside may be a little disappointed; the castle was restored by the wealthy Victorian industrialist Lord Armstrong and the state rooms, once used to crown the kings of Northumbria, are distinctly 19th century.
Even more magical, and one of the most beautiful heritage sites in Britain, is Lindisfarne, better known these days as Holy Island, a title it has enjoyed since the 11th century. Holy Island is cut off from the mainland twice a day at high tide but can be reached by a sweeping causeway at low tide. Be sure to check tide times at a tourist office before you visit: it's easy to have one drink too many in one of the island pubs and find yourself cut off for the night!
The island earned its name during the Dark Ages when it was one of Europe's main centres of Christian learning under St Aidan (who was given the island by Oswald, King of Northumbria, in 635) and his successor, St Cuthbert. The remains of Lindisfarne priory are still visible, but the most obvious landmark is the fairytale castle, restored by the great imperial architect Edwin Lutyens in 1902.
Try to spend a few hours on Holy Island, especially if the weather is good. There are some beautiful walks across the sand dunes, and it really is one of those special places that inspires a sense of spirituality in even the most jaded traveller. When you've tired yourself out, cram into one of the pubs for some locally caught crab washed down, if you're a lover of great beers, with a potent bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale.
Still further north, indeed the most northerly place in England, lies the lovely market town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, unique in Britain. Until 1174, Berwick was part of Scotland until William the Lion was forced to surrender it to his English enemies. Thereafter it swapped hands no fewer than 11 times, eventually becoming an independent state within England in 1502. It officially became part of Northumberland in 1974 - and yet, as every British soccer fan knows, the town's soccer team, Berwick Rangers, plays in the Scottish, not the English, league.
Berwick makes a great overnight stop. There's much to see, including the medieval ramparts. But the peaceful Tweed - classed as a Scottish river - is the main attraction, famous for its salmon and trout.
Inland, the dominant geographical feature is the Cheviot Hills, which effectively divide the Scottish border towns of Coldstream, Kelso and Jedburgh from the English farming villages south of the border. These days, much of this wild upland region is taken up by Kielder Water - a 14-kilometre-long lake created after a dam was finished in 1982 - and the surrounding Kielder Forest, the largest wooded area in Britain. The huge recreational park, centred on an 18th-century shooting box used by the Duke of Northumberland, has everything the outdoor enthusiast could wish for: great walks, cycling tracks, windsurfing, fishing, sailing and orienteering.
South of Kielder lies one human achievement no visitor to Northumberland should miss: Hadrian's Wall, justifiably a World Heritage site. Built from the mouth of the Tyne to the Solway Firth in the west, the wall was ordered by Hadrian when he visited Britain in 122 to separate the civilised world from the land of the "barbarians". Once the Romans abandoned Britain in the fifth century, their wall fell into disuse. Yet it is remarkable just how much of the wall, and the 12 forts along its 120-kilometre length, remain intact. There are many good viewing spots along the wall, but the most popular (likely to be crowded in summer) is the stretch near the extensive fort at Housesteads, which contains an excellent museum.
Take time to walk westwards to milecastle 37. On a clear day, the views are wonderful. And it makes an ideal spot to sit down and contemplate the scenic glories and remarkable heritage that makes Northumberland such a special corner of England.
DESTINATION NORTHUMBERLAND
WHEN TO GO
April to October are the best months, but be prepared for chilly nights.
HOW TO GET THERE
Trains run regularly from London's Kings Cross station to Newcastle, with connections to Morpeth and Berwick upon Tweed. Allow three hours for the journey. By car from London, the best route is the historic A1. Allow five to six hours. There are also fast buses which run from Victoria Coach Station.
MORE INFO
VisitBritain, Level 2, 15 Blue Street, North Sydney, NSW 2060.
Phone 1300 85 85 89, www.visitbritain.com
© 2003 Sydney Morning Herald