All sweetness and light in Northumberland

GLORIOUS views, fascinating history and tasty food. It’s not a bad combination and thanks to the accommodating people at Northumberland Tourism we had a long weekend in which to sample all three.

GRAND: St Mary's Inn, Stannington

We began at St Mary’s Inn, in Stannington, off the A1 near Morpeth, a pub and B&B on the site of a former psychiatric hospital which closed in 1996. While outside saw us surrounded by hundreds of new homes being constructed in the nearby village – inside was a revelation. Local art adorns the walls and the pub has a light and airy, spacious feel. Sitting down to eat I chose the langoustines and my partner Helen the pie. Much of the food is locally sourced and was beautifully presented. Afterwards we had a tour from the manager, Victor Castro, who showed us the individually styled bedrooms upstairs.

Victor, a nice chap who settled in the UK 20 years ago, marrying a County Durham lass, brushed off my slip when I asked how he ended up here from Cuba. He is in fact from Chile, but either way it’s still a long way from rural Northumberland.

Running late, we headed for our next destination, Cragside, the home of Victorian engineer Lord William Armstrong. This historic house, surrounded by gardens, lakes and woodland, was the first in the world to be lit by hydro-electricity. Armstrong was known for his ability to innovate and went out of his way to make life easier for his staff installing a lift from the scullery up to the main living room along with gadgets such as an early dishwasher. The attention to detail is such that it’s easy to imagine yourself in the shoes of a 14-year-old scullery maid or indeed the Prince and Princess of Wales who once enjoyed a stay in its Owl Suite, complete with sunken bath.

LIGHT: Stained glass windows at Cragside

Whizzing around the house before it closed, we had the knowledgeable guides locking up behind us. As well as the house, there is a six mile long estate drive at Cragside, 40 miles of signposted footpaths and plenty of fun options if you have kids.

We were staying at the Lindisfarne Inn, at the end of the causeway to Holy Island and handily placed for the coast. The motel style rooms were modern and clean, although the lack of a wi-fi signal was disappointing. We ate in the cosy restaurant and caught the end of a 4-0 victory for England in a game we watched in the lounge, sending us to bed in high – if somewhat tired – spirits.

Catching a bus from outside the hotel the next morning, we explored on foot the walled border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed.

RIVER: The railway viaduct crossing the River Tweed at Berwick

Berwick was captured for the English by Richard, Duke of Gloucester (remember him?) in 1492 and has remained in English hands ever since, but has a resolutely Scottish feel. For example the mixed grill in the town’s Leaping Salmon pub came with haggis and whisky sauce, even if it was overheard being ordered by an Englishman.

Our itinerary included a visit to Chain Bridge Honey Farm, five miles outside the town. The bees weren’t doing much buzzing – it being the wrong time of year – but we bought some honey and had a mooch around the shop. The family-run farm, which has free admission, was turned into a commercial enterprise by founder William Robson in the 1950s and now has 20 staff, supplying 400 retailers in the UK with honey from its 1,500 hives.

At this stage we were slightly underwhelmed, but the home-made sandwiches and cake in the farm’s double decker ‘café bus’ perked up our spirits as did the sweetly delicious honey ice cream. An unexpected treasure trove was the farm’s tractor shed which houses a cornucopia of vintage items from groceries, ration books, army uniforms, old bikes and television and radio sets.

VINTAGE: An old fashioned typewriter, part of the collection at Chain Bridge Honey Farm

Before being kindly dropped off back in Berwick by our hosts, we walked the short distance into Scotland via the nearby Union Chain Bridge, the oldest surviving iron suspension bridge in Europe. Designed by Captain Samuel Brown, it includes a flexible chain link design developed from ships’ rigging blocks.

When the bridge opened in 1820 it eliminated a journey of several miles and Capt Brown demonstrated its strength by driving across in an open top carriage followed by 12 loaded carts and 600 excited locals. While the bridge is little known, there are plans afoot by a local community group to celebrate its upcoming bicentenary.

Day three in Northumberland saw us visit the ‘King of Castles’ – the stunning looking Bamburgh Castle – before a late lunch at the Joiners Arms, a luxury five star inn in Newton-by-the-Sea. I got my teeth into ‘The Biggest Fish the Boat Could Land’, a huge battered fish with lovely crisp batter, chunky chips and mushy peas served on newspaper. Helen’s vegetarian lentil roast came in big portions also and was equally tasty, she said.

Suitably satisfied, we hit the road back home, reflecting on a few days well spent in England’s northern-most county.

FACTFILE For information about things to do in Northumberland go to www.visitnorthumberland.co.uk B&B stays at the Lindisfarne Inn cost from £85 per night for a double room. For more details visit www.lindisfarneinn.co.uk