Outside Newcastle Upon Tyne Is A Medieval Village Inside A National Park With Historic Sites And Scenic Trails

Northumberland is a county that never ceases to amaze travelers with its many contrasts. You find yourself in the bustling coastal metropolis of Newcastle upon Tyne, partaking in its many highlights, browsing through museums, sightseeing the bridges, and perhaps enjoying the nightlife a drop too much. Craving the green of nature and pastoral settings, you hop in your car and head toward the Scottish border, eventually stumbling upon the village of Elsdon, and decide to stop.

The village lies in a valley, only a 45-minute drive northwest of Newcastle within the borders of Northumberland National Park, the least visited and least populated in England due to its isolated location. However, the park's remoteness works to its advantage for many reasons, allowing it to preserve its fragile nature, relics of history, and even gaining it Dark Sky Park status. In the ninth century, it was the land's remoteness that prompted the monks of Lindisfarne to flee the frequently raided Northumbrian coast and rest in this storied valley that witnessed both Celtic and Roman activity.

Although you find yourself in a remote and sparsely populated park, the village and the land that surrounds it are flush with sights and activities. Elsdon itself is considered the best preserved medieval settlement in the park, brimming over with history. Northumberland National Park offers a plethora of scenic trails, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Hadrian's Wall), and unique wildlife to spot. Stay after dark to take advantage of a beautiful opportunity to stargaze at some of the clearest skies in Europe, weather permitting, from one of the park's many viewing platforms.

Approaching Elsdon from the south, take the road passing Harwood: a rather grim, yet definitely worthwhile spectacle awaits. Like an apparition from centuries past, the Winter's Gibbet stands in an open field. The timber structure is a replica of the original erected there in 1792, a reminder of a grizzly murder and the justice that followed. Because Elsdon sat on the main road to Scotland, the gibbet's placement was a stern warning to would-be criminals.

Elsdon is easily navigable, and you can find parking outside the Bird in Bush, along with accommodation and a meal. The first historic site you'll see is Saint Cuthbert's Church. Although the original church, built in 1080 to allegedly house the saint's relics, no longer stands, the current building dates from the early 14th century. The church is a treasure trove of fascinating artifacts, including a unique Roman tombstone, stained glass windows, and possibly remnants of ancient pagan rituals. 

A stone's throw away, the Elsdon Tower is impossible to miss. This impressively preserved 15th-century structure, also known as a pele, acted both as a residence for the vicars of the neighboring church and as a necessary defense against raiders, with walls 8 feet thick. Considered one of the best-preserved historic buildings in the national park, it has been a private residence since the 1960s; however, visitors are welcome to admire it from the driveway. And although the Norman ruins of Warkworth Castle merit a visit for their grandeur, the earthwork motte-and-bailey Elsdon Castle just up the road holds an absorbing history of the Umfraville family, free of charge and open to the public.

Unless your mind is set on hiking along Hadrian's Wall — definitely one of England's best historical sights — there are many scenic trails on this side of Northumberland National Park. The Elsdon Burn Walk is within arm's reach and will take you on a loop south for 3.5 miles with beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. For a more moderate challenge, the 5.5-mile hike of Elsdon and Hudspeth will offer you an ascent of 750 feet, walking along moorland paths, rolling fields, and a section of the forest. Itching to completely immerse yourself in the expanse of moorlands? The Darden Pike and Lough Trail would be the best choice, according to Komoot's rating, with the trail taking you through just over 4 miles of the Simonside Hills and a vast horizon.

Northumberland National Park deserves special attention, although its isolation is part of its charm. That would be confirmed by the Icelandic whooper swans that winter here, along with the curlew, which make the park their home every spring. You can spot the curlew on the moors, as well as roe deer that inhabit the woodlands. The park's 410 square miles stretch to the Scottish border, leaving enough room both for visitors and wildlife to roam unhindered, far from civilization.

It is exactly due to the lack of human activity and light pollution that Northumberland was designated a Dark Sky Park in 2013, acclaimed by National Geographic to have "some of the most pristine dark skies in Europe." The Kielder Observatory can offer you jaw-dropping celestial scenery after dark, and it's only a 45-minute drive away from Elsdon. Should you decide to visit, the surrounding Kielder Forest is an osprey haven and an idyllic nature escape.