Wild walks, big skies and unforgettable days out — woodland trails, riverside rambles, moorland wildlife and some of the darkest night skies in the country, all waiting on the doorstep.
There are some places that make you feel as though you've truly escaped.
Where the roads become quieter, the skies seem bigger and the only sounds are the wind through the trees, birds overhead and your boots crunching along the path.
Northumberland National Park is one of those places.
Square miles of it
Covering more than 400 square miles of some of England's most spectacular countryside, the National Park is a place for adventures of every kind — from gentle family walks and riverside rambles to mountain biking, stargazing, wildlife spotting and exploring ancient history. There is always something new waiting to be discovered.
And the best part?
You don't need to be an experienced adventurer to enjoy it.
Sometimes all you need is a good pair of walking shoes, a sense of curiosity and somewhere delicious to stop afterwards.
Welcome to your next Northumberland adventure.
Explore on foot
One of the best ways to experience Northumberland National Park is simply to start walking.
The landscape here is wonderfully varied. You can wander through peaceful woodland, follow the banks of a river, explore open moorland or climb higher for views that stretch for miles.
For families with younger children, shorter walks can be just as rewarding as a full day in the hills.
Look for trails with things along the way
A few adventures to try
Three corners of the National Park to point the boots at — and roughly who each one suits best.
1
The Coquet Valley
Best for: A relaxed family walk with plenty of excuses to stop
The Coquet Valley is one of the most beautiful parts of Northumberland National Park, with the River Coquet winding through pretty villages and dramatic countryside.
It is a brilliant place for a relaxed family walk, with plenty of opportunities to stop, explore and enjoy the views.
2
Harbottle Woods
Best for: Turning a simple walk into a proper family adventure
With woodland trails, rivers and the dramatic ruins of Harbottle Castle nearby, this is a brilliant place to turn a simple walk into a family adventure.
Children can explore the woodland, look out for wildlife and imagine what life might have been like around the castle hundreds of years ago.
Running Fox tip: ruins are far more interesting when somebody asks the right question. Who lived here? Where did they sleep? Where would you have kept watch from? A castle is a very good story with the walls left in.
3
The Cheviot Hills
Best for: Older children and more experienced walkers
For families with older children and more experienced walkers, the Cheviot Hills offer some of the most spectacular views in Northumberland.
You don't have to climb the highest peak to enjoy the landscape. There are plenty of shorter walks where you can experience the wide open countryside without committing to a full-day hike.
Take your adventure on two wheels
If you prefer exploring on two wheels, Northumberland National Park has plenty of opportunities to get away from busy roads and discover quieter corners of the countryside.
Families can choose gentle cycling routes around villages and valleys, while more confident riders can head towards the hills for longer and more challenging adventures.
Gentle routes
Around villages and valleys, at whatever pace suits the smallest legsTowards the hills
Longer and more challenging, for confident riders who want the climbThe key is choosing a route that suits everyone in your group.
A gentle riverside ride with younger children can be every bit as memorable as a long-distance cycling challenge.
And there's always the added motivation of knowing there could be a slice of cake waiting at the end.
Go wildlife spotting
Northumberland National Park is a brilliant place to slow down and see what you can spot.
Keep your eyes open and you might see
Red squirrels
Roe deer
Otters
Birds of prey
Curlews & moorland birds
Turn the walk into a wildlife challenge
For children, three questions are usually all it takes.
Who can spot the first squirrel?
Who can hear the most different birds?
Who can find the biggest animal footprint?
Sometimes the most exciting adventures happen when you stop and look around.
Discover the dark skies
When the sun goes down, Northumberland National Park becomes a completely different kind of adventure.
The park sits within the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park, one of the best places in the country to experience truly dark skies.
On a clear night, you can see thousands of stars stretching across the sky, with the Milky Way visible at certain times of year. For children who have grown up surrounded by streetlights and bright cities, it can be a genuinely magical experience.
Wrap up warm, take a blanket and look up.
You might spot constellations, shooting stars and, if you're particularly lucky, one of those unforgettable nights where the sky seems to put on a show of its own.
Step back in time
One of the things that makes exploring Northumberland so special is that adventure and history often come together.
Around the National Park, you'll find reminders of thousands of years of history.
Ancient hillforts
Castles
Roman remains
Old battlefields
Villages
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall runs through the southern part of Northumberland National Park and offers countless opportunities to combine a walk with a fascinating journey through Roman history.
For families, history becomes much more exciting when you're standing where it actually happened.
Suddenly, you're not just reading about Roman soldiers.
You're walking where they walked.
Follow the River Coquet
Some of the loveliest opportunities in the park for a slower-paced adventure.
Best for: Walking, exploring, photography and simply being outdoors
Follow sections of the river through the valley, stop for a picnic and watch for wildlife along the banks.
The Coquet Valley is particularly beautiful around Rothbury and further west towards the quieter villages of the National Park. It is the perfect place for families who want to combine walking with exploring, photography and simply spending time outdoors.
And because you don't have to complete a particular route, you can make the day entirely your own.
That's the beauty of it.
Pack a picnic
Northumberland National Park is made for picnics.
There are countless places where you can stop, sit down and enjoy the view. Pack sandwiches, snacks and plenty of water, or make life even easier by picking up a Running Fox picnic before you set off.
Find a quiet spot
Spread out the blanket
Take in the view
And enjoy the simple pleasure of being outdoors together.
Just remember to take everything home with you and leave the beautiful countryside exactly as you found it.
Adventure for the whole family
You don't have to climb a mountain to have an adventure.
Sometimes adventure is
That is what Northumberland National Park does best.
It encourages you to slow down, explore and see what you find.
Refuel after your adventure
After a day spent exploring the Northumberland countryside, there is only one thing better than taking your boots off.
Finding somewhere warm and welcoming to sit down.
Whether you've spent the day walking, cycling, wildlife spotting or simply enjoying the fresh Northumberland air, a hearty lunch, a good coffee and a slice of homemade cake are always a welcome sight.
Closest to the National Park
The Running Fox cafés at Longframlington and Powburn make ideal stops when exploring different areas of the National Park — while our other locations across Northumberland are waiting to welcome you back from your adventures too.
Because every adventure deserves a good ending.
Boots off, kettle on. See you at The Running Fox. 🦊
Before you set off: please check the current conditions, access and suitability of any route before heading out, particularly with younger children, on open moorland or after dark. Take a map, warm layers and plenty of water — weather in the hills can change very quickly.
Image credits & licences
Countryside photography sourced from Wikimedia Commons and Geograph Britain and Ireland, reused under Creative Commons licences.
- Upper Coquetdale (banner) © Bill Boaden — CC BY-SA 2.0
- Part of Upper Coquetdale © Trevor Harris — CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sunrise in Holystone © LunaToastie — CC BY-SA 4.0
- Harbottle from Harbottle Castle © Geoff Holland — CC BY-SA 2.0
- Breamish valley above Ingram © Derek Harper — CC BY-SA 2.0
- River Coquet at Rothbury © Andrew Curtis — CC BY-SA 2.0
