Nland 250 Journal
The most chilling roadside stop in Northumberland
A murdered shopkeeper, a body hung in chains and a wooden head that keeps coming back. The story of Winter’s Gibbet near Elsdon, and how to find it.
#Nland250 Photographs of the Month October 2026
A series of special moments from around Northumberland we have discovered this September.
Haunted Northumberland
From clifftop castles to a Bronze Age stone circle, Northumberland’s landscapes have two thousand years of history behind them, and plenty of ghost stories to match. Romans, Vikings, Border Reivers and Jacobites all left their mark here. A few, if the stories are true, never left at all. These are the county’s most atmospheric sites, where the past seems to hang around a little longer than it should.
It’s Seal Pupping Season in Northumberland
Grey seal pups are arriving on the Farne Islands. Here's how to see them from Seahouses this autumn.
Black Middens Bastle House: Life Behind Stone Walls in Reiver Country
Thick stone walls, a barred upper door and livestock below: Black Middens Bastle House shows how Border families survived the reiver raids. Here's what to see and how to visit.
Reasons to Road Trip Northumberland in Autumn
The roads are quiet, the beaches have emptied and the whole county feels like it’s yours.
Rothbury Estate rewilding appeal reaches £26m as £30m deadline nears
Northumberland is closer than ever to securing one of the biggest nature recovery projects the county has ever seen.
Northumberland’s Best Beaches
Stretching from Tyne to Tweed is one of the finest coastlines you'll find anywhere in England, and most of it is still empty. From Bamburgh's castle-backed sands to hidden coves like Football Hole, here's where to find the best beaches along the Northumberland 250 route.
Kielder's Ospreys Close In On A 150-Chick Milestone
Seventeen years after ospreys returned to Northumberland for the first time in centuries, Kielder Forest is closing in on a landmark: 150 fledged chicks. Every one of its eight nests produced eggs this year, a first for the site.
The only west-facing harbour on the east coast of England
Beadnell is one of Northumberland's most quietly unusual villages, home to the only west-facing harbour on England's east coast. Discover its medieval roots, industrial limekilns, and a working harbour that still lands crab and lobster today.
The Secret Dwellers of the Cheviot Hills
Deep in the Cheviot Hills, an ancient herd of wild goats has been watching the world change for six thousand years. Remarkably few people know they are there.
Leave No Trace: How to Travel the Northumberland 250 Responsibly
Northumberland is one of the least visited counties in England. Its beaches are empty, its moorland undisturbed, its wildlife present in numbers that have disappeared elsewhere. Here's how to travel the Northumberland 250 responsibly and help keep it that way.
Northumberland's Wild Five: Native Species to Spot on the Nland 250
Few counties in England can match Northumberland for wildlife. From the seal colonies of the Farne Islands to red squirrels in Kielder Forest, discover five native species to spot on your Northumberland 250 adventure.
Your guide to Northumberland’s best waterfalls
Northumberland's waterfalls don't shout for attention. Tucked into river gorges, ancient woodland and the remote folds of the Cheviots, they reward the curious and the committed in equal measure. Here are six of the best, from an easy woodland stroll to a full day in the wildest corner of the national park.
Golden Eagles are returning to Northumberland
England has been without a golden eagle for 150 years. That is beginning to change, and Northumberland is at the centre of it. Here is what the recovery programme means for the landscapes of the Northumberland 250.
England’s most underrated road trip?
Northumberland is England's most overlooked county: more castles, darker skies and emptier roads than anywhere else in the country. The Northumberland 250 is the 254-mile road trip that connects all of it. Here's what each section looks like from behind the wheel.
Spring in Northumberland
Northumberland in spring is one of nature's great spectacles. From the first crocuses at Wallington Hall in late February to the legendary rhododendrons at Cragside in early June, the county comes alive with colour and wildlife. Here's your season-by-season guide to the best of spring on the Northumberland 250 route.
England’s Castle Kingdom
Northumberland is home to over 70 castle sites — but five stand above all others. From Bamburgh's thousand-year-old royal fortress to the romantic clifftop ruins of Dunstanburgh, England's castle kingdom is waiting to be explored. Here's your guide to the five must-see castles on the Northumberland 250 route, complete with visitor information and what makes each one unmissable.
Navigating the Kielder Forest Drive
The Kielder Forest Drive is one of the most dramatic sections of the Northumberland 250 — 12 miles of remote, unsealed road winding through England's largest working forest. Before you head into the trees, read our practical guide covering the toll, road conditions, vehicle suitability, speed limits, and opening times, so you can navigate it with confidence.
What’s on When in Northumberland
Key dates and events to plan your Northumberland 250 adventure around.