Monday - Banburgh Castle - Seahouses - Alnwick River Mouth

To Banburgh Castle. We'd last seen this more than 40 years ago from the beach, but we had tickets to go inside today. The small town was heaving and we follow signs to the overflow car park, a £4 field. When we walked up to the castle we saw the nearer main car park had plenty of spaces and then the carpark at the top of the castle hill by the castle entrance had many free spaces.

Banburgh has had many names over the centuries, one was Bebbanburg which was the home of Uhtred of Bebbanburg in Bernard Cornwall's saga and Last Kingdom, the TV series based on the books. But, unlike Alnwick which caters to Harry  Potter fans, there is no mention of Uhtred at Banburgh. 

We toured the rooms, and tried to get lunch in the castle but they had few outlets and couldn't handle the numbers of visitors, so we left, feeling a little deflated there was so little to see in such a huge and impressive castle.

We managed to get a coffee and cake on the way to our next destination, Seahouses, which had grown to mythical status in our minds after a visit 40+ years ago when we enjoyed the most memorable fish'n'chips. 

But that was then. Now it's teeming with tourists and shops are full of tourist tat. 

We had a short walk along cliff tops to the harbour (above) where we sat for a time. 

Having time to spare we went to Alnmouth, where the River Aln flows into the sea. A helpful attendant taking money at the entrance to the beach carpark told us where we could go to park free of charge. Alnmouth was small and quiet, and had a wide sandy beach (above) which the river cut through.

Back for our last night at Hog's Head Inn, we enjoyed a glass of Prosecco (with raspberry) then fish'n'chips and a so-so bottle of Picpoul de Pinet.

Sunday - Alnwick Castle - Barter books

In the morning we drove to Alnwick Castle. There was quite a long walk from the carpark to the castle. Had we but known it, we could have walked to the castle via Alnwick town in the same time.

The car park was enormous and packed but the castle, its gardens and grounds absorbed them and we didn't feel crowded.

This is the entrance to an inner courtyard and the state apartments. There is no queue and you could walk straight in, but we took a free historical tour and then visited the various exhibits and by the time we were ready for the state apartments there was a queue, but it moved fairly quickly.

The castle has been used in films and TV including Harry Potter and Downton Abbey, thus there were a lot of children running around in wizard's cloaks.

The castle has been home to the Percy family since the 1300s. One of the early Percys was Harry Hotspur.

This statue of Henry (Harry Hotspur) Percy is in the castle grounds. Hotspur gained his nickname from the impetuous way he'd spur his horse into battle. He features in Shakespeare's Henry IV (Part 1)and is remembered in the football club name Tottenham Hotspur, who's ground is on land once owned by the Percys.

Alnwick Castle is very good at handing visitors, with many attractions and a selection of restaurant from an old fashioned fish and chip place to the coffee house with indoor seating that we chose.

In the afternoon I walked to Barter Books, a large second hand bookshop with a café in the grand Victorian Alnwick station.

Model trains run along to tops of bookshelves.

In the evening at Hogs Head Inn we had the cunning idea to order one rump steak and one aubergine and lentil dish and divide them between us.

The wine was a rather good Syrah

Saturday - Hogs Head Inn - Steak Ale Pie

On way to Alnwick we stop for lunch at NT property Wentworth Castle. They weren't allowing indoor eating and the food menu was very limited, but I had a nice curry turnover and we managed to get a picnic table.

The large and elaborate castle ruins in the grounds was a focal point on a chilly and overcast day. 

We didn't have much time as our journey had been delayed by around 90 minutes by roadworks, mysterious temporary speed limits and accidents, but it was good to stretch our legs and get refreshments. 

Accommodation at Alnwick was at the Hog's Head Inn, a 25-30 minute walk to the town centre, in a service area at the side of the A1.

Hog's Head was the best accommodation we had during our holiday. Rooms were large, we had one on the first floor overlooking a lawn and fields at the back of the hotel. There was some noise from the A1 as we had our window open.

The large pub was popular; one ordered at the bar.  The wine list was miserable comprising 4 red, 4 white, 3 pink and a Prosecco (but excellent wine glasses). We started with a glass of Prosecco which they served in a flute with a raspberry floating in it.

We had steak and ale pie which came swiftly and was enormous, full of meat with a thin pastry surrounding - opposite to other pub pies I’ve had. 

The wine, 2020 Fontana D’Italia Sangiovese Rubicone (Italy) at £19.95 was enjoyable

First Runner Beans

 

Runner Beans took their time, but are now high and producing

I picked my first for dinner tonight.

Many tomatoes are now ripe, these are Koralik bush tomatoes, grown for the first time this year.

Sweet Aperitif are very sweet - and productive.

And after last years chilli washout, I've got a good crop this year.

Prae Wood Arms with Emma and Toby

 

To Prae Wood Arms to have dinner with Emma and Toby. A bottle of Champagne aperitif followed by an Argentinian Malbec Bonarda blend chosen by Toby.

My Malaysian curry of sweet potato, aubergine, chickpeas with steamed pak choi and coconut rice sounded better than it tasted.

Ascott House

To Ascott House and Gardens, a NT place near Aylesbury, still occupied by a branch of the Rothschild family.

The Topiary Sun Dial

Venus Fountain

Ascott House

Dan & Krisie in Criccieth

Photo from Google Earth

Our last full day in Criccieth. We have lunch at Caffi Cwrt, a charming tea rooms, in their back garden. Waitress service, good value and they only take cash. All the other places, using Covid as an excuse, were cashless.

In the evening, after long perusal of the take-away menu deciding what to have, we phone our order to Dylans who tell us they are not doing takeaways on Fridays and Saturdays.

As we have no white wines, we get a take-away from Spice Bank, and it's very good. 

It's been a great week with Dan and Krisie and magnificent weather. Dan was invaluable carrying our cases and belongings up many stairs to the apartment when we arrived, and down again when we departed.