Northumberland (Including Newcastle, Hadrian's Wall and the Coast)

This new, thoroughly updated second edition of Bradt’s best-selling, comprehensive guide to Northumberland including Newcastle, Hadrian’s Wall & the Coast remains the reliable source of information for discovering the far northeast of England, an area which is home to Europe’s largest area of protected night sky – and England’s first Dark Sky Park, a 572-square-mile expanse in Northumberland National Park.Now including over 40 walks along beaches, over hills and through valleys, as well as dedicated chapters on Northumberland National Park, Hadrian’s Wall, the coast and Newcastle, among others, Bradt’s Northumberland including Newcastle, Hadrian’s Wall & the Coast is the ideal companion for a successful visit. This new edition also celebrates Northumberland’s many connections with the USA, from the shepherd that rescued US Air Force plane crash survivors in the remote Cheviot Hills to presidential connections (George Washington and Bill and Hilary Clinton), local American football teams, eminent 19th-century painter Winslow Homer, Rapper Sword Dancing, and the so-called ‘Geordie Doughboys’, the men who left the northeast of England before World War I and enlisted in the American army.Northumberland is well-known for its beaches, castles, wildlife, islands and desolate upland scenery and remains for the most part wonderfully crowd-free. It is the ultimate place in England to get away from it all. It is also home to Hadrian’s Wall, ‘the most important Roman monument in Britain’ (English Heritage), while heritage enthusiasts will find a number of world firsts and unique museums such as Tanfield Railway, where you can marvel at 19th-century steam engines in the oldest engine shed in the world.Bradt’s Northumberland encourages visitors to slow down and explore the green lanes, footpaths, rivers and cycle trails that link Northumberland's ‘Castle Coast’ with the heather-topped hills, Roman fortresses and villages of the interior. A guide to Newcastle is found in the chapter on Tyne & Wear. Local knowledge of historic towns, heritage sites, wildlife-watching spots and countryside walks, and words and tips from local heritage experts make this an authoritative guide, perfect for walkers, birdwatchers, cyclists, families, and those interested in Roman archaeology, industrial heritage and medieval castles.