Still not booked a Easter break? Come to Northumberland. England's most beautiful County has much to offer

The perfect Northumberland day would feature:
A good walk - you could go to Hadrian's Wall http://www.visithadrianswall.co.uk/
ending at a good pub like the Twice Brewed Inn, or do a stretch of the Pennine Way, or take in the gentle wildness of the St Oswalds Way.
http://www.stoswaldsway.com/st-oswalds-way-short-walks/countryside-short-walks/short_walks_heavenfileld_pilgrimage.htm

Where to stay:
If you have to have the creature comforts then Matfen Hall is a top destination but
Hexham's Beaumont Hotel http://www.bw-beaumonthotel.co.uk/
is family run and was good enough for Pippa Middleton when she came to stay a year back!
We also have all manner of brilliant pubs and Bed and Breakfasts but if you want a good alternative then the Battlesteads Hotel in Wark http://www.battlesteads.com/ consistently wins prizes; the best Bed and Breakfast in the country was recently adjudged by Les Routiers guide to be The Black Cock Inn: http://www.blackcockinn.co.uk/
Where to eat:
If you want great pub food then I am a big fan of the Barrasford Arms,http://www.barrasfordarms.co.uk/
and the pub also has great beer and a bar where you will discuss everything from sheep prices to current affairs and who won the big race of the day. Great people and a top dining pub.
The Feathers in Hedley, and La Bouchon in Hexham are both prize winning and the destinations for fine dining along with the Rat which has won recent awards.
You will need a tea shop on your travels:
My friends say I am on a mission to try every tea shop in Tynedale but the county is justifiably famous: on your Pennine Way travels do not forget to stop at the Greenhead Tea Room: http://www.heartofhadrianswall.com/tea-rooms/60-greenhead-tea-rooms
Alison makes great cakes and scones.
Corbridge has more tea shops that any other but my favourite is Tea and Tipple, where you can while away an afternoon - they do great Northumberland Scones, including the normal cheese scone but also Blue Cheese and Caramelised Onion Scones: http://teaandtipple.blogspot.co.uk/
Their web site has a special "Sconage" section...
Beer: this is obviously essential. We have lots of brilliant brewers, but I have worked a lot with the Hadrian Border Brewery, who produce the deliciously summer ale which is Tyneside Blonde. But my favourite would be a pint of Golden Plover, made locally by the Allendale Brewery, and found in most of the pubs: http://www.allendaleale.com/index.htm

What to see; the wildlife the visit alone: http://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/understanding/wildlifehabitats/heathermoorland/curlews
But if you want 5 places to visit these would all make anyone's top spots:

- The Beach at Bamburgh - a great walk and a top castle
- Roman Vindolanda http://www.vindolanda.com/ = our best Roman and historical site
- Kielder Water and Forest Park: http://www.visitkielder.com/
They win awards all the time!!
http://www.visitkielder.com/news/2013/05/kielder-water-forest-park-officially-the-best-tourism-experience-in-engl-
- Alnwick Castle and its magnificent Gardens http://www.alnwickcastle.com/
But if you go to one for engineering / spring flowers then I would probably pick Cragside: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cragside/
-It is a stunning house with amazing engineering everywhere and beautiful gardens filled with 40 miles of walks, rare flowers and so much more. It is a special place.

What to Buy:
Whether you want to browse the independent shops of Hexham or Corbridge or purchase pottery in Bardon Mill or visit some of the amazing markets there is so much to do.

The Tannery in Hexham shows what makes a successful local pub

What makes a good pub? How do you attract locals to a former unloved boozer? How do you appeal to a broad cross section of the local community thereby making the enterprise commercially viable? How do you survive in an era where pub usage competes with supermarket bought at home drinking, and justified but financially punitive drink driving and anti smoking laws?
I have no qualifications on this issue but based upon a lot of observations and chats to locals I think I can explain a bit.
I have been engaged on an assessment of local pubs both for work and pleasure since 2010, when I became the MP. I have visited pretty much every pub in my massive 1000+ square mile community from the most northerly pub, the First and Last just inside of the Scottish border in Redesdale, to the Lord Crewe in Blamchland and the Allenheads Inn on the southern Durham border. From the Ridley Arms in Stannington in the east, to the Holly Bush Pub and the Pheasant Inn on the edge of remote Kielder Forest.
It has been an exhaustive study, but great fun!
To be fair I am a big real ale man so any pub that supports this gets my vote. I have recently supported and helped reopen several local pubs - notably the Dyvels in Corbridge which is doing well, with good beer and nice people running it:
http://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/news/corbridge/Flood-hit-Corbridge-pub-is-back-in-business-aff583be-eb58-43fb-9f6e-662c7402d987-ds

But it is clear that today's consumer wants something special from his pub. The old style spit and sawdust pub can survive, but it is difficult. You need an edge, a selling point, a trademark. 

The Dipton Mill Inn is very very good, but probably thebest ale pub of them all, for example, is the Boat House in Wylam which takes beer so seriously is has up to 18 ales at any one time: 

http://www.theboathousewylam.com/#about-us

Different places want different things, so it is not for me to prescribe what works in Prudhoe (The Falcon is doing very well with its Carvery) or out in the sticks - but pubs like the Barrasford Arms, the Rat in Anick, and the Feathers in Hedley, are all doing very very well; and the Battlesteads in Wark is probably the most successful pub / small hotel in the county. All have found their model. Others are struggling and there are pubs closing all across the country, and in Northumberland. But there are clearly very successful local town pubs. For an example of this I would urge you to go to The Tannery inHexham, which I helped relaunch last Friday, with the owner and the support group from Punch. I have got to know Punch very well over the last few years, as they have rebuilt and renovated a number of key local pubs, and even hotels like the County Hotel. It is hard to argue against their commitment to our area, their financial investment, and their use of local tradesmen / builders where possible, and their general support. Without their investment many fine institutions would have withered and died - for example the County Hotel which was shut for years, and rebuilt at massive cost. I confess an interest, as they also have for two years helped sponsor the Hexham Jobs Fair which I have run to get more young (and older) people into work and apprenticeships.  

But go back to the Tannery. This pub was really struggling before Dave took it over. It is now packed, and it is easy to see why. 

Start with the beer - a great place to start! 6 proper ales on hand pump is rare, and the quality is excellent. I would go myself just for the ale, and it is better than most other pubs on beer.  Add in plenty of ciders and speciality gins and good wine and you have an offer that clearly appeals. But the renovation has added a great garden area and table tennis table out back, and the food is consistently very good. 

But it is the attention to detail and the quirkiness that impress about the Tannery. It is bright and open, with the best toilets for miles around as one discerning female punter described the newest addition! One male punter on Friday described how "the quirkiness makes the place feel like a much loved room in your home" - and Dave has great plans to add a train that will go all around the bar. This has got to be seen, as it is clearly no normal train! I wish the team behind the Tannery pub well. It is a big addition to Hexham. Their Twitter account is worth a follow on its own. Find it here: https://mobile.twitter.com/TanneryHexham?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Vintage Fair, Hexham Market and so much more in Tynedale tomorrow

The Hexham Market is from 9-1.30, and should be followed up with a visit to the Vintage Fair in the Trinity Centre, just up the road from the Market, from 10.30-4.30. This is part organised by the wonderful people at the Hearth in Horsley, and will feature clothes, textiles and fabrics for everyone.
If you have time you could also take in the Barrasford Arms Marrow show. It is a great pub, with the best atmosphere, delicious food, and nice people. Worth going along to, even if only to support the Great North Air Ambulance, to which the proceeds rightly go to in Air Ambulance week.

The Guardian says: Lets Move to Hexham!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2013/feb/08/lets-move-to-hexham-tyne-valley?CMP=twt_gu
Cute as a puppy's nose, handsome as Clark Gable: is this the nicest market town in the known universe?
Far be it for me to say that the left leaning Guardian is wrong - because they are clearly right!
The town has a great arts scene, top pubs, a couple of great restaurants and four amazing gastropubs just out of town [The Rat, The Feathers, Barrasford Arms, and the Duke of Wellington], several great hotels and so much more.
Schools are good, and there is a racecourse! I could eulogise more but make sure you read the article.

Northumberland's Finest Pubs and Farm Shops...

Todays Telegraph Weekend Section has let some of the best Northumberland secrets out of the bag - and I am delighted for the owners:

One of the top pubs, The Barrasford Arms, features on the back page of the Weekend section
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/pubs/5245641/British-pub-guide-The-Barrasford-Arms-Northumberland.html

Was taken there recently and if anything it is better than they describe.

Then 3 local farm shops make it into the list of the top farm shops in the North

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/5252329/Britains-top-50-farm-shops-East-Midlands-and-the-North.html

i). Brocksbushes Farm Nr. Corbridge, Northumberland (01434 633 100, www.brocksbushes.co.uk)
A good shop that offers pick-your-own asparagus and soft fruits. Strawberries in June, then raspberries, gooseberries, tayberries, black and red currants, plums and blackberries.
- virtually my ocal shop and very good.

ii). North Acomb Farm Stocksfield, Northumberland(01661 843181; www.northacombfarmshop.co.uk)
Opened in 1978 by Robin and Caroline Baty, this is a shop in a handsome yard, with a barn that houses their Welsh pigs. Home-made blood pudding, cakes and pies. Also, home-churned butter, outstanding bacon and sausages and certified Aberdeen Angus beef.

iii). Moorhouse Farm Shop 21 Station Road, Stannington, Morpeth, Northumberland (01670 789016; www.moorhousefarmshop.co.uk)
Affordable, accessible farm shop with an abundant display of the farm's home-reared meat. Sacks of potatoes, locally grown vegetables and excellent Gilchesters Flour milled on a nearby farm by Andrew Wilkinson from pre-war wheat breeds (a must-try for keen bakers).
[+ a special mention for Tebay - without a doubt the best motorway service station, masquerading as a farm shop,in the world! - and a lifesaver to all of us who use the M6 too much]: