Things to see and do in Cresswell, Alnwick, Northumberland and the Scottish Borders

The Area

Cresswell is a quiet pretty little village with a community of about 200 residents on the North Sea Coast. It's a very popular birdwatching area, with Cresswell pond and bird hide nearby, attracting an adundance of rare birds. The village has one ice-cream shop and a beautiful Church. It's also very popular with walkers, families and dog lovers due to the vast sandy beach. It's a very peaceful area but within easy reach of all the attractions that Northumberland has to offer.

Little is recorded of Cresswell's past other than that the devil once paid it a visit. According to local legend, in 1752 Cresswell had a tailor who was the best in the country. The devil tried to tempt him to fall into the sin of pride. The story goes that the tailor was suspicious and contacted the local vicar and the devil vanished in a ball of fire!

The area is rife with legends, tales of witchcraft and mysterious happenings and visitors may enjoy listening to some of the local stories of the supernatural which abound in the area. As a hotspot for witchcraft, a total of 23 witches were recorded as being executed in the area!

The National Trust owned Druridge Bay Country Park is just under 3 miles north of Cresswell and is a nature lover's paradise. It's wonderful to be able to enjoy the lake and the wildlife upon it, then walk just a couple of hundred yards through the dunes to the biggest beach in Northumberland. Various watersports are enjoyed here, including waterskiing, windsurfing and canoeing .

The area has spectacular scenery, scenic clifftop paths and a beautiful golden sandy beach.

Northumberland

Explore Northumberland by car on unbelievably quiet roads and enjoy some incredibly scenic drives. In Northumberland you can drive a distance of 60 - 70 miles and meet only a few dozen cars during journeys to Hadrian's Wall and Berwick upon Tweed.

Northumberland has a 64 mile coast path which begins at Cresswell and runs along the coastline to Berwick upon Tweed, making it a very pleasant place for walkers. The outstanding natural beauty of the Northumberland Heritage Coastline attracts many visitors who appreciate the rugged coastline, vast and sandy beaches and stunning landscapes.

Visit some of the many gardens in Northumberland. As well as the famous Alnwick Garden, find out more about other horticultural delights in Northumberland, such as Belsay Quarry Gardens, Howick Hall and Cragside.

How about visiting some of the many National Tust properties and English Heritage Propertiesin Northumberland? The National Trust properties include Lindisfarne Castle, Cragside Estate and Wallington Hall. English Heritage Properties in the region include Warkworth Castle, Lindisfarne Priory and Hadrian's Wall.

What's near to Cresswell

The Woodhorn Museum

This great museum, which records the history of mining in the area is just 2 miles from Cresswell. Entry to the museum is free, although you have to pay for parking.

Take an emotional journey through Coal Town and find out about the life and loves, tears and tragedies of a proud mining community. Explore the colliery buildings and imagine what it would have been like to work underground. Sing along to the brass band at the Miners' Picnic, see the colourful banners and even design your own for the parade. Marvel at the original paintings of the Ashington Group - miners from the 1930s whose story has inspired a wonderful and highly successful new play, Pitman Painters, by Billy Elliot writer, Lee Hall (shown on Broadway, New York).

QE1II Country Park

Visitors to Woodhorn can also enjoy the QEII Country Park too in which the museum stands. The QEII Country Park was once part of the largest colliery spoil heap in Europe. It has been beautifully landscaped to include a lake and woodland walks, there is also a cycle path that runs right round the lake. The lake is a popular place for fishing, canoeing and wind surfing. It is teeming with wildlife including the endangered red squirrel. If you don't fancy walking or cycling around, you might consider a trip through it on the narrow gauge railway that runs from the museum. And of course Woodhorn has a café for that all important cuppa after a packed visit.

Alnwick

Explore Alnwick, the historic market town in the heart of Northumberland. Visit the market, Alnwick Castle & Alnwick Garden and enjoy the beautiful countryside and stunning coastline.

Click for more details about walks in the Alnwick region of Northumberland, and read about fishing, walking, golfing, cycling and birdwatching in and around Alnwick.

Don't forget to check the list of music events, festivals, village shows that are coming up in the area.