Some of Northumberland’s attractive coastal towns, wild countryside and interior villages are about to become more accessible thanks to a new railway line from Newcastle to Ashington set to open in December. Coupled with the Tyne and Wear Metro receiving its first new fleet of trains in more than 40 years, visitors without a car will find travelling around the county so much easier.
Arriving into Newcastle by train from the south provides a spectacular aerial tour of the Tyne Gorge, which is crossed by seven bridges in short succession and densely packed with buildings spilling down the banks.
Although the late council leader T Dan Smith – nicknamed Mr Newcastle – infamously demolished historic buildings as part of a redevelopment drive in the 1960s and 70s, the urban centre has undoubtedly been shaped by his vision of a brave and futuristic city, with overhead motorways, Metro bridges and suspended brutalist walkways.
Spanning the decades, start at the historic Literary and Philosophical Society (“the Lit & Phil”) for tea and today’s newspapers, then head to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art (across the Tyne in Gateshead) for world-class exhibitions, and end at the Quayside for riverside drinks at sunset. Near Newcastle University stands the Civic Centre, a triumph of 1960s modernism that is home to Newcastle city council and, once a year, hosts the four-day Novum music festival, featuring artists from every corner of the planet.
Nearby Ridley Place is popular with students, and nurtures its very own lunchtime vibe including The Little Dumpling House, the Deli Churros Venezuelan diner and Frankie and Tony’s Sandwich Bar. Alternatively, head south to the indoor Grainger Market and discover a symbiosis of no-frills caffs and exciting world-food stalls. Back in the Central station area, Mosaic Tap nestles in a railway arch. Serving a selection of craft beers, they have a pub quiz on Wednesdays and a replica station departure board displaying the live trains rumbling above.
From Newcastle, which is part of the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear as well as the historic county of Northumberland, the Northumberland line will soon return passenger services to six former mining towns that, for decades, have watched long freight trains trundle through. One of them is the port town of Blyth, better known outside the region for being the poster child for Boris Johnson’s levelling up scheme, but less known for its fine-sand beaches backed by splendid rewilded dunes. The new Ashington station will be within a few miles of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, where pub names reference the town’s former coastal industries. The Coble (named after a flat-bottomed fishing boat used in this area) is a cosy two-bar pub with an open fire and outdoor seating right by the sea.
Between Blyth and the village of Seaton Delaval, the railway line takes a sharp inland turn at the site of the 1862 Hartley Colliery disaster, where 204 men and boys lost their lives. Many pubs in the area have names connected to mining, such as the Brockwell Seam and the Keel Row – a local folk song about the keelmen who transported coal on shallow-draught boats (keels) from the riverbanks to the ships.
North of Blyth, the track forks, with one branch heading north to Ashington. It has been proposed that passenger services also be returned to the branch heading west to the historic market town of Morpeth in order to create a “Northumberland coast loop”. Currently only served by the east coast mainline, Morpeth is a historic market town featuring the first bagpipe museum in the UK. This unique collection, comprising Northumbrian pipes as well as instruments from around the world, is housed at Morpeth Chantry, a handsome 13th-century Grade I-listed building overlooking the River Wansbeck as it gently oxbows around the town.
From here, the east coast mainline charges into the wilds of north Northumberland, at one point straddling a cliff edge for about 10 miles, with the ground seeming to disappear from beneath the tracks. Stunning sea views to the right contrast with a lush expanse of countryside to the left. The approach to Berwick-upon-Tweed, at the northernmost tip of Northumberland, offers a glimpse of one of Europe’s best-preserved fortified walls, the legacy of about a dozen border disputes between England and Scotland over the centuries.
There are large stretches of Northumberland that remain unserved by rail but are worth getting off the tracks to visit. In the Cheviot Hills, go wild-swimming beneath a 18-metre waterfall in Linhope Spout’s plunge pool before heading south to Rothbury and Cragside house. As Britain’s original smart home, this pioneering Victorian mansion is filled with early gadgets and inventions. In Hexham, take an ancient walk along Hadrian’s Wall to the dramatic Sycamore Gap, where the eponymous sycamore is showing signs of regrowth after its vandalistic felling last year. Nearby, Dilston Physic Garden is a botanical voyage through 700 species of medicinal plants, and in Allendale, the Museum of Classic Sci-Fi presents a thrilling collection of rescued and repaired Doctor Who monsters spanning 30 years.
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The mainline also bypasses many coastal towns and villages such as Seahouses, a working fishing port and home to the Olde Ship Inn, whose antique furnishings and nautical decor are a clear commitment to the area’s traditions. Another seaside gem dedicated to preserving local heritage is a living, billowing 170-year-old smokehouse selling smoked kippers and salmon to walk-in customers in Craster.
Our seaside towns have long been popular resorts, beginning with local coal communities that would flock to the towns during their summer holidays, when all pits closed for two weeks. Today, overtourism has led to the displacement of local residents in some areas, so overnight visitors may want to consider staying in established hotels, inns or guest houses to avoid adding to the problem. The charming Park Lodge in Whitley Bay, for example, is run by Liz, her daughter and their friendly little dogs.
Having once been one of the most popular seaside resorts in the region, Whitley Bay fell out of popularity after the boom in international package holidays. The town is still blighted by decades of institutional abandonment, and its revival could ride on the new fleet of trains bringing people from the city to the coast. However, many new venues are already investing in the area as part of an emerging late-night scene. Check out the Library, a smart new cocktail bar, and Baba Yaga’s House for good wine and walls filled with local art. On the same street is Laurels theatre, a cosy venue that hosts comedians, poets and DJs. By day, it is a grassroots academy developing the next generation of local artists.
While getting off the beaten track has long had its appeal, Britain’s relationship with its railways is changing, and much-needed investment is opening up a whole new class of adventures. To see the best of Newcastle and Northumberland – the wild landscapes, nightlife, historical treasures and recent history – simply do as passengers should always have been able to, and get off at every stop.