It was no accident that Alnwick was voted the Best Place to Live in Britain by Country Life Magazine in 2002.

The citation went on to describe Alnwick as "best for beauty, for community, for affordability and quality of life".

The market town of Alnwick lies in the heart of the dramatic, rural county of Northumberland in the north east corner of England. Its origins lie in fuedal times when Northumberland and the Scottish Borders were largely ungovernable.

Alnwick's first castle was built on the banks of the River Aln in the 11th century. Nowadays the castle has become famous as one of the locations used in the Harry Potter films as Hogwart's School. It also appears in the films, Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, and Elizabeth.

The castle was restored in the mid-19th century by Robert Adam, and stands magnificently in grounds landscaped by Capability Brown. Part of those grounds, has been transformed by the Duchess of Northumberland into the Alnwick Garden. Find out more about the castle and the garden using the links to the left.

In the shadow of the castle ramparts, spanning the River Aln is the Lion Bridge on which stands the Percy Lion, the emblem of the Percy family, with its straight tail. It has provided the inspiration for the Alnwick Food Festival mascot.

Alnwick district stretches from the stunning, yet bleak, Cheviot Hills and the Northumberland National Park to the beautiful Heritage Coast, with its cracking, sandy beaches, coves and quaint fishing villages.

It really does offer something for everyone, and if you're coming to Alnwick Food Festival, you would not regret exploring for a few days.