Alnwick is in the heart of the most spectacular, diverse, unspoilt and relatively undiscovered county in England, Northumberland. From the rolling Cheviot Hills and the Northumberland National Park in the west to the dramatic coastline in the east, Northumberland has plenty to offer visitors to the area.

Why not make a weekend of it when you visit the Alnwick Food Festival on September 24 and 25? There is a plethora of attractions to take in while you're here.

The Heritage coastline is one of 37 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the country, with glorious and historic gems like Bamburgh Castle, Holy Island, Alnmouth and Craster scattered along its length.

Alnwick is surrounded by some incredibly picturesque and relatively undiscovered villages, although as the tourist net is generally spreading wider, the visitor numbers to this corner of the nation are increasing.

Picture postcards were invented for places like Alnmouth, named obviously for its position at the mouth of the river that also lends Alnwick its name.

Craster, too, a fishing village with a working harbour further to the north has adorned many a postcard.

Between the two is the village of Howick and the impressive Howick Hall, the gardens of which are open to the public. The recently-opened Earl Grey Team Rooms at Howick Hall is also worth a visit.

You're not very far from a castle wherever you are in this part of Northumberland - the area's troubled past and its proximity to the border with Scotland has seen to that! The impressive fortresses at Alnwick, Bamburgh and Lindisfarne are joined by the equally imprssive ruins of Warkworth, Edlingham and Dunstanburgh Castles.