How far is North East England from major cities?
Taking Newcastle as the North East’s central hub, you can get to Edinburgh in 90 minutes, Manchester in two and a half hours, Leeds in two hours, and London in three hours. From Newcastle train station, you’re looking at a 30-to-60-minute transfer to coastal properties.
Northern groups find the North East more accessible than the Lake District or the Yorkshire Dales. Scottish groups treat it as a convenient alternative to the Highlands. Southern groups compromise to spend time with friends in the north only to discover it’s closer than they expected.
Is it always cold and wet up there?
Northumberland gets less rain than the Lake District or Wales. And the east coast gets more sunshine than the west. Temperatures run 2 to 3°C cooler than southeast England but wind chill makes it feel colder, especially on the coast.
In summer (June to August), expect temperatures of around 15 to 20°C, with 25°C being a rare occurrence. In winter (December to February), temperatures drop to 2 to 8°C, occasionally dipping below freezing.
Our advice? Pack for Scottish weather and find yourself pleasantly surprised. If you’re used to holidaying in the Cotswolds or the south, pack a few extra layers.
What activities work for large groups here?
Our favourite activity in the North East takes advantage of those huge swathes of unspoilt coastline. So pull on your hiking boots and hit the trails. The Northumberland Coast Path is 62 miles of spectacular hiking, with sections suitable for all abilities.
For more nature of a different kind, Kielder Forest is the home of mountain biking, water sports, and some of the best stargazing in the UK from the observatory.
The North East is a region steeped in history. For a start, the castles: Bamburgh, Dunstanburgh, and Alnwick, made famous by the Harry Potter movies. Then you’ve got Hadrian’s Wall. You can walk sections or visit the Roman forts.
You might also like to visit Alnwick Gardens, or head to Newcastle for the region’s best shopping, dining, and nightlife.
Many of our guests combine country with city, spending their days on the coastal paths or in the forest with nights out in Newcastle for some fine dining or drinking and dancing.
Why book North East over Lake District or Yorkshire?
The main reason to choose the North East over the Lakes or Yorkshire is space. Here you get bigger gardens, more isolation and quieter tourist attractions. Then there’s the beaches. Northumberland’s coast is a huge draw because it’s so vasts, so unspoilt. Next, the value. Large houses are more affordable here for equivalent quality.
The only downsides are that the area is less developed for tourism, meaning fewer restaurants and tourist amenities. The weather is definitely harsher than you’ll find in the south.
It all depends on what your group values the most. If you care about value, space, and coastal access, you can’t do better than the North East. If you’re after more extensive tourist infrastructure, you might be happier in the Lakes or Yorkshire.