By Crasterfarian
This first picture is looking south into the low winter sun, down over Blawearie and several other Iron and Bronze Age hillforts. Fascinatingly, the name Blawearie literally means ‘Tired of the Wind’…
All of Northumberland at your feet!
The following two images are full panoramas — looking east, then west.
Apparently, seven castles can be seen from the top — but you’ll need better peepers than me for that! 😂
They are:
- Chillingham Castle – the closest, directly below the hillfort
- Alnwick Castle – the iconic stately home featured in films like Harry Potter
- Bamburgh Castle – dominating the coastline, one of Northumberland’s most famous landmarks
- Dunstanburgh Castle – the dramatic ruined fortress on the coastline
- Warkworth Castle – a well-preserved medieval stronghold on the Coquet River loop
- Lindisfarne Castle (Holy Island) – perched on a tidal island just off the coast
- Norham Castle (Ubbanford) – the old border fortress and the place where St Aidan crossed into Northumbria in the 7th century to become Abbot of Lindisfarne Priory
It’s a canny hike up, and it gets steeper — much steeper (hands-and-knees steep!) — towards the top, but the climb is well worth it.
It’s accessible from the road to the south. You can park there then take the hike up. Take a flask, some sarnies and sit and take it all in. Not only can you see the history but feel it under your feet from its earliest inhabitants.
Get oot and enjoy Northumberland!
With Love from the Crasterfarian XX
Marmion: Canto 1 The Castle (Sir Walter Scott)
Day set on Norham’s castled steep.
And Tweed’s fair river broad and deep.
And Cheviot’s mountains lone;
The battled towers, the donjon keep,
The loophole grates where captives weep,
The flanking walls that round it sweep,
In yellow lustre shone
There’s something about Norham Castle, even now in it’s ruinous state, it still has a majestic appeal overlooking the Tweed. What stories it could tell.