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Places to Visit in Northern England

With beautiful villages, historic locations, and ancient castles scattered throughout the area, the beauty of The Lake District will certainly enchant you. Whether you fancy swimming, sailing, or simply heading out onto a tarn for kayaking, you'll surely find a sport you love over here.
There are also tons of places to drink and eat in the Lakes, from Michelin-star restaurants to historic pubs where you can enjoy hearty meals. It is also known for its fantastic mountains and trails you can hike.

Location: 3565 Canada Rd, Lakeland, TN 38002

Activities: hiking, fine-dining, squirrel-spotting, cycling, star gazing

Built to guard the Roman Empire's wild northern frontier in AD122, Hadrian's Wall is much more than a barricade. It is a world heritage site where you can discover the remains of the towers, forts, towns, and turrets that once kept a watch over the Wall. Hadrian's Wall is considered to be the inspiration for The Wall In Game Of Thrones. There is also a beautiful museum at the site that showcases the rich history of the Romans. 

Location: Brampton CA8 7DD, UK

Activities: Angling, walking, cycling

Haworth is a picturesque village in Yorkshire that attracts tourists from all across the world. With its iconic parsonage museums, rolling moors, and historic cobbled Main Street, it will make you feel like you've entered another era.

Haworth is renowned for its countryside walks, where you'll see the footpath signs written in English and Japanese. There is plenty to do on Haworth's Main Street, including land army parades, evening dances, stalls in the park, and Bradford Pipe Band Show.

Location: Bradford, Northern England

Activities: evening dances, walking, steam train ride

North York Moors is one of the best places to visit in Northern England, spread across more than one thousand four hundred and thirty square kilometers of breathtaking landscapes. If you seek long countryside walks with cute market towns and cozy pubs, North York Moors should be your ideal option. There's heritage and history in every step you take, from Victorian steam trains to Gothic ruins, stately homes to Cistercian monasteries and fishing villages to ironstone mines. 

Location: North Yorkshire, England

Activities: rock climbing, Forest Segway, Geocaching

With far-reaching and dramatic views filled with the environmental splendors of a beautiful coastline, the Durham coast is one of the best places to visit in Northern England. It boasts a fourteen-kilometer-long breathtaking coastal footpath, which includes various access points onto the beach.

Durham Heritage Coast is recognized for its rare wildlife and plants and a colorful mosaic of grasslands, flora and fauna, and wildflowers. You can explore the beautiful scenery on a bike or foot, with the area boasting the best biking and hiking routes in the UK. 

Location: Seaham, Northern England

Activities: hiking, biking, walking

Whitby is Britain's most unique coastal town with the perfect mix of maritime culture, historic sights, beautiful beaches, and independent shops. There is a family-friendly beach close to the town dotted with colorful beach huts and golden sand that stretches for more than two miles.

Whether you want to eat seafood or chips and fish, you'll find here traditional coastal food to satiate your hunger pangs. There is a small museum and a coffee shop where you can learn about the site's history.

Location: 26 Seven Oaks Street, Northern England

Activities: railway riding, bridge crossing, walking

The North Pennines is one of the best places to visit in Northern England that boasts a stunning landscape of flower-rich hay meadows, wide-open moors, intimate woods, and charismatic wildlife. It is ideal for immersing yourself in nature and enjoying various water-sports activities like canoeing and kayaking.

You can witness tumbling waterfalls, dramatic dales, sweeping moorland, stone-built villages, and snaking stone walls here. It is the darkest mainland Area of Breathtaking Natural Beauty and has England's darkest night skies.

Location: County Durham, Northumberland, Northern England

Activities: fishing, horse riding, food trails

Harrogate is called "The Jewel of the North" due to its stunning gardens and urban charms. It is one of the best places to see in Northern England, with swathes of greenery and grand Victorian and Georgian houses. The spa town of Harrogate has leafy parks with stylish shopping avenues and cosmopolitan cocktail bars. 

Harrogate has four shopping districts: Kings, West Park, Montpellier, and the Victoria Quarter. The traditional Turkish Baths of Harrogate date back to Victorian times and have retained lots of original character with Moorish design and an Italian mosaic floor. 

Location: North Yorkshire, England

Activities: shopping, cycling, walking

Yorkshire Dales is home to great abbeys, castles, picturesque landscape, and pleasant atmosphere. Boasting two historically protected areas - Yorkshire Dales National Park and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty- the Yorkshire Dales is renowned for jaw-dropping beauty.
It is one of the best places to see in Northern England, with scenic picnic spots where you can enjoy an amazing time with your friends and family. You can enjoy an amazing road trip through the Yorkshire Dales while enjoying the breathtaking views.
Location: Leyburn North Yorkshire
Activities: wall climbing, cycling, petting, and feeding animals

Northumberland is one of England's great counties with historic castles, dramatic landscapes, and quaint fishing villages. Discover barely-visited beaches, romantically ruinous castles, bunting-strewn market towns, and unlimited experiences. You can explore fishing communities dotted around sandy coves, enjoy adrenaline-pumping water sports activities or relax in a deck chair. 

It is also a bird lover's paradise with more than thirty-five thousand seabirds. The area provides a magical space to reconnect with nature either by bicycle or foot.  It also has local fish and chip shops and sea-view pubs where you can enjoy refreshing drinks and tasty food. 

Location: North East England

Activities: bird-watching, guided walk, sunset boat trip

Blackpool is a famous holiday resort with Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Blackpool Zoo ideal for archetypal English seaside vacation. It has a Blackpool Tower, a landmark built in 1894 as the Eiffel Tower's replica. The tower houses some of the best attractions, including a circus, glass walkway, and an ornate Victorian ballroom. If you visit Blackpool between early November and September, you can see the Blackpool Illuminations that are made up of around one million light bulbs.

Location: Lancashire, England

Activities: roller-coaster rides, seaside dining, strolling

Lindisfarne Holy Island is one of the most famous centers of early English Christianity. It was built in 1550 to defend the harbor against attack from Norsemen and Scots, and in 1901 celebrated architect Edward Lutyens gave the castle a luxurious makeover giving it a quirky holiday home feel.

This estuary of receding mudflats and tides is ideal for bird-watching, as it hosts many migrating birds. It is a Natural Nature Reserve that houses some unique flora and fauna. 

Location: Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland

Activities: bird watching, tasting the locally brewed mead, strolling

Helmsley is a picture-perfect market town and an idyllic place to have a stay for a weekend, day, or the rest of your life. It is one of the best places to see in Northern England, with some of the fascinating attractions like the Helmsley Castle and National Centre for Birds of Prey.

Helmsley is a High Street with independent shops, boutiques, and galleries selling everything you could need. Whether you're looking for a luxury spa, a cozy country hotel, a boutique B&B, or the comforts of self-catering, Helmsley can cater to all your needs.

Location: North Yorkshire, England

Activities: open-air swimming, walking, cycling

Saltaire is a charming Victorian village that was built by a famous industrialist Sir Titus Salt in 1851. It offers many things, ranging from lush green spaces to beautiful architecture, independent shops, and lip-smacking cuisines offered in famous food establishments and restaurants.

Saltaire has many famous attractions, such as Robert's Park, the Aire Sculpture Trail, and Victoria Hall. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has also been a location for TV series and films. 

Location: West Yorkshire, England

Activities: cycling, fishing, sightseeing, walking

The Durham Dales are two green valleys –Weardale and Teesdale – that rise from the picturesque farmland west of Durham, climbing up to the rugged open moorland. While cycling or walking in this breathtaking area, you can discover historic museums and beautiful castles.

Home to wild, windswept moorland, ancient castles, and breathtaking natural landscapes, the Durham Dales is the ideal place to relax and unwind on a short break.  Throughout the year, you can find wildlife watching opportunities, from spotting the rare red squirrels to the springtime boxing hares.

Location: Northern England

Activities: wildlife watching, picnicking, walking

Steeped in history, Hawkshead is one of the most magnificent villages in the Southern Lake District. It has many historic buildings, archways, and squares from the seventeenth century. You can also find here many markets with gift outlets, tea shops, guest houses, and pleasant inns.

The entire village is full of entertainment venues, and you can eat traditional English food and buy souvenirs for your loved ones. Art and literary fans are in for a treat in Hawkshead as Beatrix Potter Gallery is situated here.

Location: Northern England

Activities: shopping, dining, walking

Settle is a beautiful market town in Yorkshire dotted with picturesque stone houses and mansions. An impressive market is held on every Tuesday in the town center where you can buy everything under the sun at the best prices.

Several yearly festivals such as the Settle Cuckoo festival and the Settle flowerpot festival are held here, where the entire town turns into one big street market. While you're in the town, you must visit Catrigg Force, the most beautiful waterfall in the UK. 

Location: Yorkshire Dales, Northern England

Activities: attending festivals, strolling, shopping

Fringed by miles of sandy beach, Bamburgh is one of the best places to see in Northern England. It is a magnificent coastal town in the heart of Northumberland renowned for its famous castle, walking and coastline trails.

This quaint small town is home to Grace Darling, Victorian England's heroine who rescued the SS Forfarshire wreck survivors in 1838. Bamburgh Castle is an immensely popular tourist attraction in Bamburgh renowned for its stately rooms, ghostly history, action-packed events calendar, and stunning setting.

Location: Northumberland, England

Activities: treasure hunt, magical walk, golf

Alnwick is a historic market town which is considered a great base for small walking breaks in the countryside of Northumberland. Alnwick Garden is one of the most popular attractions in Alnwick, where poisonous plants grow.

If you're in Alnwick, you must visit the Alnwick Castle that has been the Percy family's home since 1309. Music events, food fairs, and lively festivals are organized here every week to keep the visitors entertained. 

Location: Northumberland, England

Activities: fishing, cycling, walking, wildlife tours

Malham is one of the best places to see in Northern England, with dramatic limestone scenery and breathtaking landscapes. A gentle stroll of half an hour from the village will take you to Malham Cove, a massive natural limestone cliff visible for miles.

You can go cave exploring at the renowned White Scar Cave, the longest show cave in Britain that houses interesting stalagmite formations and waterfalls. Admire Gordale Scar, a beautiful canyon that has captured the imagination for generations. 

Location: Skipton, North Yorkshire, England

Activities: cave exploring, sightseeing, rock climbing

Scarborough is Northern England's most famous holiday destination known for its vibrant atmosphere, gorgeous beaches, exquisite parks, upbeat events, and vintage fairs. The town has a beautiful coastline that offers splendid views from its panoramic viewpoints, beaches, and Scarborough Castle.

If you're a history buff, you must visit the Rotunda Museum that exhibits about fifty-five hundred fossils and is the oldest purpose-built museum in the UK. You can ride the dragon boat around the famous Peasholm Park to have the best experience of your life 

Location: North Yorkshire, England

Activities: dragon boat ride, marine exploration, sightseeing

Saddleworth is one of the best places to see in Northern England, surrounded by natural beauty and picturesque landscapes that will make you feel like you have entered paradise.  It is a part of Yorkshire on the Pennines' other side, over and beyond the Colne Valley and Marsden.

The Saddleworth villages – Greenfield, Dobcross, and Uppermill, are renowned for their rural charm and tranquil atmosphere. Some of the things that you must try in Saddleworth are taking rejuvenating walks in the hills, visiting Uppermill's cafes and restaurants, and going on a canal boat ride.

Location: Borough of Oldham, Greater Manchester, England

Activities: canal boat ride, walking in the hills, attending festivals

The Peak District is the most intriguing national park in England that spreads out over five counties. It offers the most varied landscapes, boasting everything from striking rock formations to rolling hills. The National Park is split into the Dark Peak in the north and the White Peak in the south. 

Aside from breathtaking landscapes, idyllic villages and towns, world-class attractions, magical events, and thrilling activities, the Peak District offers a wide range of exciting happenings every year. 

Location: Northern England

Activities: wild swimming, nature walk, spotting animals

Leeds is one of the most interesting and vibrant cities in the UK, renowned for its lip-smacking food, interesting shops, bountiful outdoor spaces, and eclectic nightlife. It is dotted with innovative and vibrant art galleries, including The Tetley and Henry Moore Institute.

There are a host of music venues and theatres that showcase both national and local talent. From Leeds West Indian Pride and Carnival to the Light Night Festival, the city is awash with celebration and fun. 

Location: West Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Activities: bar hopping, shopping, visiting art galleries

Hebden Bridge is a picturesque and attractive market town in the Yorkshire Pennines. The market town is perfectly positioned in the middle of Manchester and Leeds, making it ideal for commuting from both cities. It houses some of the best Victorian chapels, double-decker stone houses, and Bohemian festivals and cafes.

The Rochdale Canal runs through the middle of Hebden Bridge, providing a picturesque walkway on sunny days. Many festivals are organized here, including a folk roots festival, a burlesque festival, and a vintage car rally.

Location: Hebden Royd, West Yorkshire, England

Activities: canal cruise, village fair, sightseeing