Hotels near the Alnwick Castle

The Windsor of the North, Alnwick Castle & Garden is the grand seat of the Duke of Northumberland, built by the Norman Conquerors to keep the rowdy Scots in their place. Scenes from two Harry Potter movies were filmed here.

The castle boasts Robert Adam interiors and precious Old Master paintings by Titian. Next door to the castle is the increasingly famous 40-acre garden. Come to get lost in the bamboo Labyrinth and to play in the huge Treehouse (you can even eat in there!). In spring the Woodland Walk is swathed in bluebells and daffodils.

In summer the Rose Garden blazes with blooms, while the largest water garden in the UK - the Grand Cascade - draws visitors all year round. The centrepiece of the entire garden comprises 21 weirs and is made from Darney stone. Jets spurt up to six metres in height in computer-generated patterns from 10am daily, changing sequence every half hour, and the finale is an eruption of nearly 40 jets all at once.