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Exploring Hadrian’s Wall Country by Train

May 4, 2018 in Uncategorized 16


*Collaboration

Picturesque views, no traffic jams and no bickering over who’s going to be designated driver! What’s not to love about travelling by train?

day out by train ideas

James and I enjoyed a wonderful day out by train recently when Northern got in touch giving us the chance to review their Day Ranger tickets. You won’t find these special tickets online as they can only be bought in person from ticket offices but they are well worth hunting out because they allow you to hop on and off the train as much as you want along a chosen route – turning a day out in to a real adventure!

Here’s a little run down of our experience…

The Route

northern rail route

The Hadrian’s Wall Country Line was our chosen route and with stops across the breadth of the country from Sunderland to Whitehaven, it gave us the opportunity explore city, coast and country.

James and I are easily distracted though and never quite made it across to the West coast of England but we did manage to squeeze four different destinations in to a fun filled day.

A Chilled Morning in Newcastle

The Quayside Seaside is back!

Newcastle Castle

Soaking up the culture at Newcastle Castle

It might seem daft that we devoted some of our day to Newcastle as we live here but we couldn’t resist stopping for morning coffee on Grey Street. We also had a wander around the grounds of Newcastle Castle before a quick visit to the Quayside where we got to see Gateshead Millennium Bridge tilting in all its glory. If you want to witness it for yourself then check out the times HERE .

Quirky Corbridge

Image Credit: Ian Wylie

Corbridge is a charming Northumberland village filled with cosy tearooms and independent shops (I LOVE Finale Shoes and RE Homewares). There are some lovely riverside walks to enjoy and James and I even stumbled across a tiny micro-brewery inside an 18th century church tower! They say the best things come in small packages and that’s certainly true of Pele Tower, I had to drag James away!

Hiding From the Rain in Haltwhistle

I’d never been to Haltwhistle before but when I heard that the town is located in the exact centre of Britain I thought it would be an interesting place to visit. Sadly the weather took a turn for the worse as we arrived so we sheltered from the rain in Mr George’s Museum of Time where James got to eye up some vintage Rolex watches.

We then made a dash for The Black Bull, a cosy, traditional pub with an open fire and delicious fish and chips! We’ve made plans to head back in the summer when we will hopefully get the chance to enjoy some of Haltwhistle’s famous countryside walks.

Exploring the Castle in Carlisle

Not wanting to let the rain dampen our spirits we decided to squeeze in one last trip, to Carlisle.

Carlisle Castle has stood proudly in the heart of the city for over 900 years and because we had travelled there by train we got 2 for 1 entrance. There are loads of deals like this on the Northern website… www.northernrailway.co.uk/2-for-1-offers/carlisle-castle

I love English Heritage sites, they are always worth a visit and Carlisle Castle is easily big enough to spend a few hours, even in the rain!

Saturday Night in the Toon

Yummy food from The French Quarter

As we relaxed on the train back to Newcastle we got the urge for some fancy food and a few glasses of wine, it was Saturday night after all! So, we grabbed the last available table at one of our favourite restaurants; The French Quarter. It was a wonderful end to a brilliant day!

See more in this little Vlog we captured of our day out by train…

*This post is sponsored by Northern who supplied us with Day Ranger tickets for the purpose of this review. As always, all opinions are my own and I am happy to recommend these tickets as they offer great value for money! (Adult: £21.70 Child: £10.85 Railcard: £14.35)To find out more about Northern’s Rangers and Rovers tickets head to: www.northernrailway.co.uk/tickets/33-rangers-and-rovers
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Sam | North East Family Fun Travel Blog

What a fab deal Rachel – definitely something I’d consider doing with the kids this summer x

Anonymous
Anonymous
5 years ago

Looks brill Rach! I can’t see the “Vlog” though?

AtulHost
5 years ago

Thanks for sharing your experience.

newgirlintoon
5 years ago

We were without a car for ages and we relied so heavily on public transport to get us out and about exploring the North East, we’re so lucky that we can get to so many places by bus, train and Metro! We used to often get the train to Corbridge, such an easy little trip from Newcastle, we never made it beyond though so interesting to see what’s further down the train track!

Love the vlog, you should do more – you’re so good on camera!

Rachel
Rachel
5 years ago

That looks amazing

Kirstey
Kirstey
5 years ago

Totally didn’t realise there was so much to do on my door step! Thanks for the tips Rachel x

Anonymous
Anonymous
5 years ago

This looks amazing Giving me weekend inspiration!

Katie Jane
5 years ago

Such a good idea! I love getting the train! Katie x

Newcastle Family Life
5 years ago

I used to go on Northern rail trips all the time with work (I worked as a support worker) they were always a great value day out. xx

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