 Northumberland is
England
's most northern county and the least populated of all. North Northumberland, that borders Scotland to the North and the North Sea to the East of the county is an area of outstanding beauty, both along the coast and inland through the Cheviot Hills. It has a rich and turbulent history, with many castles and fortified houses that have witnessed centuries of conflict between the English and the Scots and, even before those violent days, the Romans and the Vikings. Hill forts of 5,000 years old can still be clearly seen and recently the oldest house ever discovered in the whole of
Britain
was uncovered here. It dates back 10,000 years! A visit to
Hadrian's Wall
and the Roman Forts will also give you a clear impression of how life was on the extremity of the
Roman
Empire
.
The people of
North Northumberland
are very friendly and welcoming and they have an affinity with the Scots, despite for example, it is said that when the last Scotsman leaves the town of
Alnwick
, the Lion on the
Lion
Bridge
will wag its tail. On the other hand, in Berwick upon
Tweed
, the people still talk with a Scottish dialect and their football team plays in
Scotland
and not in
England
. The history that created these facts, stories, myths, heroes and heroines is all around to be seen.
The Holy Island of Lindisfarne, which is only accessible across a tidal causeway, was the birthplace of Christianity in
England
and a large amount of the priory still remains, where monks were killed by the Viking invaders. Fortunately, their recipe for Lindisfarne Mead (a local honey-based liqueur) survived and is still made to this day.
 Putting the wars, conflicts and turbulence of man aside, the area has arguably the most diverse and interesting landscape and environment in
England
. Inland, for instance at Ingram Valley, College Valley and the Cheviot Hills, there are massive tracts of land through which you can walk without meeting another human being. The same also applies to many of the golden beaches along the coast. The
Farne
Islands
also provide a perfect opportunity of getting close to the seabirds and seals. Boat trips regularly sail from Seahouses (4 miles to the South). And a stay at Orchard Cottage is likely to bring you into close contact with dozens of different types of birds (we have more than 45 different species) and other wildlife.
North Northumberland
has an excellent road and rail network, linking it to
Newcastle
to the South (with its continental ferry terminal and international airport) and
Edinburgh
to the North (with its international airport). Orchard cottage is 2 miles from the A1 London to
Edinburgh
trunk road.
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