Our next stop was to Alnwick Castle, recently made famous for its use in the Harry Potter films. The castle is located along the River Aln, in the attractive market town of Alnwick, with its compact warren of cobbled streets, old stone buildings and narrow alleys. It is a great fortress. “Described by the Victorians as the “Windsor of the north”, it is the main seat of the Duke of Northumberland, whose family, the Percys, have lived here since 1309. This border stronghold has survived many battles, but now peacefully overlooks a landscape designed by Capability Brown. The stern medieval exterior belies the treasure house within, furnished in palatial Renaissance style with a collection of Meissen china and paintings by Titian, Van Dyck and Canaletto. The Postern Tower contains early British and Roman relics. 

We enjoyed strolling the sprawling castle and laughing at the cute English children who were so excited to see part of Hogwarts. One charming little boy stood on the ramparts singing, “Bah, bah, black sheep,” to the ebony-faced sheep below. And a darling little girl in pink rain boots persisted to play hide-and-seek with her grandfather. My husband and I also had fun locating the stuffed chicks and dragons hidden throughout the rooms inside the castle for children to find. 

The drive through the countryside south and west of Alnwick was among the most beautiful and atmospheric of our trip. Barren, rolling moors gave way to forests, and then vast expanses of pastureland. I would love to return there in the future to hike through the inspiring countryside.