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Cottages and self-catering holiday properties available to rent direct from the owners, in the the North East of England. From Holidaycottages.cc.
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For your holiday cottage in North East England
 It
isn't only Geordies who live in Northumbria. The whole of north east
England (Durham, Northumberland, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the other coastal
cities) has a distinctive cultural identity (not to mention accents)
that make it feel very different from the rest of England. Most southern
English have never been here and are probably more familiar with France
or Florida. Which in itself is an excellent reason for going –
there's nothing like the thrill of discovery, especially in your own
country.
Find out more about the areas below and choose between holiday cottages
in Northumberland, Durham
and on the coast of North East England.
Holiday cottages in Northumberland
The good news about the weather is that Northumbria is one of the drier
parts of the UK and, this far north, it enjoys extra-long summer evenings.
The coastline is stunning, particularly towards the north, and you never
have to drive far inland before the road starts to rise as you approach
the Pennines. Added to the natural beauty of coast and hill are some
great towns and cities, of which the greatest are Durham with its cathedral
and Newcastle with its bridges and newly revived and vibrant city centre
and nightlife. There are still areas of industrial dereliction and dreary
housing, but it's stimulating to visit an area that feels so go-ahead
and sure of its own identity.
Cottage holidays in and around Durham
 Durham
is one of those cities you just have to visit. Even if you're not into
churches, the Norman cathedral, perched above a loop in the River Wear,
is simply stunning. County Durham used to be run by the Prince Bishops,
whose job in the Middle Ages was to run the place and stave off the
chaos to the north, and there are several interesting towns that reflect
their iron rule, including Bishop Auckland and Barnard Castle. Coal
mining has left a legacy of industrial towns (the Beamish mine museum
gives a taste of what life underground was like), but there is attractive
countryside to the west in Teesdale and Weardale. These valleys lead
up to high Pennine moorland that runs north to Hexham and Hadrian's
Wall.
Newcastle cottage holidays
Turn right when you reach Hadrian's Wall (now a continuous path and
well worth a visit) and you will eventually descend to the city of Newcastle.
The redevelopment of Newcastle has concentrated on its Tyne frontage.
There's a stunning new curved pedestrian bridge across to Gateshead
and the riverside Baltic Centre for Visual Arts (a huge former flour
mill) and a string of new and revamped hotels, offices and other buildings.
They say you need to be there after midnight to experience the true
liveliness of the place.
Newcastle is great for a day (or night) out, but the area to the north
is where an increasing number of holidaymakers head and where good holiday
cottages can be found. From Whitley Bay, just outside Newcastle, to
Berwick-upon-Tweed on the Scottish border, lies a sweep of wild coastline
with some of Britain's best beaches, most dramatic castles and oldest
historical and religious sites. It has been collectively labelled the
North Northumberland Heritage Coast and it – and the countryside,
towns and villages inland – makes a superb cottage holiday destination.
Holiday cottages on the coast
Alnmouth, idyllically situated on a sweep of beach, is a pretty seaside
town and a few miles inland is Alnwick, recently declared the best place
in Britain to live! There are lots of holiday cottages in the area,
which is within easy reach of Bamburgh Castle. On the coast opposite
the Farne Islands, this is one of Britain's most photographed sites,
while just to the north is Holy Island, linked to the mainland by a
tidal causeway and home to Lindisfarne Castle and Priory. Just a few
miles further north is Berwick-upon-Tweed, an attractive town that marks
the end of England. Inland, the National Park stretches up into the
Cheviot Hills on the Scottish border: this is superb walking country.
Search
for your holiday cottage in North East England:
More information is on our NE England holiday
planning guide:
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