Newcastle Church spires, fine Georgian buildings, quayside and dramatic bridges over the River Tyne.

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, or Newcastle, is located on the banks of the River Tyne’s Estuary. The city got its name when William the Conqueror’s son built a castle on the site where a Roman fort once existed, and named it New Castle. The Castle was rebuilt out of stone by King Henry II in the 1100s. The Castle’s Keep and the Black Gate that was built during that time is what can still be seen today. Climb to the top for spectacular views of Newcastle’s church spires, fine Georgian buildings, quayside and the dramatic bridges over the River Tyne.

After a slump in the economy over thirty years or so, resulting in the demise of the city’s shipyards, the once obsolete factories and warehouses on the banks of the river were recently given a new lease of life with mass regeneration. They are now home to modern office buildings, apartments, museums, galleries, bars and entertainment venues. Stroll along the Tyne from Millennium Bridge and you’ll find many interesting pieces of public art and sculpture.

The historic heart of Newcastle can be found in Grainger Town with the focal point being Grey’s Monument. Visit Grainger Market and the Theatre Royal before wandering down Grey Street, Clayton Street and Grainger Street for some immaculate examples of Georgian architecture, built by Richard Grainger in the early 1800s.

While some visit Newcastle for its hedonistic nightlife, others to see Newcastle Football Club play at St James Park, many use it as a base to explore the beautiful Northumbrian countryside and coast and the ancient Roman remains of Hadrian’s Wall. Just 15 minutes outside of Newcastle, you’ll be greeted with the open arms of the famous sculpture, Angel of the North. At 20 metres high, it weighs 200 tonnes and has a 54 metre wingspan, all made out of weathering steel.

Taking 15,000 men six years to build, the 117 kilometre long Hadrian’s Wall was ordered to be built by Roman Emperor Hadrian over 2,000 years ago. Built between 122 and 128 AD, a remarkable amount of the wall is still intact through Northumberland today and five of the eight forts can still be seen.

Explore Northumberland, and you’ll be rewarded with dune-fringed beaches, dramatic hills, mist-covered valleys, majestic castles and romantic ruins. With more castles than any other county in England, testament to the areas many border wars, Northumberland boasts over 70 castle sites.

Visit Alnwick Castle, home to the Duke of Northumberland and a favourite set for film-makers – it was Hogwarts in the first couple Harry Potter films and also a backdrop in the Blackadder series. Marvel at the grandeur of the fully restored Bamburgh Castle, sleep like royalty in the Langley Castle-Hotel or be spooked in the appropriately named Chillingham Castle, reputed to be one of the most haunted castles in England, and wander its stunning formal gardens and storybook woodlands with deer, squirrels and badgers.