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which in turn leads to the formal garden. Children will love exploring Nelly’s Labyrinth, a network of
paths and tunnels cut out of a vast area of rhododendron forest.

Armstrong was a remarkable man. He made his fortune from armaments by inventing the
advanced muzzle loading Armstrong gun. But he was also a visionary, advocating the use of
renewable energy. He said coal “was used wastefully and extravagantly in all its applications”, and
predicted in 1863 that Britain would cease to produce coal within two centuries. As well as
pioneering the use of hydroelectricity, he also supported solar power, pointing out that the solar
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energy received by 1-acre (4,000 m ) in tropical areas would “exert the amazing power of 4,000
horses acting for nearly nine hours every day”

Alnwick Castle (pictured) looks for all the world like a classic
kid’s sand castle, just bigger. It is the seat of the Duke of
Northumberland, built following the Norman Conquest, and
renovated and remodelled a number of times. It is a Grade I
listed building. Behind only Windsor Castle, it is the second
largest occupied castle in Britain. In it you will find opulent
state rooms filled with a stunning array of art and furniture
collected over the years by the Percy family.

The castle most recently featured as Rouen in the BBC’s series of Shakespeare adaptations The
Hollow Crown: The Wars Of The Roses, as well as starring as the magnificent Brancaster Castle
in Downton Abbey’s 2015 Christmas special. Having already featured as Hogwarts in the first two
Harry Potter films, as well as appearing in Elizabeth and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

The Holy Island of Lindisfarne. Lying just a few miles off the coast, Holy Island carries a wealth of
history within its tidal walls.

It contains one of the region’s most revered treasures Lindisfarne Priory. The epicentre of
Christianity in Anglo Saxon times, Lindisfarne Priory was the birthplace of the Lindisfarne Gospels,
one of the world’s most precious books now held in the British Museum

Ransacked by marauding Viking raiders in the 8th century, the ruins of Lindisfarne Priory includes
the famous ‘rainbow bridge’ which spirals skywards with the ghost of a long-vanished tower.

Rising from the sheer rock face at the tip of the island is Lindisfarne Castle. Built to defend a
harbour sheltering English ships during skirmishes with Scotland, the castle caught the eye of
Edward Hudson, founder of Country Life magazine. Celebrated architect Edward Lutyens gave the
castle a luxurious makeover turning it into a comfortable but quirky holiday home. Explore the
castle’s rooms today, which remain largely unchanged.

Flodden Field, nr Coldstream, scene of one of the most terrible battles between England and
Scotland where the flower of Scottish manhood was slaughtered by the English army. Between
15,000 and 17,000 Scots were killed to the English army’s loss of about 1500.

Mellerstain, at Kelso, one of Scotland’s great Georgian houses, was begun in 1725 by Scottish
architect William Adam and completed in 1778 by his more famous son, Robert. The result is an
outstanding example of 18th century Scottish architecture, and some say one of Robert Adam’s
finest works.

The interior decoration is outstanding – the ceilings are especially worthy of note, having been
preserved in the original Adam colours. The Library is a masterpiece of Classical decoration and
colour – fine detailed plasterwork incorporating marble busts by Roubiliac.