# Northumberland in Winter 2026/27: What's Open, What's Shut, What to Do *Alnwick Castle locks up in October, the seals do their best work in November and the sun's gone before four in December. Here's what's actually open, what isn't, and how to have a canny winter up here anyway.* By Dan Fitzpatrick, Bairns & Beaches. Updated Tuesday 29 September 2026. Canonical: https://bairnsandbeaches.co.uk/guides/northumberland-in-winter.html **The short answer:** In winter 2026/27 Bamburgh Castle (weekends only 4 January to 12 February), The Alnwick Garden with Winter Lights, Christmas at Cragside, Belsay and Kielder's forest and observatory stay open, while Alnwick Castle closes on 22 October 2026 and Chillingham Castle after 1 November. The best things to do in Northumberland in winter are Farne seal pup cruises from Seahouses (late October to January), brent geese on Lindisfarne, stargazing at Kielder or Battlesteads, and a pub with a real fire. The sun sets before 4pm from 16 November to 10 January. Winter is when Northumberland goes quiet. The beaches are yours, the grey seals are having their pups, and a fair chunk of the big attractions lock the gates until spring. So before you plan things to do in Northumberland in winter, you need to know which ones. This covers November 2026 to February 2027: what shuts, what stays open and on which days, seals, geese and dark skies, a few pubs with real fires, and how early it gets dark (very). Checked 29 September 2026. Dates and prices change, so the organiser's link is the one to trust. ## What shuts for winter 2026/27 - Alnwick Castle: its FAQ says it closes on 22 October 2026 (another of its pages says 20 October) and "is not open all year round". It reopens at the end of March, no 2027 date yet. No Hogwarts at Christmas, sorry. - Chillingham Castle: Historic Houses lists the 2026 season as ending 1 November, then closed until Easter 2027. - Heatherslaw Light Railway: last regular day Sunday 1 November 2026. - Aydon Castle near Corbridge: closed for winter, reopening in 2027 (English Heritage). - Kielder Castle: closed for renovation, café and information point shut. - Farne Islands: Inner Farne landings run April to September only. Winter is boats round the islands, no landing. - Lindisfarne Castle: no winter dates published. As a guide only, a Holy Island guesthouse says the 2024 season ran 1 March to 31 October. - Howick Hall Gardens: open to mid November, then shut until the snowdrops. Vindolanda and the Roman Army Museum were open daily in late September; we couldn't read their winter calendar, so check first. ## What stays open, and on which days More than you'd think, if you read the small print on days. Bamburgh is your winter castle, and even it takes weeks off. ### Bamburgh Castle (Bamburgh) Open all year, not every day. It shuts Monday 9 to Friday 13 November 2026 while Christmas goes up, then opens daily 14 November to 3 January with A Christmas Carousel, State Rooms dressed as scenes from Christmas songs and carols (closed 25 and 26 December, per its Christmas page). From 4 January to 12 February it's weekends only, then daily from 13 February. The beach below is free, and in a northerly the view from the dunes is arguably the better half anyway. - Price: From 14 Nov: adult £21, child (5 to 16) £10.50, family (2+3) £61.50, under 5s free; card only - Parking: On-site car park up the hill, £6 a day, not in the ticket - Buggy access: No pushchairs in the State Rooms, so bring a baby carrier - Dogs: Welcome on a short lead - Check first: Weekends only 4 Jan to 12 Feb 2027 - Website: https://www.bamburghcastle.com/visit-us/ ### The Alnwick Garden and Winter Lights (Alnwick) The castle's shut but the garden next door carries on: Thursday to Sunday 10am to 3pm from 2 November to 18 December, daily 19 December to 3 January (closed Christmas Day), then weekends only 4 January to 7 February. The winter draw is Winter Lights, a light and sound trail through the garden and around Lilidorei on one timed ticket, 20 November to 3 January, 4.30pm to 9pm. It's all outdoors, so pick your night off the forecast. - Price: Winter Lights from £11.50 on saver dates to from £20.50 on premium dates - Parking: Shared pay car park with Alnwick Castle, cards accepted - Toilets: Not stated on the pages we read - Dogs: Assistance dogs only at Winter Lights - Check first: Timed entry; prices change by date - Website: https://www.alnwickgarden.com/events/winter-lights/ ### Christmas at Cragside (Rothbury) Saturday 28 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, closed 24 to 26 December. The house is dressed for Christmas (11am to 4pm), and outside the 44.7-metre giant redwood, more than twice the height of the Angel of the North, wears over 1,300 lights as what the National Trust calls the world's tallest bedded Christmas tree. The waymarked Festive 5-miler from the Crozier car park takes up to three hours and justifies a second mince pie. - Price: Christmas admission adult £18, child (5 to 17) £9, family (2+3) £45, before Gift Aid; NT members and under 5s free - Parking: Estate car parks, including Crozier for the walk - Buggy access: The tree is on a pedestrianised stretch of drive, with a more level route from the main car park - Check first: Closed 24 to 26 December; Carriage Drive shuts at 3pm - Website: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/cragside/christmas-at-cragside ### Walking with The Snowman at Belsay (Belsay) From 7 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, twelve giant Snowman sculptures stand round Belsay's grounds, each by a different artist on a Twelve Days of Christmas theme, and the bairns collect hidden letters to spell a Christmas word. Included with admission; booking ahead saves 15%. The paths are mostly flat, which matters when small legs stop working at the far end. - Price: Included with admission (varies by date); English Heritage members free - Parking: About 115 spaces on gravel, free for members, charged for everyone else - Toilets: Near the car park and at the Coach House café, with baby changing - Check first: Winter opening days aren't published; the trail runs 10am to 4pm on open days - Website: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/belsay-hall-walking-with-the-snowman-sat-7-nov-to-sun-10-jan/ English Heritage's Christmas list is its most useful winter page: Dunstanburgh, Warkworth, Lindisfarne Priory, Belsay, Chesters and Corbridge open daily from Sunday 27 December to Sunday 3 January, Housesteads from Saturday 26 December. Other winter days sit behind its booking widget, so pick a date there first. ### Woodhorn Museum (Ashington) The indoor day to keep for sideways rain, just not on a Monday or Tuesday in term time. It opens Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, and daily in Northumberland school holidays; under 18s are free. Festive Tales runs December weekends from 5 December and daily 21 to 24 December: stories, Father Christmas and a gift, £10 a child. - Price: Adults £11 (£10 without the donation), under 18s free - Parking: Free, but a charge applies on busy days - Toilets: On both floors, plus a Changing Places toilet - Buggy access: Level concrete path from the car park - Check first: Follow the museum's directions, not the NE63 9YF postcode - Website: https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/woodhorn/visit ## Is Kielder open in winter? Yes, the forest and the water are there all winter. What's shut is Kielder Castle, the Duke of Northumberland's old hunting lodge that became the forest's visitor centre. ### Kielder Water and Forest Park (Kielder) Forestry England says "Kielder Castle, reopening 2026, trails, Team Cycles and car park open as usual", still with no date at the end of September. The café and information point are closed, so bring a flask. The Forest Drive toll road runs May to December, dawn to dusk. The all-day car park ticket lasts until 3am, which tells you what a lot of people really come here for. - Price: Free to walk; parking £2.50 up to an hour, £6.50 all day (to 3am); Forest Drive toll plus parking £8 - Parking: Forestry England car park at Kielder Castle - Toilets: Not confirmed while the castle is closed - Check first: Café and information point closed; no castle reopening date - Website: https://www.forestryengland.uk/kielder-water-and-forest-park ## Things to do in Northumberland in winter: seals, geese and snowdrops The Farne Islands grey seals pup from late October until January, and the National Trust says around 3,000 are born there each autumn, about 2.5 per cent of Britain's grey seal pups. There's no landing in winter. You go round in a boat, spot white fluffy pups on the rocks and try not to think about your nose. ### Billy Shiel's grey seal cruise (Seahouses) Ninety minutes round all the islands from Seahouses harbour, sailing all year when the weather allows, with pup views "from late October until January". Dogs are welcome; check in 30 minutes before sailing. Rough seas cancel trips, which in a North Sea December is not rare, so keep a plan B. Serenity Farne Island Tours sails daily except Christmas Day: £22 adults, £17 children 15 and under, under 5s free. - Price: £22 adults; child fares for 5 to 15; under 5s count as infants - Parking: Seahouses main car park - Toilets: Public toilets next to the main car park - Check first: No landing in winter; trips cancel in rough seas - Website: https://www.farne-islands.com/trips/grey-seal-cruise-trip/ Then the geese. Every autumn light-bellied brent geese fly in from Svalbard to the Lindisfarne mudflats, and Natural England says it's their only regular wintering site in Britain, with 40 per cent of the world population. The RSPB gives November to March as their peak. The North Northumberland Bird Club says geese roost in Budle Bay at dusk, and you can watch from the white railings on the Bamburgh to Waren Mill road with the car as a hide, the only birdwatching a six-year-old tolerates. ### Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve (Holy Island) Natural England's mudflats, saltmarsh and dunes round Holy Island. Alongside the brent geese come wigeon, grey plover and bar-tailed godwit, and the bird club adds whooper swans and short-eared owls. The hide on the island's Lough is open at all times. Check socks, boots and the dog for pirri-pirri bur, a non-native dune plant that clings to clothes and fur. - Price: Free (parking charges apply) - Parking: Chare Ends car park on the island: 3 hours £7, 4 hours £8, 24 hours £10.50, charged 8am to 6pm - Buggy access: Sand, grass and dune paths away from the village - Check first: The council's safe crossing times, every time - Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/northumberlands-national-nature-reserves/northumberlands-national-nature-reserves If you go over, the causeway floods twice a day and you can only drive across within Northumberland County Council's safe crossing times, allowing 30 minutes extra because weather can shift them. The refuge box on the causeway is not a viewing platform. ### Howick Hall Gardens (Howick) By February everyone wants signs of life, and snowdrops come first. Howick's flower from February into March, mostly planted between the wars by Lady Grey. The gardens are open daily until mid November, then shut until the snowdrop season; in 2026 that started on 7 February, and the 2027 date isn't announced, so treat early February as a guide only. The Earl Grey Teahouse is open to garden visitors. - Price: 2026: adult £12.65, over 60s £11.50, child (5 to 16) £4, under 4s free, family £28.45 - Parking: Details on the gardens' directions page - Buggy access: Most paths accessible but gravel or grass; the East Arboretum is too hilly for wheelchairs - Check first: 2027 snowdrop opening date - Website: https://howickhallgardens.com/ ## Dark skies and Kielder Observatory in winter Winter is stargazing season. The Northumberland International Dark Sky Park is Gold tier and about 572 square miles, and by our calculation it's fully dark at Kielder from about 6pm in mid December, which is kind to bedtimes. The Royal Observatory Greenwich has the Geminids peaking on Monday 14 December 2026 at up to 120 an hour, and the Quadrantids on the night of 3 to 4 January 2027. ### Kielder Observatory (Kielder) Up a forest track on Black Fell, with resident astronomers and big telescopes. Evening sessions run most nights through winter and go ahead in any weather, with talks and tours if it's cloudy, "unless weather conditions prevent access". It can book up three months ahead and tickets are non-refundable, so for Christmas or February half term you may already be late. Main sessions suit 12 and over, Space Kids sessions are for 6 to 12s, nobody under 4. Closed 24 to 27 December and 31 December to 1 January. - Price: £39 main evenings, £42 some weekend evenings, £49 late sessions, £25 family events (autumn 2026 prices) - Parking: Free at the observatory during events, up a two-mile single-track stone road (15mph) - Toilets: Two composting toilets, one wheelchair accessible; no baby change - Check first: Bring your warmest clothes; it gets very cold up there - Website: https://kielderobservatory.org/our-events ### Battlesteads Dark Sky Observatory (Wark) Behind the Battlesteads hotel at Wark, a fair bit nearer Tyneside than Kielder. The winter treat is the Shooting Star Supper: soup and sandwiches, then meteorites to hold and shooting stars to watch, at 9pm on Sunday 13 and Monday 14 December (Geminids) and Sunday 3 January (Quadrantids), ages 8 and up, with indoor activities if it's cloudy. Ordinary sessions are £22.50 for adults, none on 24 to 26 or 31 December. - Price: Shooting Star Supper £27.50 adults, £24.50 concessions, £75.50 family of four - Parking: At the hotel; the 680 bus from Hexham stops outside if you ask - Toilets: Hotel toilets, open to observatory guests - Check first: Advance booking essential - Website: https://www.battlesteads.com/observatory ## Winter beaches and walks The coast is at its best in winter, in my opinion, because you've got it to yourselves. January at Boulmer averages a high of 7.3°C and the wind makes it feel worse, so hats, and plan to be back at the car by half three in December. ### Dunstanburgh Castle from Craster (Craster) The classic winter stomp: 1.3 miles along the coast from Craster to the ruin, on an exposed path over grassy farmland, so boots and a proper coat. The castle opens daily 27 December to 3 January; other winter days are on English Heritage's booking page, but the walk is worth it with the gate shut. Craster's car park machines take coins. - Price: Walk free; castle prices vary by date, 15% off booked ahead - Parking: Council car park in Craster, about 60 spaces, coin machines - Toilets: Two unisex toilets at the castle - Buggy access: Partly: grassy farmland, steps and uneven paths - Check first: Castle open daily 27 Dec to 3 Jan; other days on English Heritage's site - Website: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/dunstanburgh-castle/ ### East Chevington and Druridge Bay (Druridge Bay) Northumberland Wildlife Trust's biggest reserve on this stretch, where October to March brings bittern, owls, pink-footed geese and whooper swans. Level paths and a boardwalk mean it works with a buggy. Next door, the council's Druridge Bay Country Park has three miles of beach and dunes, a café and toilets open 9am to 5pm daily. - Price: Free - Parking: On site, or at Druridge Bay Country Park: first hour free, up to 2 hours £3, over 2 hours £5, Blue Badge free - Buggy access: Yes: level paths and a wide boardwalk - Toilets: At Druridge Bay Country Park, 9am to 5pm daily - Check first: Dogs on a lead on the reserve - Website: https://www.nwt.org.uk/nature-reserves/east-chevington ### Sycamore Gap on New Year's Day (Once Brewed) Northumberland National Park's guided five-mile circuit from The Sill on Friday 1 January 2027, 11am to 2pm, along Hadrian's Wall past Sycamore Gap and Crag Lough. Rugged, with 688 feet of climbing, no dogs, booking required. A reliable way to find out who overdid it the night before. - Price: Under 16s free with a paying adult; adult price on the booking page - Parking: The Sill: first 15 minutes free, up to 2 hours £3, then £1 an hour to £6 - Toilets: 24-hour toilets at The Sill - Check first: Booking required; no dogs - Website: https://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/whats-on/sycamore-gap-on-new-years-day-1st-jan/ > My winter rule up here: castle in the morning, beach at lunch, pub by half three, and never trust a single-track road you haven't seen in daylight. ## Pubs with real fires Only pubs where the pub itself or CAMRA's guide says there's a real fire, because "cosy" on a website can mean a radiator with ambition. Winter hours shift, so ring before driving miles for Sunday dinner. ### The Olde Ship Inn (Seahouses) A 1745 farmhouse, licensed since 1812 and in the same family since 1910, with three bars full of maritime bits. CAMRA lists a real fire and puts it on its National Inventory of historic pub interiors. Dog and family friendly, in the same village as the seal boats, so the day plans itself. - Price: Not checked - Parking: Blue Badge parking only; use the village car park - Buggy access: Step-free through the rear door from the car park - Check first: Food times; CAMRA lists noon to 8pm on weekdays - Website: https://camra.org.uk/pubs/olde-ship-inn-seahouses-193210 ### The Ship Inn (Low Newton-by-the-Sea) In the corner of a square of old fishermen's cottages a few yards from the beach, with its own microbrewery. CAMRA lists a real fire; dogs and families welcome. Winter supper nights (a set menu with the brewery) are 12 November, 9 December, 13 January and 10 February, booked on 01665 576262. No pub parking: you walk down from the car park at the top of the hill, and back up after pudding. - Price: Not checked; the winter supper is a set menu - Parking: No pub parking; public car park at the top of the hill - Buggy access: Step-free through the front door - Check first: Winter hours; CAMRA lists Monday, Tuesday and Sunday closing at 6pm - Website: https://www.shipinnnewton.co.uk/ ### The Pheasant Inn (Stannersburn) Near Kielder Water, and its own website promises "oak beams and open fires". Closed Mondays and Tuesdays; Wednesday to Sunday it serves lunch 12 to 2pm and evening meals 6 to 8pm, bar 5.30 to 10.30pm. A sensible tea stop before a Kielder stargazing night. - Price: Not checked - Parking: Not stated on the page we read - Toilets: Not stated on the page we read - Check first: Closed Mondays and Tuesdays - Website: https://www.thepheasantinn.com/ ### Twice Brewed Inn (Once Brewed) Sharing a postcode with The Sill, it invites you to "warm up by the fire after a bracing walk exploring Hadrian's Wall" and brews its own ales. Since May 2026 it has also had Kielder Observatory's satellite observatory and planetarium, booked through the observatory, not the pub. Tea, fire, planetarium: a very efficient evening. - Price: Not checked; planetarium sessions priced on Kielder Observatory's booking page - Parking: At the inn - Toilets: Pub toilets - Check first: Book observatory sessions through Kielder Observatory (0191 265 5510) - Website: https://www.twicebrewedinn.co.uk/ ## How short are the days? Sunset times for winter 2026/27 Short. The clocks go back on Sunday 25 October 2026. These are our own calculations for Alnwick (NOAA method, good to a minute or two, not official); Hexham and Kielder are a few minutes later. - Sunday 1 November: sunrise 7.12am, sunset 4.27pm. - Monday 16 November to Sunday 10 January: the sun sets before 4pm. - Thursday 10 December: earliest sunset, 3.35pm. - Monday 21 December, the shortest day: 8.32am to 3.36pm, about 7 hours 4 minutes of daylight. - Friday 1 January: 8.34am to 3.46pm. - Monday 1 February: 8am to 4.41pm. - From Wednesday 10 February: sunset at 5pm or later again. Civil dusk, roughly torch time on a path, is about 45 minutes after sunset, so on 1 December you've until about 4.25pm. Walk before lunch, not after. Six and seven year olds do not improve in the dark. ## Does it snow in Northumberland? Snow, ice and hill roads Sometimes, and it depends where you are. The Met Office says the UK averages 13 days of lying snow a year (1991 to 2020), most of it in mountainous areas, and that precipitation falls as snow below 2°C. January nights at Boulmer on the coast average 2°C, so the coast often sits right on the line. The Cheviots and the Kielder side are higher and further inland, and Kielder Observatory warns it gets very cold. The practical bits. The observatory's last two miles are a single-track stone forest road, and sessions only stop if the weather blocks access. Northumberland County Council posts gritting and road news on its winter services pages; check them and the forecast before heading up the valleys, and if it's snowing inland, do a coast day instead. For the moors, carry a blanket, water and snacks, and set off with a full tank. ## What's on in Northumberland this winter Christmas lights, markets and Santa have their own guides, and the Almanac has everything else. These are the other winter dates I'd plan round. ### Kielder Winter Wonderland (Kielder) A full-day Christmas experience at Kielder Waterside with Mrs Christmas, the elves' workshop, reindeer, a theatre show and Father Christmas, on 28 and 29 November and 5, 6, 12, 13 and 19 to 23 December 2026. Saturday 28 November is a relaxed day at half capacity with reduced noise. - Price: From £44.50 per person aged 2 and over, under 2s £10, plus a £6 booking fee - Parking: Not stated on the dates page - Toilets: Not stated on the dates page - Check first: Session times are allocated when you book - Website: https://www.kielderwinterwonderland.com/dates-prices/ ### Allendale Tar Bar'l (Allendale) New Year's Eve: crowds gather from 11pm, barrels are lit about 11.30pm, and around 45 guisers, all born in the Allen Valleys, carry blazing tar barrels on their heads to light the market place bonfire at midnight. Free, no booking. That's the long-standing pattern from Visit Northumberland; there's no organiser website, so no 2026 announcement as such. - Price: Free - Parking: Limited; cars can stretch back as far as Catton, so plan to walk in - Buggy access: Packed streets at midnight; we'd leave the buggy at home - Check first: Wear clothes you don't mind getting sparks on - Website: https://www.visitnorthumberland.com/explore/seasons/winter/tar-barl ### Seahouses Boxing Day Dip (Seahouses) A charity dip in the North Sea off Seahouses beach on Saturday 26 December 2026, listed for 10am, for the RNLI and Northumberland Hospice. Spectators welcome, and cheering from the sand in a big coat counts as taking part. - Price: See the listing for entry details - Parking: At the Beach House Hotel, per the listing - Toilets: Public toilets next to Seahouses main car park - Check first: Start time on the Visit Northumberland listing - Website: https://www.visitnorthumberland.com/explore/things-to-do/events/outdoor-event/boxing-day-dip-2026 ### Alnwick Shrovetide Football (Alnwick) Shrove Tuesday, 9 February 2027: the ball is thrown from the Alnwick Castle barbican at about 2pm, a procession crosses the Lion Bridge to the Pastures, and two parishes play until someone scores two hales, the ball often ending up in the River Aln. Free to watch. The date comes from Calendar Customs, not an organiser, so check nearer the time, and stand well back. - Price: Free to watch - Parking: Alnwick town car parks - Buggy access: A riverside field; expect mud - Check first: Date is from a secondary source; it's in term time - Website: https://calendarcustoms.com/articles/alnwick-football/ ## Questions people ask **Does it snow in Northumberland?** Yes, sometimes, and far more on the hills than on the coast. The Met Office puts the UK average at 13 days of lying snow a year (1991 to 2020), mostly on high ground, and January nights at Boulmer on the coast average 2°C, right about where rain turns to snow. **Is Northumberland cold?** Yes, in winter. January at Boulmer on the coast averages a high of 7.3°C and a low of 2°C (Met Office 1991 to 2020 averages), and Kielder Observatory warns visitors that it gets very cold up there, so bring your warmest clothes. **Is Alnwick Castle open in December?** No. Alnwick Castle's FAQ says it closes on 22 October 2026 and is not open all year round, reopening at the end of March (no 2027 date yet). The Alnwick Garden next door is open, with Winter Lights evenings from 20 November to 3 January. **Is Bamburgh Castle open all year round?** Yes, but not every day. It's closed 9 to 13 November 2026 while Christmas goes up, open daily 14 November to 3 January (its Christmas page says closed 25 and 26 December), weekends only 4 January to 12 February, then daily from 13 February 2027. **Is Kielder open?** Yes. Forestry England says Kielder's trails, car park and Team Cycles are open as usual, but Kielder Castle is closed for renovation with no reopening date and its café and information point are shut. The Forest Drive toll road runs May to December. **Is Holy Island open?** Yes, the island is open all year, but the causeway floods twice a day, so only drive over within Northumberland County Council's safe crossing times and allow 30 minutes extra in bad weather. English Heritage opens Lindisfarne Priory daily from 27 December to 3 January; Lindisfarne Castle's winter dates aren't published. **What's on in Northumberland in December?** Winter Lights at The Alnwick Garden (from 20 November), Christmas at Cragside (28 November to 3 January), Kielder Winter Wonderland (selected days to 23 December) and Shooting Star Suppers at Battlesteads on 13 and 14 December. The Allendale Tar Bar'l ends the year at midnight on 31 December. ## Sources - Bamburgh Castle: Visit us (opening times and prices): https://www.bamburghcastle.com/visit-us/ - Bamburgh Castle: A Christmas Carousel 2026: https://www.bamburghcastle.com/events/a-christmas-carousel-christmas-installation-2026/ - Alnwick Castle: FAQs: https://www.alnwickcastle.com/plan-your-visit/visitor-information/faqs - Alnwick Castle: Plan your visit: https://www.alnwickcastle.com/plan-your-visit/ - The Alnwick Garden: Opening times and prices: https://www.alnwickgarden.com/the-garden/opening-times-and-prices/ - The Alnwick Garden: Winter Lights: https://www.alnwickgarden.com/events/winter-lights/ - National Trust: Christmas at Cragside: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/cragside/christmas-at-cragside - National Trust: Cragside's tallest bedded Christmas tree: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/cragside/events/6f230565-5935-4cc5-a75b-5027337a5a0d - English Heritage: Walking with The Snowman at Belsay: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/belsay-hall-walking-with-the-snowman-sat-7-nov-to-sun-10-jan/ - English Heritage: Belsay facilities: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/belsay-hall-castle-and-gardens/plan-your-visit/facilities/ - English Heritage: Places to visit between Christmas and New Year: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/christmas/places-to-visit-between-christmas-and-new-year/ - English Heritage: Aydon Castle: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/aydon-castle/ - English Heritage: Dunstanburgh Castle: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/dunstanburgh-castle/ - English Heritage: Dunstanburgh Castle facilities: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/dunstanburgh-castle/facilities/ - Historic Houses: Chillingham Castle: https://www.historichouses.org/house/chillingham-castle/visit/ - Heatherslaw Light Railway: https://www.heatherslawlightrailway.co.uk/ - Vindolanda: FAQs: https://www.vindolanda.com/frequentlyaskequestions - Woodhorn Museum: Plan your visit: https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/woodhorn/visit - Woodhorn Museum: Festive Tales: https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/woodhorn/whats-on/festive-tales - Forestry England: Kielder Water and Forest Park: https://www.forestryengland.uk/kielder-water-and-forest-park - Forestry England: Kielder Castle: https://www.forestryengland.uk/kielder-castle - National Trust: Farne Islands: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/farne-islands - National Trust: Seals on the Farne Islands: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/farne-islands/seals-on-the-farne-islands - Billy Shiel's: Grey seal cruise: https://www.farne-islands.com/trips/grey-seal-cruise-trip/ - Serenity Farne Island Tours: Sail around: https://farneislandstours.co.uk/farne-islands-sail-around/ - National Trust: Lindisfarne Castle: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/lindisfarne-castle - Holy-island.uk: Visiting Lindisfarne Castle (2024 season pattern): https://holy-island.uk/visiting-lindisfarne-castle/ - Northumberland County Council: Holy Island safe crossing times: https://holyislandcrossingtimes.northumberland.gov.uk/ - Northumberland County Council: Coastal car parks: https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/parking/parking-locations/coastal-car-parks - Natural England: Northumberland's National Nature Reserves: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/northumberlands-national-nature-reserves/northumberlands-national-nature-reserves - RSPB: Brent goose: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/brent-goose - Howick Hall Gardens: https://howickhallgardens.com/ - Howick Hall Gardens: Snowdrop walks: https://howickhallgardens.com/things-to-see-do-at-howick-hall-gardens/howick-hall-gardens/snowdrop-walks-around-howick-hall-gardens/ - Howick Hall Gardens: Plan your visit: https://howickhallgardens.com/plan-your-visit/ - Kielder Observatory: Event information: https://kielderobservatory.org/event-information-2 - Kielder Observatory: Events: https://kielderobservatory.org/our-events - Kielder Observatory: Twice Brewed Inn observatory: https://kielderobservatory.org/the-observatory/twice-brewed-inn - Battlesteads Dark Sky Observatory: https://www.battlesteads.com/observatory - Battlesteads: Shooting Star Supper (Geminids): https://www.battlesteads.com/observatory/events/food-under-the-stars/shooting-star-supper/4040 - Battlesteads: Shooting Star Supper (Quadrantids): https://www.battlesteads.com/observatory/events/food-under-the-stars/shooting-star-supper/4123 - Visit Northumberland: Dark skies: https://www.visitnorthumberland.com/explore/destinations/darkskies - Royal Observatory Greenwich: Meteor shower guide: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/meteor-shower-guide - Northumberland Wildlife Trust: East Chevington: https://www.nwt.org.uk/nature-reserves/east-chevington - Northumberland National Park: Sycamore Gap on New Year's Day: https://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/whats-on/sycamore-gap-on-new-years-day-1st-jan/ - The Sill: Car parking: https://www.thesill.org.uk/visit/car-parking/ - CAMRA: Olde Ship Inn, Seahouses: https://camra.org.uk/pubs/olde-ship-inn-seahouses-193210 - CAMRA: Ship Inn, Low Newton-by-the-Sea: https://camra.org.uk/pubs/ship-inn-low-newton-by-the-sea-193211 - The Ship Inn: Winter supper dates 2026: https://www.shipinnnewton.co.uk/winter-supper-menu-dates-2026.html - The Pheasant Inn, Stannersburn: https://www.thepheasantinn.com/ - Twice Brewed Inn: https://www.twicebrewedinn.co.uk/ - Met Office: Snow: https://weather.metoffice.gov.uk/learn-about/weather/types-of-weather/snow - Wikipedia: Boulmer (Met Office 1991 to 2020 climate averages): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boulmer - GOV.UK: When do the clocks change: https://www.gov.uk/when-do-the-clocks-change - Northumberland County Council: gritting and ploughing: https://drupal.northumberland.gov.uk/node/407 - Kielder Winter Wonderland: Dates and prices: https://www.kielderwinterwonderland.com/dates-prices/ - Visit Northumberland: Allendale Tar Bar'l: https://www.visitnorthumberland.com/explore/seasons/winter/tar-barl - Visit Northumberland: Boxing Day Dip 2026: https://www.visitnorthumberland.com/explore/things-to-do/events/outdoor-event/boxing-day-dip-2026 - Calendar Customs: Alnwick Shrovetide Football: https://calendarcustoms.com/articles/alnwick-football/