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Tim’s Coffee Adventures - Edition 1 Northumberland

  • by Tim Linley
Tim’s Coffee Adventures - Edition 1  Northumberland

Exploring new places in search of my next caffeine hit is my kind of heaven.

My caffeine addiction has led me to so many wonderful places and experiences and Northumbria was no different.

I’m an old romantic at heart and believe the best way to get to know a place is to get completely lost in it. 

Here’s what I found on my adventures.

Barter's  Books

The Old Alnwick Train Station has been restored into the best second hand book shop I have ever been to. Who doesn’t love being surrounded by books. I lost myself for hours here. It’s full of the original train features and a working model railway shuttles along above your head as you move from one room to the next. There’s a lovely cafe located in the old waiting room with home cooked meals and original British Rail posters and maps. The macaroni cheese is delicious. 

Top Tip Get there early to curl up in front of the open fire on the inevitable Northumbrian rain day. The best seat in the house.

Lindisfarne / Pilgrim Coffee


How far out of your way would you go to get a cup of coffee? Would you wait two hours for the tide to go down so you can visit a coffee shop on a remote island?  The answeris in my case, is I would and I did. It was worth it. Despite the atrocious weather I walked around the old priory and to the castle and I was very happy with my photo of the sheep .


Pilgrim Coffee was superb. Everything is roasted on site and the coffee bar is plush with all the latest nerdy barista gear. Trained baristas and an open fire to warm you up and in my case dry me off.  Amazing.


Alnwick, Alnwick Castle Parkrun


It was bloody freezing but it was bloody amazing. The morning light against the castle was spectacular. You may recognise Alnwick Castle, it was the location of the scene where witches and wizards learn to fly on broomsticks in Harry Potter. I completely ruined my trainers going through the bog but I loved it. (Note to self - trail runners next time) As always the parkrun was full of lovely people and we returned to have a cream tea at Baileys in Alnwick.


Whilst we are in Alnwick. Henry’s  had a lovely washed Costa Rican on espresso and I had multiple exemplary visits here during my stay.


Bamburgh Castle.

This place is genuinely awe inspiring. You can see it from miles away. I loved that it overlooked a cricket pitch and wondered if I might be tempted to come out of retirement if I got a chance to play here.


A big shout out to R Carter and sons in the village too. If you want a bacon sandwich, traditional scotch egg, sausage roll or pie for lunch this is the place for you. A meat eaters dream.


The Ship Inn

No walk on the beach is complete without a superb pub. We walked from Embleton along the golf course to the ruins at Dunstanburgh Castle and then returned along the beautiful white sands to Newton to have a pint by an open fire whilst looking out at the cargo ships in the distance as they sailed across the North Sea.


Northumbria is incredible. Hospitality here is built into the culture of the area. Everything is ‘nae bother’ to the locals.

There’s so little light pollution here the night sky is spectacular and it has the highest density of castles in the country. The coastline and beaches are breathtaking.

What a place!

Lots of love

Tim x












 


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