Lucker Hall, Northumberland, England

Discover Northumberland

Remote and breathtakingly beautiful, the county of Northumberland forms the bulk of the north-east of England – an enticing medley of delightful market towns, glorious golden beaches, wooded dells, wild uplands and an unsurpassed collection of historical monuments.

Situated in magnificent surroundings in the heart of Northumberland, Lucker Hall has been beautifully created to house 44 modern holiday units, just a stone’s throw from the famous Northumberland Coast AONB.

Northumberland is a county full of historical significance and Lucker has the added advantage of being just a short distance from the Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve where the historic ruins of Lindisfarne Priory still stand. From Lucker Hall you can explore a number of nearby towns including Alnwick with its imposing castle, and Seahouses, the pretty little fishing village.

Introducing Northumberland National Park

Edged to the south by Hadrian’s Wall and boasting a landscape dotted with prehistoric remains and fortified houses, north-west Northumberland is dominated by the wide-skied landscapes of Northumberland National Park, whose 400 windswept square miles rise to the Cheviot Hills on the Scottish border. The bulk of the Park is taken up by Kielder Water and Forest nature reserve, a superb destination for watersports and outdoor activities; there’s also superb walking to be had in the craggy Cheviot Hills. The lack of population here helped see the area awarded dark-sky status by the International Dark Skies Association in late 2013 (the largest such designation in Europe), with controls to prevent light pollution.

Capture the castle

Northumberland has more castles than any other county in England. Many, including Warkworth, Dunstanburgh, Bamburgh and Lindisfarne, stand guard along the dramatic coast. Others, like Alnwick, are a little inland. They are all distinctive – and very romantic. Alnwick and Bamburgh are filled with riches; Warkworth and Dunstanburgh were abandoned long ago and now stand as magnificent ruined testimony to a turbulent past.

Visit Lindisfarne

Drive across the causeway to the unique Holy Island of Lindisfarne, the birthplace of the magnificent Lindisfarne Gospels. At the Lindisfane Centre you can turn virtual pages of a facsimile version of the Gospels. The skeletal, red and grey ruins of Lindisfarne Priory are an eerie sight and give a glimpse into the isolated life of the Lindisfarne monks. The later 13th-Century St Mary the Virgin Church is built on the site of the first church between the Tees and the Firth of Forth, and the adjacent museum displays the remains of the first monastery and tells the story of the monastic community before and after the Dissolution.

Back to nature in the Farne Islands

During breeding season (roughly May to July), you can see feeding chicks of 20 seabird species (including puffin, kittiwake, Arctic tern, eider duck, cormorant and gull), and some 6,000 grey seals, on this rocky archipelago three miles offshore from the fishing village of Seahouses. Inner Farne is the more interesting of the two islands accessible to the public (along with Staple Island); its tiny chapel (1370; restored 1848) commemorates St Cuthbert, who lived there for a spell and died there in 687.

Shops and restaurants

Nearby towns Seahouses, Bamburgh and Belford all have a good selection of pubs, restaurants and shops.

On-site amenities

Communal leisure facilities include an indoor swimming pool, sauna and steam room, a club room with snooker tables, a games room, and a DVD library. There is also an open-air paddle tennis court, a crazy-golf course, and a children’s playground.

Properties

Lucker Hall, which dates back to 1815, is situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and within easy reach of Lindisfarne, the Farne Islands and Bamburgh, making it a perfect base from which to explore this unspoilt area. It was ravaged by fire in 1983 and remained unoccupied until purchased by The Holiday Property Bond.

Things to do in Northumberland

Athelhampton House and National Trust properties Hardy’s Cottage and T.E. Lawrence’s Clouds Hill are all within easy driving distance of Langton. The many museums and heritage centres that contain revealing insights into Dorset’s past are also close by.

The Tank Museum at Bovington has possibly the finest collection of tanks in the world. From the first tank ever built to the modern Challenger II, the museum’s definitive collection comprises over 250 vehicles and supporting artefacts from across the globe.

Walks around Lucker Hall

While there’s plenty to enjoy on site at Lucker Hall, Northumberland is also a fantastic choice for those wanting to get out and about on two feet. From National Park trails to picturesque coastline, as well as miles of country paths, it’s prime walking territory. And it doesn’t matter how far you want to travel – the area around Lucker Hall is made up of glorious farmland and quaint villages or alternatively, bondholders can travel a little further afield to discover even more of what this magnificent county has to offer.

As with our other HPB sites, this selection of fifteen walks includes two routes (number one and two) which begin straight from the property. Meanwhile, others are located in areas of visitor interest or beauty spots, including the Island of Lindisfarne and Northumberland National Park. The National Park, in particular, is well worth a visit. Just 25 minutes by car from Lucker Hall, it consists of lush forests, rolling hills and spectacular landscapes. The coast is also less than a 20-minute drive and provides a wonderful change to enjoy some sea air with a bracing clifftop trek.

Although much of the Northumberland landscape can be quite demanding for walkers, due in no small part to the many beautiful hills and valleys, most of these walks are well within the ability of the average walker. Many of our chosen routes remain mostly on green paths or surfaced trails over farmland, forest and moorland, and remain on a mostly even level. However, it is impossible to avoid ascents and descents completely in this part of the UK, so please be sure to check the information provided for your chosen route. Sturdy walking shoes are also recommended for each walk.

As you explore this walking pack, you’ll find the introduction to each walk gives a brief summary to the area, the distance, ascent, refreshment opportunities and appropriate map. Whilst the route directions and sketch plans should be entirely adequate of avoid losing the way, the possession of Ordnance Survey maps, particularly the 1:25,000 Explorer series, undoubtedly adds to the understanding of the landscape.