A weekend in Alnwick with the kids
2 days For families Built from visitor-rated places
This is a weekend built around space to run: two big outdoor mornings, one sit-down lunch and very little standing in queues. Day one pairs Hadrian's Wall with Crag Lough, just 3.2 miles apart, so legs get stretched before anyone asks how much further. Day two is the long one — 51.6 miles up to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne — but the drive buys you a tidal island, a castle and a proper tea room.
Arriving by train? Alnmouth is the nearest station to Alnwick, and Hillcroft in Alnwick sits 2.9 miles from it, sleeps 4, with Warkworth beach 6 miles away and bathing water rated Excellent by the Environment Agency. For bigger groups, Druridge Hideout at Warkworth sleeps 6 and sits 1.4 miles from Druridge Bay North, also rated Excellent — a useful Sunday-afternoon card to have up your sleeve.
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Day 1
Start at Hadrian's Wall while everyone's fresh — it's all ridge, sky and scrambling room — then it's only 3.2 miles on to Crag Lough, a National Trust spot where the walking is gentler and the water makes a good picnic backdrop. Pack snacks for both; this is a day with no lunch stop built in.
Day 2
Check the safe crossing times before you set off, because the 51.6-mile run to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne only works with the tide. Lunch at 1st Class Food is 0.6 miles from where you park up and holds a 5/5 food hygiene rating; its opening hours change accordingly to Holy Island safe crossing times, so eat when you can rather than when you'd planned. Lindisfarne Castle is another 0.6 miles — short legs will manage it.
🛏️ Where to base yourself
Stays in Alnwick that put this whole plan within easy reach.
Druridge Hideout
🏖️ 1.44 miles from Druridge Bay North (Excellent water quality)
Warkworth, North East England
£477 per break
Check availability
🎪 What's on in Alnwick
Events from
Skiddle
🗺️ Getting to Alnwick
Plan the drive with service stations, food stops and fuel or charging costs along the way.
Plan my journey →🚆 Or come by train
- Alnmouth 3.1 miles
- Acklington 7.6 miles
- Chathill 8.5 miles
Straight-line distances · live departures on each station page