In Northumberland.
It’s the perfect time to take another look at your bucket list and plan some new adventures for 2025. Book that wellness retreat you’ve been eyeing up, start the year right with a sustainable stay, or simply try something you’ve never done before on your next trip to Northumberland. We have put together a list of five things to do in 2025 to help you with your planning.
1) Have a berry happy New Year
Head out on an adventure with The Cramlington Forager, who is teaming up with The Whittling House to offer a foraging retreat at this beautiful hotel based in Alnmouth. The package includes a guided tour along the fantastic Northumberland coastline to discover the abundance of edible plants, fruits, and fungi in the area. Plus, a luxurious overnight stay at The Whittling House with delicious breakfast, a beachside lunch (weather dependent) prepared by their Head Chef, Richard Sim, made up of the ingredients you foraged yourself as well as other locally sourced ingredients. Head to The Whittling House’s website for more details.
2) Stay in the treetops
An exciting new accommodation is opening in 2025 at Tiptoe Retreat, as they have added two luxurious, sustainable tree cabins to their self catering offering and they are absolutely stunning. Offering uninterrupted views over the River Till valley, with the soothing sounds of the river and views across to the Cheviot Hills, there are few places more peaceful to escape the everyday and kick back and relax. They also offer exclusive use of the spectacular mirrored woodland sauna, or you can book an in-house spa treatment, pilates class, breadmaking session and more.
3) Do something whisky
Ad Gefrin is a world class Anglo-Saxon Museum and English whisky distillery in Wooler and is one of Northumberland’s newest attractions. The distillery celebrates the unique heritage, ancient hospitality, and contemporary crafts, arts and produce of Northumberland. Step back in time to the Royal Court of the 7th century Northumbrian kings and queens to experience the ancient spirit of hospitality. Immerse yourself in the same landscape that shaped ancient royal hospitality and today gives us the finest malting barley and the purest Cheviot water with which Ad Gefrin creates its Single Malt Whisky.
4) Wish it could be Christmas every day
Another of Northumberland’s newest attractions is Lilidorei at The Alnwick Garden, a magical Christmas village containing the world’s biggest play structure. The fantasy village development, which which will have a Christmassy feel all-year-round, set in a forest clearing where you can find wooden homes of magical creatures like elves and goblins, who are preparing for Christmas throughout the year. With zip wires, slides and climbing walls connecting each area, the idea for the park was dreamt up by the Duchess of Northumberland and will make for the perfect family day out in Northumberland.
5) Stay in a world first
Warksburn Old Church is a brand new self-catering accommodation in Northumberland and is the world’s first Passivhaus church conversion. This three bedroom home offers luxury at every turn, and has been sensitively designed to retain the history and charm of the heritage building. Using cutting edge low carbon technology, Warksburn Old Church generates more energy than it consumes every year, so you can enjoy a stay with a conscience without compromising on comfort.
Now that we’ve offered some inspiration, start writing your bucket list book your next trip to Northumberland for a year filled with endless experiences.