Alnwick Garden

The Poison Garden alone makes the trip worthwhile. Yes, there's an actual garden dedicated to plants that kill you - deadly nightshade, ricin, hemlock - all clearly labelled and fenced off. It's darkly brilliant, the sort of thing that'll grip anyone with even a passing interest in the macabre or botany.

Beyond that theatrical touch, Alnwick Garden is genuinely vast and well-planted. The main areas - the Ornamental Garden, the Cascade (a proper water feature that actually moves), and the vegetable garden - are all thoughtfully laid out. You're looking at a couple of hours minimum if you want to do it justice, longer if you're the type to linger over every border.

Kids will get something from the interactive sections and the outdoor play spaces, though it's not a theme park. Serious gardeners and plant enthusiasts get the most out of it. The setting next to Alnwick Castle gives the whole thing gravitas - you're walking around proper historical grounds, not some modern municipal park.

It's paid entry and worth budgeting for, though prices are reasonable. Summer is obviously best for getting the gardens at their peak. The nearby camping spots - Coast and Castles is closest at under four miles - are perfectly positioned for a couple of days exploring both the garden and the castle.

Not somewhere you'd travel three hours for alone, but if you're already in Northumberland, or basing yourself at one of the local caravan parks, it's genuinely excellent. The Poison Garden really does make it different from standard garden attractions.