county border crossing

The County Durham border crossing near Hexham is one of those things that sounds daft until you actually stand there, then it becomes oddly compelling. You're looking at the invisible line where Durham meets Northumberland - marked by a simple stone or sign depending on which exact spot you're at along the boundary. There's no great ceremony to it, which is precisely why it works.

Walkers and geography enthusiasts get the most from this. If you're properly into borders and county lines, you'll find yourself spending longer here than expected, taking photos at odd angles, trying to work out which foot is in which county. Kids either find it brilliantly boring or absolutely fascinating - there's no middle ground.

It's completely free, takes roughly ten minutes if you're passing through, an hour if you're the type to sit and contemplate invisible boundaries over a flask of tea. Go early morning or late afternoon when the light's better and it's quiet.

While you're in the area, both Village Green Holiday Park and Springhouse Boutique Holiday Park sit nearby and make decent bases for exploring the Pennines and Hadrian's Wall country. If you've pitched at Belle Vue Farm over in Stanhope, it's worth a detour on a walk rather than a destination in itself. The real draw around here is the landscape - the border crossing is just the excuse to get out into it.