Hexham

Roman walls run through this ancient market town like veins through marble. Hexham sits confidently in the Tyne Valley, its abbey bells echoing across cobbled streets that have witnessed nearly 1,400 years of turbulent border history. The town centre pulses with proper market day energy on Tuesdays and Saturdays, while weekdays bring a more contemplative pace to the stone-built streets.

Hexham Abbey dominates the skyline, its Saxon crypt one of the finest in Europe. The old gaol, now a museum, tells grim tales of border reivers and cattle rustlers - this was wild country once. Venture beyond the town limits and you'll find the landscape peppered with ancient bastles like Black Middens, stone farmhouses built to withstand Scottish raids.

The surrounding fells offer proper hiking territory. The Dodd provides cracking views across the valley, while more adventurous walkers can tackle Black Pike or the oddly named Heathery Buttocks. Archaeological sites dot the moorland - Long Cairn and the Belling Rigg Limekilns hint at centuries of human activity in these hills.

Getting here is straightforward enough. The A69 runs right past, and Newcastle is barely 25 miles east. The railway connects Hexham to both Newcastle and Carlisle, making it a proper hub for exploring Northumberland's wild western reaches.

Staying at one of the nearby holiday parks makes perfect sense. You're positioned between Hadrian's Wall country to the south and the vast expanses of Kielder Forest to the north. Day trips to both are easily managed, while Hexham itself provides all the amenities you'll need between adventures.