Seeking recommendations for Northumbria Bluebells and Hadrian's wall sights in early May

You want an area of old deciduous woodland to find bluebells.

Whittle Dene Wood just north of Ovingham is supposed to be a good place to see them. The wood belongs to the Woodland Trust and there are a lot of footpaths through the woodland. You can see a map here. Footpaths are marked in green.

The National Trust woodlands at Allan Banks just south of Bardon Mill are another possible place for bluebells. There is a description with lots of pictures taken in summer here. They are signed off the A69 and there is a parking area with a series of footpaths and bridges across the River Allen. There is a map here - note that footpaths are marked in red this time.

Not in the wild, but I would have thought that Alnwick Garden https://www.alnwickgarden.com/ was a good place to see Spring in progress. If you are going to be staying in Alnwick anyway it might be worth contacting them and asking.
They may even have tips about where to see them in the wild.
https://www.alnwickgarden.com/

The Cragside estate at Rothbury I would have thought is quite likely.

Not bluebells, but Daffodils ( so earlier) Farndale in North Yorkshire is well known.

I'm glad isn31c mentioned Alnwick. I don't know about a bluebell wood BUT they have this:

(quoted from former Rick Steves' guide Mark Seymour's Touring Britain FB page)

"BUT….The place that ‘grabbed’ me was the tulip and cherry garden. The Duchess of Northumberland had decided to hang hundreds of swinging benches from the branches of the cherry trees, in such a way that your feet would brush gently through the flowering tulips, as you swing."

If you do FB it's his post of May 19, 2022 and the pictures are enchanting.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/284251339675804/search/?q=alnwick

Hi Julie -

The eastern part of the wall is rather lacking due to Newcastle upon Tyne getting in the way! Try the section between Housesteads and Steel Rigg. It’s technically the central section of the wall as it sweeps over the Whin Rigg outcrop, but it’s not far from Newcastle by car. Vindolanda close by here too south of the wall near once Brewed, which is a ‘don’t miss’ site!

Ian

Thank you, wasleys, isn31c. Pam and Ian!

I also appreciate the tip for Mark Seymour's Touring Britain FB page, it looks great!

Julie, he has wonderful content! He likes to tell stories about people who inhabited different places that brings the history alive. Look for his post on the Roman army draftee from Spain stationed on Hadrian’s Wall who wrote to his Mom asking for warmer clothing! Very interesting!

His picture are great too!

With a car it’ll be easy to see as much of the wall as you like. It doesn’t take long to drive the entire length. Northumberland is a great place for driving and exploring because there isn’t a lot of traffic. The main A1 is busy at peak times but beyond that you’ll be on quiet roads most of the time. I would highly recommend going as far as Bamburgh for a true taste of Northumberland. It’s only about an hour’s drive. Alnmouth is another favourite spot.

Thank you Helen! I did not know that the wall was driveable. I appreciate the encouragement to extend up to Bamburgh.

The B6318 follows the line of Hadrian's Wall. Take the A69 west out of Newcastle. Take the turning for Heddon on the Wall to pick up the A6318. (Sorry it is a while since I did this so can't remember all the precise directions.) The road crosses the A69 and then heads out along the line of the wall. I've attached a map to show you.

This is a wonderful roller coaster of a drive ands traffic is fast. Drive carefully as there are a lot of blind dips. This gives you access to all the main sites along the wall as wellmas good views of teh wall off to your right. It eventually rejoins the A69 at Green head.

Hi Julie -

The actual wall of itself is not driveable but the roads, supply and military, built by the Romans were so good that it would have been rude not to continue to use them, albeit with a modern surface, into the current day. Hence you are never far from a road all along the wall, mainly on its south or Roman side, paralleling the wall.

This means that walking the Hadrians Wall National Trail isn’t always a total ‘get away from it all/ wilderness walk in the way that some other trails are as there’s always traffic in the fairly near distance.

Ian

Yes that road is known as the Military Road locally. It’s a really good drive. You can tell it’s a Roman road because it’s straight and just goes up and over the hills and dips.

Being pedantic, the Military Road (B6318) was built by General Wade after the Battle of Culloden to move English troops around the country very quickly if the Jacobites invaded again... The actual Roman supply road ran to the south of the B6318 along what is known as the Stanegate. This is the road that runs through Vindolanda.

I stand corrected!

Helen -

No need to stand corrected - we are all partially right and all partially wrong. While I know it’s not 100% reliable, see Wikipedia on the subject! The road existed before it was improved after General Wade’s difficult journey from Newcastle to Carlisle but it was apparently not built by him. It’s also very straight - now I wonder who built roads like that?!!

Ian

Well I have always understood that it was originally Roman. It feels very Roman style to me. I don't really want to stir an archaeological debate on here (this is not the place for that) but I wonder how exactly correct Wikipedia is.
Equally I can see similarities to the other General Wade routes.
I think for the average person in the street, as it's not that far from the Military Way, I think it gives a very good idea of what a Roman road was like, and is certainly a very good drive.
In parts it must be almost on the same route as the Military Way +/- a few feet.
I don't think Helen needs to feel corrected- more 'educated' same as me.
If anyone watches you tubers Paul and Rebecca Whitewick this sounds like a case right up their street (no pun intended). They are really into their Roman roads in a very accessible manner.