Please check out my other videos of Northumberland, including this one of the gorgeous Cragside House & Gardens: ua-cam.com/video/GJldoOPYxg0/v-deo.html
Lovely video, thank you. As a 64 year old Englishman, I feel slightly embarrassed that there are so many places in this country which I am yet to visit! Keep up the good work.
Do not be embarrassed! How on earth could someone visit all the places? Trust me, we are trying... and the list is endless! Of course, I only make it more challenging by going back to my favourite places multiple times 😍
Well I want to say sorry, but I also want to say thanks! I hope you get to visit NE England soon! And I definitely have to go back next year... need to see more castles, and the Beamish Museum in Durham!
@@MagentaOtterTravels I hope you get to visit Beamish. Much of my childhood was spent around there. In fact, a few of the features/exhibits are places I lived around, removed then rebuilt at Beamish. The main front street was Ravensworth Terrace, Gateshead, where I delivered newspapers as a boy in the 60's. The bandstand was originally in Saltwell park, also Gateshead. So many memories... and all good.
@@tmac160 my friend was involved in the Chippy they have just restored in Beamish... I definitely want to go there! And of course Ian will want to visit the restored ice cream shop. How wonderful that it is a living museum that brings back so much nostalgia for you!
Durham is my birthplace and were i grew up before moving to Newcastle. Now I live in Canada for the past 14 years and still get homesick. I am going back next summer and staying very close to Beamish for first week and Beadnell in Northumberland for week 2. My nephew is getting married just across the border in Scotland the day before we return so we will be attending that and visiting Edinburgh again . Beamish is really nice. We were there in 2018 and they were talking about adding a 1950s themed village with a cinema showing old movies
@@MagentaOtterTravels I was lucky enough to visit Beamish a few times before it was open to the public (1972-ish). Connections with the London publishers of the first visitors' guide books. It certainly has changed a lot since.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I know for a fact you enjoyed listening more than I enjoyed writing those 8 history term papers ;-) But I'm always SO relieved when the editing is done! Thank you for your lovely comments, friend!❤
I do love your videos. This takes me back to the last time I was up in Northumberland, back in 1992. I'd just finished high school and was about to go to college. 30 years later and I still love Bamburgh and Alnwick. Thanks so much for posting.
You are so welcome! Thanks for watching. It is such a wonderful area. Thankfully we were able to return to Bamburgh this summer and tour the castle. I will eventually publish a Vlog of it… one of these days! 😉😂
I think it’s interesting! I think most Americans do. But sometimes British people think I’m silly for mentioning what was filmed there. I tried to balance it out by also mentioning the historical facts! But for many Americans, their first introduction to these castles will be in a movie 😉
That’s a lot of castles!! We’ve only ever managed Alnwick out of those (and in pre HP days as well!). Loved the look of the beach at Bamburgh as well. Stunning. X
Well you were probably normal people and went INSIDE the castle and had a leisurely look! When we aren't in a pandemic, and they aren't filming bloomin movies everywhere, we shall do the same! AND spend some time on that lovely Bamburgh beach! Thanks so much for watching and commenting.
I had to chuckle at your visit to Chillingham. Most visitors are shocked, and gobsmacked at the crazy mish mosh of 'junk' that fills the rooms. Personally, I love it all , especially the bath that was once owned by Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithful. It's like the worlds quirkiest attic.
Thanks for watching and leaving a comment about Chillingham. A MOST curious place indeed!!! You have to understand that I am a crazy minimalist and clutter/dust drive me bonkers! So yes, I do think the history and origin story (didn't know about Mick Jagger!!!) are fascinating. But walking through the stacks of crazy disorganised stuff was a bit much for me ;-) Cheers! XX Dara
So glad you "survived the torture" of making this video, Dara!! Wow, what an accomplishment. This was amazing. I was especially glad that you had worn your Quidditch shirt -- perfect! But speaking of torture, that part of the video made me quite appreciative of Monty Python's Spanish Inquisition form of torture with soft cushions and The Comfy Chair!! :-)
Haha, love a good Monty Python reference! Yes, this video was torture because I felt like I had to do 8 mini videos and 8 history term papers all at once! Historical facts are VERY hard for me to learn/remember, so I have to work extra hard. But I am always glad when it's over. And if any of the MOT appreciate it, then all the pain was worth it! Thankfully my torture did have a comfy chair and some soft cushions and fleece blankies ;-) Thank YOU for your sweet comment!
My family are from North Northumberland. My Dad was born near Ford, and I had relatives there till just a few years ago. I was born in Alnwick, though I've lived (in "exile"!) in Manchester for the last 20 years. Thanks for this and your other Northumberland videos - it is a uniquely beautiful place.
I am thrilled to hear from you! I hope that you subscribed and become a member of the Magenta Otter Tribe, because I have some fun Northumberland videos coming up in the next month or so... I also hope that you check out my one video of Manchester. We love that city as well! and I definitely want to come back and visit when the City Hall has been refurbished! But Northumberland really captured our hearts, and we are on a quest to educate Americans about what a fabulous place it is. Not enough people are making the effort to discover the magic of Northumberland ❤️🏴 thanks so much for your comment! Cheers! Dara
Why thanks friend! You know me... I LOVE writing history term papers! LOL Have a safe trip! Thanks for watching my lil video. Keep in touch please... if not by text then FB messenger or something.
Yes, once you are living in Yorkshire, I strongly recommend a holiday there! There are more castles in Northumberland than any other county in England, and you will love the history! ❤️🏴
Thanks so much for commenting! I love to hear from people who are familiar with the places. Have you been to crazy Chillingham? I'd love to know if you think any of the castles you've been to seem "haunted". Have you heard of school groups going to Ford Castle? Apparently that is what it's used for most these days...
Absolutely fantastic! Love how jam packed your schedule was! Great to watch as always :D thanks for sharing. Your video today is exactly what we love seeing! Particularly enjoyed Chillingham, wow!!! so cool 🙏
Why thanks so much! It was madness seeing so much so fast, but during the pandemic it was kind of the best way! And I'm glad you enjoyed Chillingham... what a nutty place! haha
I'm glad we found some you hadn't seen! It's only fair, because Ian heard about Ford & Etal from YOU which is why we went to see those villages! Thanks very much for watching, Kirsten! XX
That whole castle was VERY bizarre!!! And yes, the torture museum was creepy and icky for sure. It was madness dashing about, but honestly in a pandemic, it was possibly a good way to do it. Plus, with all the filming we coudn't get into the best castles anyway! But on my next trip to Northumberland, I hope to have a more leisurely chance to see inside several castles... and a slower pace ;-)
Awww, thanks so much! Some videos are harder to make then others, and this was a nightmare. So I REALLY appreciate the positive feedback. Makes it all worth it! Cheers XX Dara
Thank you Lee. I couldn't get as close to the castles as I would have liked to due to restrictions but fortunately, since my drone is under 500 g, I could fly over towns. That will change January 2022 and I'll have to figure out if I should get a new drone that complies with the rule change.
I love Northumberland, if the weather plays nice there's no better beaches in England. I've only managed to visit the first 4 of these castles plus Dunstanburgh so far.
I agree! Such a gorgeous coastline! Now that we have discovered it, we definitely want to go back next year. And hopefully we can see Dunstanburgh this time. Thanks so much for watching and commenting! I really appreciate it! Cheers Dara
The only thing better than a Castle is seven castles! LOL A couple years ago I put together estimates for my son when he got engaged, because I was hoping he would get married in an English castle. I looked at several castles around where our Flat is in Gloucestershire. So dreamy! Thanks for watching, Alisha!❤️
This video is great. Living on Tyneside I haven't yet been to Chillingham castle or inside Warkworth castle. I must have a look at Edlingham as well. If you visit Beamish I recommend Raby castle, near to Barnard Castle, in Co Durham. Raby castle is complete and not a ruin. Cecily Neville, the mother of kings Edward IV and Richard III was born there. Of course, that's not forgetting Durham and its cathedral.
Chillingham is VERY quirky, but you might want to visit if you live nearby. Warkworth is so lovely.... I'd love to go back when daffodils are in bloom and see the inside of the castle! Edlingham is great because it is so accessible and free! With the church and the viaduct, I think it's well worth a visit! As for Durham, I HAVE to go visit Beamish because my two dear friends work there. And I've heard it is an amazing museum. And because my maiden name is RABE I also have to go visit Raby Castle! We did visit Durham Cathedral once upon a time, but it was so long ago that I must go back... I've learnt to appreciate cathedrals more in the meantime ;-) Thanks so much for the lovely comments, Graham! Cheers XX Dara
Just watched your video, so pleased you enjoyed visiting my home county. I’ve been fortunate to visit all of the locations and meet some of the owners including the duke and Duchess of northumberland and William Armstrong jnr at bamburgh castle. Such a shame you didn’t have more time to see each castle in more detail. Great video!
It's really nice to meet you! We fell in love with the county of Northumberland. So much so that we went back in 2022 and FINALLY (on our 3rd visit!) were able to tour Bamburgh Castle. I hope to start editing those vlogs once I finish my current Liverpool series. Cheers! Dara
I’m so glad I could give you a little walk down memory lane! Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment. I hope you subscribe and stick around for more travel adventures in Britain and other British nonsense😉. Cheers! Dara
THANKS SO MUCH! I worked so long on that dang trailer... funny how much editing can go into a 3 minute video. But I still enjoy watching it because seeing all the cute otters, British architecture and nature, and yummy food... brings back so many happy memories!
Actually, Ian and Weston dearly love building sand castles! I have some very cute pictures of them and their castles from all over the place. England, France, Mexico…
Thanks so much! Because I have the memory span of a goldfish, all the historical info is very hard for me to learn and process and summarise, so I VERY much appreciate your compliment! It has been an insane week, but hearing your kind words suddenly make it all worth it ;-) Cheers! XX Dara
A much needed escape today! Dara excellent narration and bravo Ian for the cool drone shots especially through the bridge. I still cannot get over the Rhododendrons in England! Wow! Beautiful video!! ~Cara 🌺
Thanks so much! Sending you huge virtual hugs today!!! Yes, the rhododendrons are INCREDIBLE. I think they will be a big part of our summers from now on ;-)
@@MagentaOtterTravels I love Rhododendrons but in some parts of the UK they are taking over and killing indigenous species, especially in Snowdonia in North Wales.
Visiting Bamburgh for a holiday in a few weeks. Really informative video thanks. Have you visited many of the castles and abbey ruins in North Yorkshire. Fountains abbey is one of our favourites.
Yes, we were supposed to visit Fountains Abbey on our way back down from Scotland but ran out of time so it will have to be on a future trip. We did have dinner at the nearby Grantley Hall and in the evening walked around Ripon. Both lovely places. I also got some great drone footage along the river in Knaresborough. Dara will be doing a future video featuring North Yorkshire. In previous years we spent time in the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors but there's a lot in those areas we haven't seen and would like to see.
Have a great time in Bamburgh! I can't wait to go back! And as my hubby said... we really need more time in the Yorkshire Dales and visited castles/abbeys in the area.
@@ians3586 Sounds lovely. I'm from Yorkshire but have lived in Surrey and London for over 30 years. We go up as a family on holiday quite often. Have to make sure my daughters know which is the best county :)
You both look so sweet in your wedding photo! the similarity between your dress and the one at the castle just proves you have timelessly classic taste.
Awww, thanks! Did you notice that Ian looks 14? I swear he was 26! You HAVE to have timeless tastes if you are like me and have stopped buying clothes, only wearing the same old stuff I've had for 20 years, LOL!
Thanks, John! I think Ian did a brilliant job with the drone. And after seeing the footage again, I want to go back and spend longer at Bamburgh... once Harry is done filming Indy there ;-)
@@MagentaOtterTravels Aye, don't you hate it when that happens... I was on holiday round Naples once, and planned to go to the Royal Palace, Caserta, just to the north. Nope, Tom Cruise had taken over the place for an early Mission Impossible movie. Flippin' film stars!
I'm one of those who stayed at Ford on two occasions ,for a week each time ,back in the sixties as part of my Geography A level syllabus. It really is very impressive inside and out and there was a beautiful garden at the back. I was talked into trying on a helmet from a suit of armour by my "friends" who then fastened a catch so that I couldn't easily get it off, and when I did my face was black from dirt inside the helmet. On the same trip some of us went into a pub (The Black Bull maybe in Etal?) had a quick half and when we came out there was the director of Ford and teachers coming down the road, he asked me if we had been in the pub and I told him we needed the toilet and it was the only place we could try so we got away with that. I think Ford is still used as what we would have called an Outward Bound centre. My school was Blyth Grammar School which no longer exists, school motto "Tenax et Fidelis = Sreadfast and Faithful".
@@ians3586 It all depended on the pub of course but some of us looked a bit older than we were and I for instance had been getting served since I was 15. Only occasionally though cos I didn't have much money, but I was never refused anywhere when I tried.
Wow, your pub story is funny! As Ian said, it's very different here in the states. People ALWAYS get "carded" (asked for ID) if they look anything under 40! haha But my favourite was the story about the helmet from the suit of armour... bless you! Sorry to laugh but I'm sure you were a sight! I heard a worker at Ford Castle telling some other tourists that it is still used for school groups these days... well, when there isn't pandemic/lockdown. Thanks for your comment! I hope you are subscribed and stick around for the rest of our Northern adventures! Cheers XX Dara
Ah yes, I heard about Craster Kippers... I'm not a fan of kippers but I'll have to make a point of trying them on my next visit to that area! At the risk of sounding like a UA-camr, I'll say "I hope you are subscribed and click that bell!" because I DID get to Dunstanburgh this past summer, a year after I filmed this video. I had a really special experience there. I look forward to sharing that video... but first I have to get the footage edited. Hopefully I can get back to my Northumberland vlogs after I finish my current Liverpool series. Friday is my "travel vlogs" day... so please keep an eye out in the coming weeks ;-) Thanks so much for your comment, and your support! Cheers! Dara
Oh my goodness, Jill, that is such an incredibly sweet thing to say! I really appreciate the compliment today, after finishing what was probably the most difficult video I have ever edited. Reading comments like that make it all worth it! Cheers! XX Dara
@@MagentaOtterTravels I really love the area. It's a pity you couldn't get to Lindisfarne (Holy Island). You'd love it. See if you can see any pictures of the Lindisfarne Gospels, a beautiful illustrated Gospel book dated sometime in the 8th century.
We will definitely be back! And plan our trip to allow a proper visit to Lindisfarne. As you know, it’s not a place you can just dash into for five minutes 😉
@@MagentaOtterTravels Did you manage to visit the church in Bamburgh and see Grace Darling's magnificent grave? She was of the UK's bravest women and was so young.
@@jillhobson6128 unfortunately this really was a castle "dash". Bamburgh was very crowded and made even worse by all the film lorries that were there so were very quick in and out. We'll need to visit again in a less touristy time.
Derek is so jealous you went to Bamburgh Castle since we couldn’t go due to covid! He said he’s wanted to go ever since reading the Saxon Chronicles by Bernard Cornwall 😀
@@ronhall9394 Oh wow, you're saying the author got that wrong in the books? I haven't read the Saxon Chronicles series (my husband Derek has), so I wouldn't be sure if it was incorrect in the books or not. But it would be weird if it was, for sure!
It is a bit exhausting, but also exhilirating! haha ... I was SO worn out at the end of pretty much every day this summer! But yes, learning about the history was great. Castles are such treasures of history! Thanks for watching, friends!
I’m trying to get better about doing chapters. A video like this definitely needs it! I hope the part you were re-watching was not the torture museum! LOL
Yes there are lots of castles in Northumberland. You don't have to go far to find a one . Durham too I've never counted them but nearly as many I'd think .
I only repeated that statistic about Northumberland having the most castles of any county in England because I read it in an article 😉… but I agree that both Northumberland and County Durham are wonderful counties to explore! Great beaches and coastline as well! Have you watched my video of Durham Cathedral? I have a few more vlogs coming about our visit to Northumberland this year. Including our visit to the Farne islands! I just need time to edit them… Cheers! Dara
Yes I have been to all 7 more times than I care to remember and stayed in Chillingham Castle in 2018 and will be staying there again next summer. There was only myself and partner staying there with an American couple and the Gardener. We were all given a private tour of the castle by the Gardner when it got dark. The American couple put their luggage back in their car after the tour and drove off. They were obviously spooked and too scared to stay the night so we had the castle to ourselves. I remember there was a swing door next to the tower room we were staying in and it was creaking as it swung back and forwards without anyone going through it. Everytime i heard it swinging, I went out to take a video but it suddenly stopped before I could record it. It didn't start swinging again until I started walking back to my room so when I went back to record it, the door stopped swinging again. I gave up in the end
OK, so you are convinced the place is haunted? That is such an interesting story! Out of curiosity, why do you stay there? Do you like visiting haunted places? Or is it a really pretty castle room where you stay? How expensive is it? This is so fascinating! I’m also chuffed to hear that you have been to all the other castles! Codger fort is on private property, but I think we could get some nice drone photography of it if we ever pass that way again👍
@@MagentaOtterTravels it is supposed to be the most haunted castle in Britain and it feels creepy. The owner is very eccentric and his eclectic collections makes it feel even creepier. The main reason we are going back is because we are taking my partners two boys with us who are 17 and 14 but they think we are staying at a pretty stone cottage in Beadnell . We want to surprise them by visiting and announce to them that we are staying the night. I am not sure how they are going to react. 😬😱👻 The Tower apartment sleeps 4 adults and I think it was £200 per night or £150 for two people. There are other rooms you can stay in but I think they are more expensive
Phew! Seven castles in 20 minutes - and I'm out of breath! Thank you for such a superb narrative and some great drone footage. Really enjoyable.I might have been able to say we'd visited all of them had we ever got around to organising the 'coast and castles' cycle trip we'd long promised ourselves! Casual thought: I wonder whether we'll be needing these castles again if the Scottish Nationalist Party ever succeeds in its 'independence' campaign...? 😜😜😜
Yes, we just watched a documentary about Holyroodhouse and Ian was asking the same types of questions about what happens if Scotland ever succeeds in seceding! Thanks so much for your kind words. I don't know which was more exhausting, running around Northumberland those two days or spending dozens of hours this week editing that madness into a coherent video with 8 separate videos within, LOL!
I have been to five of these castles, I did not know about Fort & Etal. Your knowledge of heritage sites in the UK is impressive. Did you view Bamburgh from the beach, Chillingham looks like its getting restored, did you see the white cattle. Thank you for a superb video.
We did not get to see the Chillingham cattle, and I only learned about them later that day when we went to dinner with friends who live in Durham and are cattle experts! Very interesting stuff! As for me, I am NOT that knowledgeable. I’m actually rubbish at history! But I’m good at reading lots of information and summarising it in a few sentences. It’s a painful process for me, but it’s worth it in the end because I’m always really happy when these videos are done being edited! 🙌🙌 I really appreciate you watching and taking the time to comment! Thank you so much! Bamburgh was actually quite crowded when we went there. We were there later in the day, and there was no place to park near the beach at all. It was extremely crowded, and all the huge trucks and lorries for the film crew did not help that situation! I definitely want to go back to Bamburgh another time and properly visit the castle as well as spend time on the beach👍
Glad you enjoyed my area. Yes I've visited all but being local I have an advantage. I could add quite a few more. One of my favourites is starlight Castle
You can't swing a dead cat without hitting a castle in Northumberland!! Is that an American saying you've heard before? Yes, I need to go back and visit SO MANY more castles! As we were looking at the Google map for Codger Fort we saw a castle near it as well! Feel free to list your favourite ones here. That way when I return to Northumberland I can check the comment section for my next "must visit" list! What are your other faves besides Starlight?
Well you saw the biggest and best! Now you can explore some of the obscure ( or in the case of Chillingham, downright wacky!) ones. I think it is BIG FUN to just discover little ruins driving around ;-) Thanks for your comment! Cheers XX Dara
Thank you. Fascinating glimpse, that remind me of school trips growing up in the area. Many of my schoolmates claimed to be descendants of border reivers (think medieval mafia). I took beautiful landscapes and history for granted. Just in case some don’t realise, another cellar was set up as a torture chamber as the real one was sealed off by Sir Humphrey, who felt it was wrong to turn all its misery and cruelty into an attraction for gawping tourists. Among other things, it includes a blacksmith’s forge, an illegal still, rack, iron cage, spiked chair, instruments of torture and an iron maiden specially made for a film about Elizabeth I.
I kind of agree that it perhaps should not be a tourist attraction… we saw a torture exhibit in Warwick castle, and also in Germany. Rather grisly… not really something I would visit on purpose. Thanks so much for your comment! I believe that Ford castle is really used mainly for school activities now.
Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment! As I am now good friends with a couple folks who work at the Beamish Museum, our trip to Britain next summer HAS to include a stay in Durham and an exploration of that area! Do you live in Britain now, or another country?
Phew! I was relieved that you commented this morning! Neither you nor David commented yesterday, and I was worried that you had both given up on me because you think I’m now so big I don’t need you 🥺… I was discussing that with Ian last night. He told me to give it 24 hours! LOL
@@MagentaOtterTravels busy day yesterday, we took our youngest to his school leavers prom and by the time we had tea and then picked him up after the day was gone. I'm still here to keep you on your toes 😉👍
To clarify, I do expect subscribers to have real lives and do other things besides sit next to their computers or iPads and wait for me to publish videos! LOL But if @david doesn’t leave me a single comment anytime this weekend, I’m going to worry about him! And I have no idea what a leavers prom is? What is a leaver?
you are so good at plant identification! I am rubbish. That's why I appreciate it when we get a guided tour ... I was surprised to see giant California redwoods at Scotney Castle in Kent! That video is coming soon, so stay tuned 😉
👍 Great video. What we find amazing about castles, cathedrals, stately homes etc, is that they were built without modern tools and machinery. And although most tourists (like yourselves) understand just how old these buildings are, it's not always the case. When visiting Windsor castle near Heathrow (where parts date back to the 11th century), one tourist told a local TV reporter, "It's a lovely castle, but it's a shame they built it so close to the Airport!" 🤣
OK, that is both very funny and very sad that a person actually said that! This week we watched a documentary that Fiona Bruce did where she told all about Windsor Castle. Including showing the secret escape passageway leading out of the castle underneath it! It was so fascinating!
@@MagentaOtterTravels Fiona Bruce is a good presenter, she may have some of your qualities such as likeability and charm, but we bet doesn't she know anything about flowers or otters like you do ? 😉
You missed huge Dunstanburgh castle just down the coast from Bamburgh a walk up from Craster but there are loads of lesser castles that you couldn't hope to see all of. Chillingham estate is also the home of the wild Chillingham cattle herd. You didnt mention the huge Alnwick gardens nicknamed the Versaille of the north. Codger castle was a folly to keep workers employed and i think quite close to the home of Catherine Cookson the late author. Off the coast are the Farne Islands which you can get boats from Seahouses to. These islands are England's Galapagos where the packed seals and birds have no fear of humans. Best time is the nesting season. You can get castle sick doing too many at once. I once studied Norman castles and spent weeks visiting them in the welsh borders. No mention of roman wall forts?
Thanks so much for your comment! I'm not sure how long you've been on the channel, so I'll tell you a few things about me. 1) I'm NOT a historian. I really appreciate all your suggestions. I do my best to cobble together information during our visits and as I edit the video. It's rather painful for me because I have the memory span of a goldfish. And I'm rubbish at history. 2) We definitely wanted to see Dunstanburgh, but we simply ran out of time. We had to drive far to dinner appointments both nights. But I would love to see it and many more castles... AND Hadrians wall AND so many more things! 3) One of those dinner dates was with folks who work with livestock and cattle in Durham. They told us about the Chillingham Cattle. VERY interesting indeed! 4) I'm obsessed with Puffins. We have been planning our trip for over a year, and hoping to see puffins both in Farne and Skomer. I'll link a couple videos below if you are interested. Next summer: Farne, Seahouses and Bempton Cliffs! Our puffin planning: ua-cam.com/video/xEV6RC6huy8/v-deo.html Our puffin results: ua-cam.com/video/QO5ZtxGCRhE/v-deo.html
Yes, Dunstanburgh and Lindesfarne, although near Bamburgh, were just a bridge too far. We did visit Alnwick Gardens in a previous visit in 2010 but on this trip, due to the filming, they were closed but you're right they are really impressive. The Farne Islands were on our schedule for this trip but inexplicably, the National Trust has closed the islands to visitors even though the boats were going right up to them. Surely the boats were far more risky when it came to Covid than walking around the islands? Perhaps it was a staff issue. We definitely want to visit the Farne Islands on a future trip. My wife's a huge fan of puffins and I'd like to see if the arctic terns really do attack. Hadrian's Wall and the forts are another thing that will have to wait for a future trip. Just too much to see in the area.
@@ians3586 The wardens live on one of the islands and they couldnt do it safely during covid this year so no one could land. Whilst the boat trips up to and arounds the islands are good, you really need to land in nesting season
@@redf7209 No worries! I did not take it as criticism. If I seemed triggered it’s just because we were so extremely disappointed to not see puffins this summer! Which you can definitely see in our “Puffin Curse” video! LOL
Chillingham is CRAZY! But definitely a different type of castle to visit. And the grounds are beautiful as well. Thanks so much for the compliment. Editing this video purt near killed me, so I REALLY appreciate any compliments on this one. Anything for the MOT ;-) Cheers! XX Dara
Visited most of those castles, mind I do live in Northumberland so none of them are a real distance from the village where I live and Alnwick is less than 20 miles away. Never been to Chillingham Castle though. glad you enjoyed your trips through this beautiful county :).
It is a green and pleasant land indeed! I hope you enjoyed my mad dash through Northumbria. Chillingham is a wacky place! Not my favourite castle, but I'm glad we visited because it was a lovely garden and grounds and a "different" experience! Hopefully you are subscribed and will stick around for this Friday's video of some of those Northumberland towns and the countryside in general. I look forward to hearing what you think! Cheers XX Dara
Well you know how it is to be minimalist travelers... y'all are living out of backpacks! My wardrobe consists of a few magenta T shirts and some black shorts/trousers, LOL... and of course, one Harry Potter Tee.
Well, you’ve actually been educated by a lot of Castle websites! I’m just the American who summarised the information for you 😂😂… i’m glad that I could share a few more obscure castle destinations with you! We really enjoy going to more remote places, and not just the same old tourist hotspots that all the other Americans visit ❤️. Which part of the UK do you live in?
@@MagentaOtterTravels I am in North West UK , I have been to Bournemouth and Torquay and in Cornwall had some Cornish Pasties from a mobile cafe these where the original recipe very yummy and a very long time ago when I was very young with my parents on holiday and am I a keen cyclist and I have in 1999 cycled lands end to John O Groats and seen many sights through out the UK. and love cycling through those country roads. Yes I get the impression that some Americans just go to London which is very sad as you know Britain has a lot more to offer and they should visit the country side and see those rolling hills and sheep and villages and churches and thanks for touring those castle it was very interesting.
Now that I am back here in my little house in very flat and very hot Texas I am missing the rolling green hills and sheep of Cotswolds more than you know! You have my respect for cycling the length of Britain top to bottom! Every time we drive on those narrow country roads and see cyclists, I always think “I could never do that”! I hope you check out some of our other travel vlogs. We spent time in the West country last year, and this summer I’ve only really been able to vlog about Scotland, some of Yorkshire and Northumberland. But I have about 100 more videos on deck 😉… so stay tuned!
If you ever get to Southern England you might consider Arundel Castle, which is spectacular and Bodiam Castle which is about as classic a castle as you will see. Also in between them is Pevensey Castle, which started life as a Roman Saxon Shore fort. Lancing College Chapel is certainly worth a visit, I have feeling it was a Harry Potter location. There are others such as Rye and Lewes but they are less of a spectacle, although the Towns are good to wander round.
There are many parts of the South East we need to explore further! Because of our family, and now our flat, we tend to just land at Heathrow and then immediately go West! And we have gone to certain places in the North over and over. BUT... this summer we were supposed to go to Arundel! I was excited about that. But as you can imagine, MANY of our plans got scrapped this year due to the pandemic and all our American family and friends not being able to visit. However, we did get to meet in person many "virtual friends" that we have made in the UK. And one couple lives on the South East coast, and we have planned to visit them next year. I really appreciate you giving us these suggestions! Cheers! XX Dara
@@MagentaOtterTravels Yes I don’t think anyone’s plans were unaffected, sadly. We live in Eastbourne and it’s the busiest summer we’ve seen for years with folk staying in this country for their hols. Castles will still be there next year so just a temporary glitch :-) Be prepared for big traffic congestion down here in the summer though. Once the schools have finished it can be bonkers, 30min trips can take 2 hrs. I’m not trying to put you off but it would be wrong not to warn you.
Thanks so much for watching and leaving a comment! I really appreciate it. All those historical facts TOTALLY overwhelm me. I MUCH prefer talking about FOOD! haha ...
With private land we have right to roam. Did you spot the Chillingham cattle the last wild herd of cattle in Britain. They are protected so no human contact
I didn't see the cattle, but I did see the signs for them. And coincidentally, the friends we were meeting for dinner went on an expedition visiting the Chillingham cattle not long after that day! They work with cattle and livestock in Durham and it was very interesting to hear what they said about the cattle. Kind of wild cows that the humans don't "manage" at all.
Love this! I wish we lived in a place that had castles available. Such a beautiful place. Be honest Dara. Do you like England or your American home better?
In 1991, a group of us saw, Newcastle castle, and castles at Morpeth, Durham, Ford, Etal, Dunstanburgh, Bamburgh, Norham, Alnwick, and Warkworth. It took from sunrise to sunset, yet worth the rush and miles of driving. After my nearly seven year tour in England, I managed to visit 135 castles. Awesome Country!
I learnt so much, I had no idea that there were so many castles in the one region of the UK. The only one I had heard of was Alnwick (thanks Harry Potter!)
Honestly, there are just SO MANY castles, I don't expect anyone to know all 70 unless they had a PhD in castles! Not sure that is a thing, but it should be! And yes, we can thank Hollywood for introducing castles to so many of us! haha
Thanks for a nice little video of some of my favourite places. I hope you took the road from Rothbury to Alnwick and got to experience the hidden dip, I don't know of a better one do you?
@@MagentaOtterTravels Here and there in the UK you can see signs for hidden dips they warn you that up ahead the road dips sufficiently for something to be hidden from view. The one on the road from Rothbury to Alnwick is the biggest I know and I have seen it completely swallow an Articulated lorry with a container on the back. Oh the dip doesn't work going from Alnwick to Rothbury. The road is probably the one you spotted Edlingham Castle from, and it's between where it crosses the A697 and where you spotted the castle on the left (if you spotted it on the right you were going to Rothbury). It's not why the road is like a roller coaster but it's warning you that it's extra roller coastery. If you like that kind of road take the A686 from Penrith to just west of Hexam close to the end you pass Langley castle I've never stayed there but I know people who have.
Well those are some lucky Minnesotans! It is a wonderful castle, and the town is a great place as well. I'll show a bit more of it in next Friday's video. Thanks so much for watching and taking time to comment, Geoff!
I guess that's what happens when you are in a county with lots of border disputes! And a little country of Wales ended up with 600! However, Germany has over 20,000 castles, so I guess that's pretty impressive as well😂
Trust me, we contemplated it! But the first night we had to meet people in Ponteland for dinner. And the 2nd night we had to meet Lorraine for dinner in Edinburgh! I actually saw 8 castles, but the 8th was Edinburgh so I didn't count it... Northumberland only ;-)
@@MagentaOtterTravels Well done for the Northumberland tourist board, and yes you are right not to include Edinburgh castle (too Scottish). Dunstanburgh is the nearest to me, and while a not is left of it I still think it is worth a visit for tourists. Keep up the good work for the U.K, love the vlogs.
I use a website called EpidemicSound for all my music since it is copyright free. But I do pay a monthly fee for the subscription. In this video there were several songs used, including: Endless Wandering by Etienne Roussel A Night at the Castle by John Algar Hopefully one of those is the song you are referring to ;-) Cheers Dara
Sadly, never been to any of those castles.......But I am sat about 200 yards away from where Harry Hotspur (son of Henry Percy 1st Duke of Northumberland) died. In fact the left wing of his army formed up in my garden, the damned cheek of them!!
No way! You should be giving tours of your garden and charging 10 quid a ticket! And I'll serve flapjacks and tea out front for an extra 10 quid! Thanks for sharing that interesting fact. Actually, Harry Hotspur is in next week's video. So I hope you tune in next Friday! I do hope you go visit some of these castles. I showed a big variety of sizes and shapes and states of ruin/repair. There is something for everyone! And if you like bizarre collections of clutter and gruesome torture, you can visit Chillingham ;-)
NO, sadly I did not. Just saw the signs. Because we were tearing around the countryside seeing 7 castles in 2 days like absolute maniacs! LOL But we did get together with our friend sin Durham on that trip, and they had just done a trip with the Chillingham cattle (he is a farmer)... and they are a fascinating bunch of creatures!
500 years of clutter…..not much there by todays standards…you would find it difficult to spot a hoarder in days gone by.. I wonder how their psychological bent manifested itself in those days…eight chain mail suits ,20 swords…10 horses,5 wives..5 sedan chairs..
Sorry about that! I read the signage in the room too quickly! Honestly, I get all those monarch names confused.... History is not my best subject. I'm much more comfortable discussing FOOD! haha
I don't think beheading, crushed by rocks, burnt at the stake and roasted on a spit is torture, sounds like execution to me. And the Iron Maiden shown in your video was never a medieval torture device. It was "invented" in 1793 and one was installed in a Swiss castle as a visitor attraction. According to QI anyway. :-)
All are fair points. Further proving my notion that the castle is full of just a crazy collection of oddities... NOT a place to visit for historical accuracy ;-)
Please check out my other videos of Northumberland, including this one of the gorgeous Cragside House & Gardens: ua-cam.com/video/GJldoOPYxg0/v-deo.html
Was that an original Thomas Crapper john ?
@@griswald7156 good question. Def from the right time period.
@@griswald7156 not sure if it was a Crapper crapper.
Northumberland cheese company.
@@MagentaOtterTravels language Dara!
Lovely video, thank you. As a 64 year old Englishman, I feel slightly embarrassed that there are so many places in this country which I am yet to visit! Keep up the good work.
Do not be embarrassed! How on earth could someone visit all the places? Trust me, we are trying... and the list is endless! Of course, I only make it more challenging by going back to my favourite places multiple times 😍
Watching your video makes me homesick. Northumberland and Durham are beautiful counties with so much history.
Well I want to say sorry, but I also want to say thanks! I hope you get to visit NE England soon! And I definitely have to go back next year... need to see more castles, and the Beamish Museum in Durham!
@@MagentaOtterTravels I hope you get to visit Beamish. Much of my childhood was spent around there. In fact, a few of the features/exhibits are places I lived around, removed then rebuilt at Beamish. The main front street was Ravensworth Terrace, Gateshead, where I delivered newspapers as a boy in the 60's. The bandstand was originally in Saltwell park, also Gateshead. So many memories... and all good.
@@tmac160 my friend was involved in the Chippy they have just restored in Beamish... I definitely want to go there! And of course Ian will want to visit the restored ice cream shop. How wonderful that it is a living museum that brings back so much nostalgia for you!
Durham is my birthplace and were i grew up before moving to Newcastle. Now I live in Canada for the past 14 years and still get homesick. I am going back next summer and staying very close to Beamish for first week and Beadnell in Northumberland for week 2. My nephew is getting married just across the border in Scotland the day before we return so we will be attending that and visiting Edinburgh again .
Beamish is really nice. We were there in 2018 and they were talking about adding a 1950s themed village with a cinema showing old movies
@@MagentaOtterTravels I was lucky enough to visit Beamish a few times before it was open to the public (1972-ish). Connections with the London publishers of the first visitors' guide books. It certainly has changed a lot since.
Wow, the water at Bamburgh is GORGEOUS!
Yes, the beach there is really nice when the weather is good.
Yes, I was actually disappointed we didn't have longer to stay and spend time there!!!
I really appreciated your commentary about the history of each castle. Very interesting and enjoyable.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I know for a fact you enjoyed listening more than I enjoyed writing those 8 history term papers ;-) But I'm always SO relieved when the editing is done! Thank you for your lovely comments, friend!❤
I do love your videos. This takes me back to the last time I was up in Northumberland, back in 1992. I'd just finished high school and was about to go to college. 30 years later and I still love Bamburgh and Alnwick. Thanks so much for posting.
You are so welcome! Thanks for watching. It is such a wonderful area. Thankfully we were able to return to Bamburgh this summer and tour the castle. I will eventually publish a Vlog of it… one of these days! 😉😂
@@MagentaOtterTravels You are just too cool for school. And your accent is just adorable! I could listen to you all day! From a Brit who loves the US.
On a nice day, the beach at Bamburgh is one of the best in the UK
What's this? Are you willing to laze on a beach, dear hubby?????!!!
So cool that all of those movies were/are being shot there
I think it’s interesting! I think most Americans do. But sometimes British people think I’m silly for mentioning what was filmed there. I tried to balance it out by also mentioning the historical facts! But for many Americans, their first introduction to these castles will be in a movie 😉
That’s a lot of castles!! We’ve only ever managed Alnwick out of those (and in pre HP days as well!). Loved the look of the beach at Bamburgh as well. Stunning. X
Well you were probably normal people and went INSIDE the castle and had a leisurely look! When we aren't in a pandemic, and they aren't filming bloomin movies everywhere, we shall do the same! AND spend some time on that lovely Bamburgh beach! Thanks so much for watching and commenting.
@@MagentaOtterTravels believe me, we’re not overly normal!!! There are plenty of castle in this Vlog that we want to check out now though xx
@@PostcardAndAPint I'm so glad!
I had to chuckle at your visit to Chillingham. Most visitors are shocked, and gobsmacked at the crazy mish mosh of 'junk' that fills the rooms. Personally, I love it all , especially the bath that was once owned by Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithful. It's like the worlds quirkiest attic.
Thanks for watching and leaving a comment about Chillingham. A MOST curious place indeed!!!
You have to understand that I am a crazy minimalist and clutter/dust drive me bonkers! So yes, I do think the history and origin story (didn't know about Mick Jagger!!!) are fascinating. But walking through the stacks of crazy disorganised stuff was a bit much for me ;-)
Cheers!
XX
Dara
So excited! I love castles!
You've really spoilt us with your castle tour. Thanks you for the film xxx
Thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was a very exhausting but thrilling two days!
So glad you "survived the torture" of making this video, Dara!! Wow, what an accomplishment. This was amazing. I was especially glad that you had worn your Quidditch shirt -- perfect! But speaking of torture, that part of the video made me quite appreciative of Monty Python's Spanish Inquisition form of torture with soft cushions and The Comfy Chair!! :-)
Haha, love a good Monty Python reference! Yes, this video was torture because I felt like I had to do 8 mini videos and 8 history term papers all at once! Historical facts are VERY hard for me to learn/remember, so I have to work extra hard. But I am always glad when it's over. And if any of the MOT appreciate it, then all the pain was worth it! Thankfully my torture did have a comfy chair and some soft cushions and fleece blankies ;-) Thank YOU for your sweet comment!
My family are from North Northumberland. My Dad was born near Ford, and I had relatives there till just a few years ago. I was born in Alnwick, though I've lived (in "exile"!) in Manchester for the last 20 years. Thanks for this and your other Northumberland videos - it is a uniquely beautiful place.
I am thrilled to hear from you! I hope that you subscribed and become a member of the Magenta Otter Tribe, because I have some fun Northumberland videos coming up in the next month or so...
I also hope that you check out my one video of Manchester. We love that city as well! and I definitely want to come back and visit when the City Hall has been refurbished!
But Northumberland really captured our hearts, and we are on a quest to educate Americans about what a fabulous place it is. Not enough people are making the effort to discover the magic of Northumberland ❤️🏴 thanks so much for your comment! Cheers! Dara
And the award for best supporting role, goes to 🥁🥁🥁 .......Ian 👏👏 👍
I’m very thankful to have him as a cameraman! Now I just need to see how many Americans dispute his comment about chillingham! 🧐
Thank you Eric. I'm comfortable in my role as the gaffer. At least it gets me a mention in the credits.
Loved seeing the beautiful shots of all these castles! Such interesting historical info too! 💖 Great job!!
Why thanks friend! You know me... I LOVE writing history term papers! LOL
Have a safe trip! Thanks for watching my lil video. Keep in touch please... if not by text then FB messenger or something.
Alnwick is my favorite! (NO SURPRISE 😂) The drone footage is amazing! (great job Ian!)
Are you a Harry Potter fan, Sueanne?
Big like 110 🥰 awesome video upload 😍 full watch done 👏 thanks for sharing impressive content 🙏 sending hugs and infinite support my dear friend 🤝👍
Cheers
Needed a little castle fix and this was brilliant! I haven't spent much time in Northumberland, but now I want to! : )
Yes, once you are living in Yorkshire, I strongly recommend a holiday there! There are more castles in Northumberland than any other county in England, and you will love the history! ❤️🏴
Oh my god ...... Beautiful 💓
Thanks 😊
Lived near Warkworth for many years, been to Bamburgh & Alnwick many times, of course this is my County, great informative vlog Dara x
Thanks so much for commenting! I love to hear from people who are familiar with the places. Have you been to crazy Chillingham? I'd love to know if you think any of the castles you've been to seem "haunted". Have you heard of school groups going to Ford Castle? Apparently that is what it's used for most these days...
The castles are all so awesome! -S
Thanks so much for watching. We loved our exhausting and exhilirating "castle dash"!
Absolutely fantastic! Love how jam packed your schedule was! Great to watch as always :D thanks for sharing. Your video today is exactly what we love seeing! Particularly enjoyed Chillingham, wow!!! so cool 🙏
Why thanks so much! It was madness seeing so much so fast, but during the pandemic it was kind of the best way! And I'm glad you enjoyed Chillingham... what a nutty place! haha
Oooh the torture dungeon!
Nice to see the Quidditch shirt again, lol! I do like the phrase "a castley looking castle!" 👍😂
Not a real word, but you know what I mean ;-) haha
@@MagentaOtterTravels didn't you know there's a place in North Yorkshire called Castley, but oddly has no Castles
@@wencireone How dare them! Those Americans and their misleading advertising!
You two were on a mission hahah! Oh Joerg and I absolutely loved Fort & Etal! You gave us some tips for more castle to see, thank you!
I'm glad we found some you hadn't seen! It's only fair, because Ian heard about Ford & Etal from YOU which is why we went to see those villages! Thanks very much for watching, Kirsten! XX
Welcome home both, Germany does look stunning.
Absolutely, so cool
Thanks Rose! I hope you have a great weekend!
You have an awesome weekend too
What a fun video! You were surely moving along to see that many castles. Very interesting! That torture chamber was really bizarre and creepy! ❤️
That whole castle was VERY bizarre!!! And yes, the torture museum was creepy and icky for sure. It was madness dashing about, but honestly in a pandemic, it was possibly a good way to do it. Plus, with all the filming we coudn't get into the best castles anyway! But on my next trip to Northumberland, I hope to have a more leisurely chance to see inside several castles... and a slower pace ;-)
Ians drone footage is brilliant.
Your guided tours are great .
Awww, thanks so much! Some videos are harder to make then others, and this was a nightmare. So I REALLY appreciate the positive feedback. Makes it all worth it!
Cheers XX Dara
Thank you Lee. I couldn't get as close to the castles as I would have liked to due to restrictions but fortunately, since my drone is under 500 g, I could fly over towns. That will change January 2022 and I'll have to figure out if I should get a new drone that complies with the rule change.
I love Northumberland, if the weather plays nice there's no better beaches in England. I've only managed to visit the first 4 of these castles plus Dunstanburgh so far.
I agree! Such a gorgeous coastline! Now that we have discovered it, we definitely want to go back next year. And hopefully we can see Dunstanburgh this time. Thanks so much for watching and commenting! I really appreciate it!
Cheers
Dara
I love a good castle! The Gardens at Chillingham are just AMAZING! Can you imagine having a wedding there!
The only thing better than a Castle is seven castles! LOL
A couple years ago I put together estimates for my son when he got engaged, because I was hoping he would get married in an English castle. I looked at several castles around where our Flat is in Gloucestershire. So dreamy!
Thanks for watching, Alisha!❤️
This video is great. Living on Tyneside I haven't yet been to Chillingham castle or inside Warkworth castle. I must have a look at Edlingham as well. If you visit Beamish I recommend Raby castle, near to Barnard Castle, in Co Durham. Raby castle is complete and not a ruin. Cecily Neville, the mother of kings Edward IV and Richard III was born there. Of course, that's not forgetting Durham and its cathedral.
Chillingham is VERY quirky, but you might want to visit if you live nearby. Warkworth is so lovely.... I'd love to go back when daffodils are in bloom and see the inside of the castle! Edlingham is great because it is so accessible and free! With the church and the viaduct, I think it's well worth a visit!
As for Durham, I HAVE to go visit Beamish because my two dear friends work there. And I've heard it is an amazing museum. And because my maiden name is RABE I also have to go visit Raby Castle! We did visit Durham Cathedral once upon a time, but it was so long ago that I must go back... I've learnt to appreciate cathedrals more in the meantime ;-) Thanks so much for the lovely comments, Graham! Cheers XX Dara
Just watched your video, so pleased you enjoyed visiting my home county. I’ve been fortunate to visit all of the locations and meet some of the owners including the duke and Duchess of northumberland and William Armstrong jnr at bamburgh castle. Such a shame you didn’t have more time to see each castle in more detail. Great video!
It's really nice to meet you! We fell in love with the county of Northumberland. So much so that we went back in 2022 and FINALLY (on our 3rd visit!) were able to tour Bamburgh Castle. I hope to start editing those vlogs once I finish my current Liverpool series. Cheers! Dara
Ian's drone footage is spectacular! ⭐⭐⭐
Thanks so much, I was chuffed to have it!!!
Thank you!
Nice one I was born there and liked the tour, now in Canada but still miss the chippy in Throckley
I’m so glad I could give you a little walk down memory lane! Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment. I hope you subscribe and stick around for more travel adventures in Britain and other British nonsense😉. Cheers! Dara
Love this trailer! Some would say it's otter this world!!
THANKS SO MUCH! I worked so long on that dang trailer... funny how much editing can go into a 3 minute video. But I still enjoy watching it because seeing all the cute otters, British architecture and nature, and yummy food... brings back so many happy memories!
@@MagentaOtterTravels we can tell it took awhile, but it came out great!
I love beautiful gardens.
Yes, one of the delights of summer! Thanks for watching my videos, Tom. Praying that you feel much better SOON!
So excited to watch this one!!
Thank you for the shout out!!
60,000 is a bargain for Bamburgh castle!! Expect if would be a bit more these days.....
The tower at Edlingham reminds me of Caerphilly!
Yikes, Chillingham!!!!
What a fantasic tour, you packed so much in!! We definitely need to get up North and check some of these out!
The perfect video thanks , I plan to visit them all 🇬🇧👍
Why thank you so much, Henry! What part of the world do you live in?
@@MagentaOtterTravels ….. I move a lot , but east coast of England at present. I’ve never had the time to explore before and wanted to start 🍻
Another great video. Next time you get to a sandy beach take your bucket and spade and reproduce every one of those castles.
Actually, Ian and Weston dearly love building sand castles! I have some very cute pictures of them and their castles from all over the place. England, France, Mexico…
All on my list will be planning a trip North soon.
Yay! It's a wonderful part of Britain!
The drone footage was splendid, as ever, but so was the narration, Dara. Looking forward to next week.
Thanks so much! Because I have the memory span of a goldfish, all the historical info is very hard for me to learn and process and summarise, so I VERY much appreciate your compliment! It has been an insane week, but hearing your kind words suddenly make it all worth it ;-) Cheers! XX Dara
I really do enjoy your content but l hope producing it doesn’t put too much pressure on you.
A much needed escape today! Dara excellent narration and bravo Ian for the cool drone shots especially through the bridge. I still cannot get over the Rhododendrons in England! Wow! Beautiful video!! ~Cara 🌺
Thanks so much! Sending you huge virtual hugs today!!! Yes, the rhododendrons are INCREDIBLE. I think they will be a big part of our summers from now on ;-)
@@MagentaOtterTravels ❤️❤️❤️
@@MagentaOtterTravels I love Rhododendrons but in some parts of the UK they are taking over and killing indigenous species, especially in Snowdonia in North Wales.
Wow the gardens at chillingham castle are stunning!
Yes, for such a wacky interior of the castle, the grounds and garden were quite lovely!
Watching this video on our smart TV right now! Such a fun quest to see so many castles in 2 days!
Aww you are sweet! I hope you are settled well into your new home! ❤️
Wow, 7 castles in 2 days - that's quite an accomplishment! 😅👏👏
I know this must be Julie, because I was talking on the phone to Julie when these comments were left! LOL
Visiting Bamburgh for a holiday in a few weeks. Really informative video thanks. Have you visited many of the castles and abbey ruins in North Yorkshire. Fountains abbey is one of our favourites.
Yes, we were supposed to visit Fountains Abbey on our way back down from Scotland but ran out of time so it will have to be on a future trip. We did have dinner at the nearby Grantley Hall and in the evening walked around Ripon. Both lovely places. I also got some great drone footage along the river in Knaresborough. Dara will be doing a future video featuring North Yorkshire. In previous years we spent time in the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors but there's a lot in those areas we haven't seen and would like to see.
Have a great time in Bamburgh! I can't wait to go back! And as my hubby said... we really need more time in the Yorkshire Dales and visited castles/abbeys in the area.
@@ians3586 Sounds lovely. I'm from Yorkshire but have lived in Surrey and London for over 30 years. We go up as a family on holiday quite often. Have to make sure my daughters know which is the best county :)
Thanks for sharing this amazing video.
Love it. Sending my full support.
See you around.
thank you ☺
You both look so sweet in your wedding photo! the similarity between your dress and the one at the castle just proves you have timelessly classic taste.
Awww, thanks! Did you notice that Ian looks 14? I swear he was 26!
You HAVE to have timeless tastes if you are like me and have stopped buying clothes, only wearing the same old stuff I've had for 20 years, LOL!
@@MagentaOtterTravels you both look like teens!
What amazing castles, particularly Bamburgh. And the drone footage, fantastic.
Thanks, John! I think Ian did a brilliant job with the drone. And after seeing the footage again, I want to go back and spend longer at Bamburgh... once Harry is done filming Indy there ;-)
@@MagentaOtterTravels Aye, don't you hate it when that happens... I was on holiday round Naples once, and planned to go to the Royal Palace, Caserta, just to the north. Nope, Tom Cruise had taken over the place for an early Mission Impossible movie. Flippin' film stars!
I'm one of those who stayed at Ford on two occasions ,for a week each time ,back in the sixties as part of my Geography A level syllabus. It really is very impressive inside and out and there was a beautiful garden at the back. I was talked into trying on a helmet from a suit of armour by my "friends" who then fastened a catch so that I couldn't easily get it off, and when I did my face was black from dirt inside the helmet. On the same trip some of us went into a pub (The Black Bull maybe in Etal?) had a quick half and when we came out there was the director of Ford and teachers coming down the road, he asked me if we had been in the pub and I told him we needed the toilet and it was the only place we could try so we got away with that. I think Ford is still used as what we would have called an Outward Bound centre. My school was Blyth Grammar School which no longer exists, school motto "Tenax et Fidelis = Sreadfast and Faithful".
What a cool place to go for your studies. I'm surprised they would have served you at the pub but the 60's were a different era.
@@ians3586 It all depended on the pub of course but some of us looked a bit older than we were and I for instance had been getting served since I was 15. Only occasionally though cos I didn't have much money, but I was never refused anywhere when I tried.
Wow, your pub story is funny! As Ian said, it's very different here in the states. People ALWAYS get "carded" (asked for ID) if they look anything under 40! haha
But my favourite was the story about the helmet from the suit of armour... bless you! Sorry to laugh but I'm sure you were a sight!
I heard a worker at Ford Castle telling some other tourists that it is still used for school groups these days... well, when there isn't pandemic/lockdown. Thanks for your comment! I hope you are subscribed and stick around for the rest of our Northern adventures!
Cheers
XX
Dara
Thoroughly enjoyed that Dara. 🙏 🇳🇿 🙋♀️ 🇳🇱 💖
Thanks so much for watching, Anita!
Shame you missed Dunstanburgh Castle - and Craster Kippers, The Chillingham Herd. too the white cattle. Thanks for the aerial shots too
Ah yes, I heard about Craster Kippers... I'm not a fan of kippers but I'll have to make a point of trying them on my next visit to that area!
At the risk of sounding like a UA-camr, I'll say "I hope you are subscribed and click that bell!" because I DID get to Dunstanburgh this past summer, a year after I filmed this video. I had a really special experience there. I look forward to sharing that video... but first I have to get the footage edited. Hopefully I can get back to my Northumberland vlogs after I finish my current Liverpool series. Friday is my "travel vlogs" day... so please keep an eye out in the coming weeks ;-) Thanks so much for your comment, and your support! Cheers! Dara
Your videos are the most beautifully photographed and presented on UA-cam that I've seen. Many thanks.
Oh my goodness, Jill, that is such an incredibly sweet thing to say! I really appreciate the compliment today, after finishing what was probably the most difficult video I have ever edited. Reading comments like that make it all worth it! Cheers! XX Dara
@@MagentaOtterTravels I really love the area. It's a pity you couldn't get to Lindisfarne (Holy Island). You'd love it.
See if you can see any pictures of the Lindisfarne Gospels, a beautiful illustrated Gospel book dated sometime in the 8th century.
We will definitely be back! And plan our trip to allow a proper visit to Lindisfarne. As you know, it’s not a place you can just dash into for five minutes 😉
@@MagentaOtterTravels Did you manage to visit the church in Bamburgh and see Grace Darling's magnificent grave? She was of the UK's bravest women and was so young.
@@jillhobson6128 unfortunately this really was a castle "dash". Bamburgh was very crowded and made even worse by all the film lorries that were there so were very quick in and out. We'll need to visit again in a less touristy time.
Derek is so jealous you went to Bamburgh Castle since we couldn’t go due to covid! He said he’s wanted to go ever since reading the Saxon Chronicles by Bernard Cornwall 😀
Well, tell him to only be partially jealous. Harrison Ford wouldn’t let us actually go inside the castle either! But we did go stand outside of it! 😂
I have just started listening to The Last Kingdom audiobooks by Bernard Cornwell - great stuff.
It's a shame Cornwall's books can't even get a basic detail correct - Bamburgh being an Angle stronghold, not Saxon.
@@ronhall9394 Oh wow, you're saying the author got that wrong in the books? I haven't read the Saxon Chronicles series (my husband Derek has), so I wouldn't be sure if it was incorrect in the books or not. But it would be weird if it was, for sure!
This is like the way we travel see as much as you can in as little time as you can. 😂 never enough time. Great history.
It is a bit exhausting, but also exhilirating! haha ... I was SO worn out at the end of pretty much every day this summer!
But yes, learning about the history was great. Castles are such treasures of history! Thanks for watching, friends!
Okay, now that I’ve had a nap, I can enjoy your castle hunt!
I needed a nap after doing that Castle Dash! Thanks for making time to watch… I know you are busy!!!
I like the time stamp on the video 'drag line' most helpful for those of us who like a second viewing of their favourite parts 👍
I’m trying to get better about doing chapters. A video like this definitely needs it! I hope the part you were re-watching was not the torture museum! LOL
@@MagentaOtterTravels I rewatched it all, just for the details 🔍
Cheers!
I think Northumberland has about 70 castles to view. Some of them are ruins but it shows how battle scarred the NE is.
Yes there are lots of castles in Northumberland. You don't have to go far to find a one . Durham too I've never counted them but nearly as many I'd think .
I only repeated that statistic about Northumberland having the most castles of any county in England because I read it in an article 😉… but I agree that both Northumberland and County Durham are wonderful counties to explore! Great beaches and coastline as well! Have you watched my video of Durham Cathedral?
I have a few more vlogs coming about our visit to Northumberland this year. Including our visit to the Farne islands! I just need time to edit them… Cheers! Dara
Only 14 in County Durham. 70 in Northumberland.
Yes I have been to all 7 more times than I care to remember and stayed in Chillingham Castle in 2018 and will be staying there again next summer.
There was only myself and partner staying there with an American couple and the Gardener. We were all given a private tour of the castle by the Gardner when it got dark.
The American couple put their luggage back in their car after the tour and drove off. They were obviously spooked and too scared to stay the night so we had the castle to ourselves.
I remember there was a swing door next to the tower room we were staying in and it was creaking as it swung back and forwards without anyone going through it.
Everytime i heard it swinging, I went out to take a video but it suddenly stopped before I could record it. It didn't start swinging again until I started walking back to my room so when I went back to record it, the door stopped swinging again. I gave up in the end
OK, so you are convinced the place is haunted? That is such an interesting story! Out of curiosity, why do you stay there? Do you like visiting haunted places? Or is it a really pretty castle room where you stay? How expensive is it? This is so fascinating! I’m also chuffed to hear that you have been to all the other castles! Codger fort is on private property, but I think we could get some nice drone photography of it if we ever pass that way again👍
@@MagentaOtterTravels it is supposed to be the most haunted castle in Britain and it feels creepy. The owner is very eccentric and his eclectic collections makes it feel even creepier.
The main reason we are going back is because we are taking my partners two boys with us who are 17 and 14 but they think we are staying at a pretty stone cottage in Beadnell . We want to surprise them by visiting and announce to them that we are staying the night. I am not sure how they are going to react. 😬😱👻
The Tower apartment sleeps 4 adults and I think it was £200 per night or £150 for two people. There are other rooms you can stay in but I think they are more expensive
Oh my goodness, that sounds like a fantastic idea! I hope they love it!
Phew! Seven castles in 20 minutes - and I'm out of breath! Thank you for such a superb narrative and some great drone footage. Really enjoyable.I might have been able to say we'd visited all of them had we ever got around to organising the 'coast and castles' cycle trip we'd long promised ourselves!
Casual thought: I wonder whether we'll be needing these castles again if the Scottish Nationalist Party ever succeeds in its 'independence' campaign...? 😜😜😜
Yes, we just watched a documentary about Holyroodhouse and Ian was asking the same types of questions about what happens if Scotland ever succeeds in seceding!
Thanks so much for your kind words. I don't know which was more exhausting, running around Northumberland those two days or spending dozens of hours this week editing that madness into a coherent video with 8 separate videos within, LOL!
And I hope you get that coast and castles trip in... that sounds amazing!!!
@@MagentaOtterTravels Your editing 'madness' is greatly appreciated!
I have been to five of these castles, I did not know about Fort & Etal. Your knowledge of heritage sites in the UK is impressive. Did you view Bamburgh from the beach, Chillingham looks like its getting restored, did you see the white cattle. Thank you for a superb video.
We did not get to see the Chillingham cattle, and I only learned about them later that day when we went to dinner with friends who live in Durham and are cattle experts! Very interesting stuff! As for me, I am NOT that knowledgeable. I’m actually rubbish at history! But I’m good at reading lots of information and summarising it in a few sentences. It’s a painful process for me, but it’s worth it in the end because I’m always really happy when these videos are done being edited! 🙌🙌 I really appreciate you watching and taking the time to comment! Thank you so much! Bamburgh was actually quite crowded when we went there. We were there later in the day, and there was no place to park near the beach at all. It was extremely crowded, and all the huge trucks and lorries for the film crew did not help that situation! I definitely want to go back to Bamburgh another time and properly visit the castle as well as spend time on the beach👍
Glad you enjoyed my area. Yes I've visited all but being local I have an advantage. I could add quite a few more. One of my favourites is starlight Castle
You can't swing a dead cat without hitting a castle in Northumberland!! Is that an American saying you've heard before? Yes, I need to go back and visit SO MANY more castles! As we were looking at the Google map for Codger Fort we saw a castle near it as well! Feel free to list your favourite ones here. That way when I return to Northumberland I can check the comment section for my next "must visit" list! What are your other faves besides Starlight?
ive only seen bamburgh and alnwick,but worth it
Well you saw the biggest and best! Now you can explore some of the obscure ( or in the case of Chillingham, downright wacky!) ones. I think it is BIG FUN to just discover little ruins driving around ;-) Thanks for your comment! Cheers XX Dara
Most definitely the most "Castley" video I've watched 😉❤
Yay! That was my goal 👍
Thank you. Fascinating glimpse, that remind me of school trips growing up in the area. Many of my schoolmates claimed to be descendants of border reivers (think medieval mafia). I took beautiful landscapes and history for granted.
Just in case some don’t realise, another cellar was set up as a torture chamber as the real one was sealed off by Sir Humphrey, who felt it was wrong to turn all its misery and cruelty into an attraction for gawping tourists. Among other things, it includes a blacksmith’s forge, an illegal still, rack, iron cage, spiked chair, instruments of torture and an iron maiden specially made for a film about Elizabeth I.
I kind of agree that it perhaps should not be a tourist attraction… we saw a torture exhibit in Warwick castle, and also in Germany. Rather grisly… not really something I would visit on purpose.
Thanks so much for your comment! I believe that Ford castle is really used mainly for school activities now.
My grandmother was born and raised in Durham.Enjoyed your video.
Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment! As I am now good friends with a couple folks who work at the Beamish Museum, our trip to Britain next summer HAS to include a stay in Durham and an exploration of that area! Do you live in Britain now, or another country?
There's nothing quite like an 'Old Codger' 😉🤣👍
I agree! I could relate to the name 😉
@@MagentaOtterTravels apparently one of the theories behind the word ' Codger' is coffin dodger ! 😬
Well done again, an excellent video great filming and editing, worth every Cent you get and more ❤👍
Phew! I was relieved that you commented this morning! Neither you nor David commented yesterday, and I was worried that you had both given up on me because you think I’m now so big I don’t need you 🥺… I was discussing that with Ian last night. He told me to give it 24 hours! LOL
@@MagentaOtterTravels busy day yesterday, we took our youngest to his school leavers prom and by the time we had tea and then picked him up after the day was gone. I'm still here to keep you on your toes 😉👍
To clarify, I do expect subscribers to have real lives and do other things besides sit next to their computers or iPads and wait for me to publish videos! LOL
But if @david doesn’t leave me a single comment anytime this weekend, I’m going to worry about him!
And I have no idea what a leavers prom is? What is a leaver?
@@MagentaOtterTravels a school leaver prom ( end of term party ), he's now left school and off to college, he's 16, 17 in January 👍
Funny, that’s what I was guessing, but this seems like a strange time of year to be end of term!
As a proud Northumbrian, it think Northumberland is the best & most beautiful county in the UK! Tho, I am slightly biased!!
You ARE biased... but you are also not wrong! Most Americans don't make it to Northumberland for a visit... they don't know what they are missing!
Jo, it does look beautiful. My biased vote goes to Oxfordshire.
The tree big trees behind the Rhododendrons at Chillingham are Welingtonias or Giant Californian redwoods.
you are so good at plant identification! I am rubbish. That's why I appreciate it when we get a guided tour ... I was surprised to see giant California redwoods at Scotney Castle in Kent! That video is coming soon, so stay tuned 😉
Can’t wait sweetie!!
The interiors and gardens a Alnwick are really something. It’s a shame we couldn’t feature them in the video.
We shall have to GO BACK! And bring one of our HP crazed friends ;-)
@@MagentaOtterTravels And let Ian visit the gardens!
👍 Great video. What we find amazing about castles, cathedrals, stately homes etc, is that they were built without modern tools and machinery. And although most tourists (like yourselves) understand just how old these buildings are, it's not always the case. When visiting Windsor castle near Heathrow (where parts date back to the 11th century), one tourist told a local TV reporter, "It's a lovely castle, but it's a shame they built it so close to the Airport!" 🤣
OK, that is both very funny and very sad that a person actually said that! This week we watched a documentary that Fiona Bruce did where she told all about Windsor Castle. Including showing the secret escape passageway leading out of the castle underneath it! It was so fascinating!
@@MagentaOtterTravels Fiona Bruce is a good presenter, she may have some of your qualities such as likeability and charm, but we bet doesn't she know anything about flowers or otters like you do ? 😉
Haha thanks! I’m sure I know more about FOOD too! My favourite thing to talk about 🤣💖
@@MagentaOtterTravels 😂 Yes, you have a passion for food such as cheese 🧀 and sticky toffee pudding 🍮 ? 😉 not sure what your number 1 would be ?
You missed huge Dunstanburgh castle just down the coast from Bamburgh a walk up from Craster but there are loads of lesser castles that you couldn't hope to see all of. Chillingham estate is also the home of the wild Chillingham cattle herd. You didnt mention the huge Alnwick gardens nicknamed the Versaille of the north. Codger castle was a folly to keep workers employed and i think quite close to the home of Catherine Cookson the late author. Off the coast are the Farne Islands which you can get boats from Seahouses to. These islands are England's Galapagos where the packed seals and birds have no fear of humans. Best time is the nesting season. You can get castle sick doing too many at once. I once studied Norman castles and spent weeks visiting them in the welsh borders. No mention of roman wall forts?
Thanks so much for your comment! I'm not sure how long you've been on the channel, so I'll tell you a few things about me.
1) I'm NOT a historian. I really appreciate all your suggestions. I do my best to cobble together information during our visits and as I edit the video. It's rather painful for me because I have the memory span of a goldfish. And I'm rubbish at history.
2) We definitely wanted to see Dunstanburgh, but we simply ran out of time. We had to drive far to dinner appointments both nights. But I would love to see it and many more castles... AND Hadrians wall AND so many more things!
3) One of those dinner dates was with folks who work with livestock and cattle in Durham. They told us about the Chillingham Cattle. VERY interesting indeed!
4) I'm obsessed with Puffins. We have been planning our trip for over a year, and hoping to see puffins both in Farne and Skomer. I'll link a couple videos below if you are interested. Next summer: Farne, Seahouses and Bempton Cliffs!
Our puffin planning: ua-cam.com/video/xEV6RC6huy8/v-deo.html
Our puffin results: ua-cam.com/video/QO5ZtxGCRhE/v-deo.html
Yes, Dunstanburgh and Lindesfarne, although near Bamburgh, were just a bridge too far. We did visit Alnwick Gardens in a previous visit in 2010 but on this trip, due to the filming, they were closed but you're right they are really impressive. The Farne Islands were on our schedule for this trip but inexplicably, the National Trust has closed the islands to visitors even though the boats were going right up to them. Surely the boats were far more risky when it came to Covid than walking around the islands? Perhaps it was a staff issue. We definitely want to visit the Farne Islands on a future trip. My wife's a huge fan of puffins and I'd like to see if the arctic terns really do attack. Hadrian's Wall and the forts are another thing that will have to wait for a future trip. Just too much to see in the area.
@@ians3586 The wardens live on one of the islands and they couldnt do it safely during covid this year so no one could land. Whilst the boat trips up to and arounds the islands are good, you really need to land in nesting season
@@MagentaOtterTravels You did very well to see what you did, i was intending no criticism. You've covered more than many who have come this way.
@@redf7209 No worries! I did not take it as criticism. If I seemed triggered it’s just because we were so extremely disappointed to not see puffins this summer! Which you can definitely see in our “Puffin Curse” video! LOL
Well done Dara/Ian another beautifully put together video .Love the history you add to each location .And i must visit Chillingham Castle some day ..
Chillingham is CRAZY! But definitely a different type of castle to visit. And the grounds are beautiful as well. Thanks so much for the compliment. Editing this video purt near killed me, so I REALLY appreciate any compliments on this one. Anything for the MOT ;-) Cheers! XX Dara
Visited most of those castles, mind I do live in Northumberland so none of them are a real distance from the village where I live and Alnwick is less than 20 miles away. Never been to Chillingham Castle though. glad you enjoyed your trips through this beautiful county :).
It is a green and pleasant land indeed! I hope you enjoyed my mad dash through Northumbria. Chillingham is a wacky place! Not my favourite castle, but I'm glad we visited because it was a lovely garden and grounds and a "different" experience! Hopefully you are subscribed and will stick around for this Friday's video of some of those Northumberland towns and the countryside in general. I look forward to hearing what you think!
Cheers
XX
Dara
I’m a little disappointed there wasn’t any Quiddich training happening at Alnwick, but your shirt made up for it! 😊
When they aren’t filming and the castle is open to visitors they do have some quidditch stuff!
Where is Ian's India Jones hat in honor of the castle? That is the drone footage we need!
Yeah, Dara’s falling short when it comes to wardrobe for the production!
Well you know how it is to be minimalist travelers... y'all are living out of backpacks! My wardrobe consists of a few magenta T shirts and some black shorts/trousers, LOL... and of course, one Harry Potter Tee.
@@ians3586 unbelievable!!
Hi I live in the UK and I never heard of half of those castle before and I have now been educated by a American on English castle.
Well, you’ve actually been educated by a lot of Castle websites! I’m just the American who summarised the information for you 😂😂… i’m glad that I could share a few more obscure castle destinations with you! We really enjoy going to more remote places, and not just the same old tourist hotspots that all the other Americans visit ❤️. Which part of the UK do you live in?
@@MagentaOtterTravels I am in North West UK , I have been to Bournemouth and Torquay and in Cornwall had some Cornish Pasties from a mobile cafe these where the original recipe very yummy and a very long time ago when I was very young with my parents on holiday and am I a keen cyclist and I have in 1999 cycled lands end to John O Groats and seen many sights through out the UK. and love cycling through those country roads. Yes I get the impression that some Americans just go to London which is very sad as you know Britain has a lot more to offer and they should visit the country side and see those rolling hills and sheep and villages and churches and thanks for touring those castle it was very interesting.
Now that I am back here in my little house in very flat and very hot Texas I am missing the rolling green hills and sheep of Cotswolds more than you know! You have my respect for cycling the length of Britain top to bottom! Every time we drive on those narrow country roads and see cyclists, I always think “I could never do that”! I hope you check out some of our other travel vlogs. We spent time in the West country last year, and this summer I’ve only really been able to vlog about Scotland, some of Yorkshire and Northumberland. But I have about 100 more videos on deck 😉… so stay tuned!
Really? That is shocking!
If you ever get to Southern England you might consider Arundel Castle, which is spectacular and Bodiam Castle which is about as classic a castle as you will see. Also in between them is Pevensey Castle, which started life as a Roman Saxon Shore fort. Lancing College Chapel is certainly worth a visit, I have feeling it was a Harry Potter location. There are others such as Rye and Lewes but they are less of a spectacle, although the Towns are good to wander round.
There are many parts of the South East we need to explore further! Because of our family, and now our flat, we tend to just land at Heathrow and then immediately go West! And we have gone to certain places in the North over and over. BUT... this summer we were supposed to go to Arundel! I was excited about that. But as you can imagine, MANY of our plans got scrapped this year due to the pandemic and all our American family and friends not being able to visit. However, we did get to meet in person many "virtual friends" that we have made in the UK. And one couple lives on the South East coast, and we have planned to visit them next year. I really appreciate you giving us these suggestions! Cheers! XX Dara
@@MagentaOtterTravels Yes I don’t think anyone’s plans were unaffected, sadly. We live in Eastbourne and it’s the busiest summer we’ve seen for years with folk staying in this country for their hols. Castles will still be there next year so just a temporary glitch :-) Be prepared for big traffic congestion down here in the summer though. Once the schools have finished it can be bonkers, 30min trips can take 2 hrs. I’m not trying to put you off but it would be wrong not to warn you.
Yes, we will have to plan accordingly. Cheers!
James the First of England, Sixth of Scotland, min 16.00 ish. Another cracking vid by the way.
Thanks so much for watching and leaving a comment! I really appreciate it. All those historical facts TOTALLY overwhelm me. I MUCH prefer talking about FOOD! haha ...
Claude Signet, beautiful...
Like your magenta-heavy count down.
This was the first time they let me choose a countdown clock! So yes, I looked for a magenta one. Thanks for noticing!
With private land we have right to roam. Did you spot the Chillingham cattle the last wild herd of cattle in Britain. They are protected so no human contact
I didn't see the cattle, but I did see the signs for them. And coincidentally, the friends we were meeting for dinner went on an expedition visiting the Chillingham cattle not long after that day! They work with cattle and livestock in Durham and it was very interesting to hear what they said about the cattle. Kind of wild cows that the humans don't "manage" at all.
Love this! I wish we lived in a place that had castles available. Such a beautiful place. Be honest Dara. Do you like England or your American home better?
Honestly, I love both! My life in Texas is very different than my life in England for a lot of reasons.
Most of us who live in these places hardly think about them.
You really need to visit Lindisfarne too
I did! Finally! I still haven't had time to edit and publish that vlog, but it's coming. Please subscribe and stay tuned 🙏
In 1991, a group of us saw, Newcastle castle, and castles at Morpeth, Durham, Ford, Etal, Dunstanburgh, Bamburgh, Norham, Alnwick, and Warkworth. It took from sunrise to sunset, yet worth the rush and miles of driving. After my nearly seven year tour in England, I managed to visit 135 castles.
Awesome Country!
I love that you kept track of all the castles you visited! 135 is a fair few!! I wish I had kept a list...
Thanks for your comment. Cheers! Dara
I learnt so much, I had no idea that there were so many castles in the one region of the UK. The only one I had heard of was Alnwick (thanks Harry Potter!)
Honestly, there are just SO MANY castles, I don't expect anyone to know all 70 unless they had a PhD in castles! Not sure that is a thing, but it should be! And yes, we can thank Hollywood for introducing castles to so many of us! haha
Thanks for a nice little video of some of my favourite places. I hope you took the road from Rothbury to Alnwick and got to experience the hidden dip, I don't know of a better one do you?
Please explain the hidden dip. Is that why the road was like being on a roller coaster ride? I have video of that comment in next week's video!
You have that right! We took that route several times. I loved taking that dip at a good clip. Like riding a roller coaster.
@@MagentaOtterTravels Here and there in the UK you can see signs for hidden dips they warn you that up ahead the road dips sufficiently for something to be hidden from view. The one on the road from Rothbury to Alnwick is the biggest I know and I have seen it completely swallow an Articulated lorry with a container on the back. Oh the dip doesn't work going from Alnwick to Rothbury. The road is probably the one you spotted Edlingham Castle from, and it's between where it crosses the A697 and where you spotted the castle on the left (if you spotted it on the right you were going to Rothbury).
It's not why the road is like a roller coaster but it's warning you that it's extra roller coastery. If you like that kind of road take the A686 from Penrith to just west of Hexam close to the end you pass Langley castle I've never stayed there but I know people who have.
St. Cloud State University (Minnesota) runs a study abroad program at Alnwick Castle
Well those are some lucky Minnesotans! It is a wonderful castle, and the town is a great place as well. I'll show a bit more of it in next Friday's video. Thanks so much for watching and taking time to comment, Geoff!
There’s 70 castles in Northumberland and only 14 in County Durham.
I guess that's what happens when you are in a county with lots of border disputes! And a little country of Wales ended up with 600! However, Germany has over 20,000 castles, so I guess that's pretty impressive as well😂
You need that many castles in an English county in order to keep the Scots out if you're living next door to them!
There were hundreds of years of border disputes!
Dara what happened to Dunstanburgh ? you could have done 8 !
Trust me, we contemplated it! But the first night we had to meet people in Ponteland for dinner. And the 2nd night we had to meet Lorraine for dinner in Edinburgh! I actually saw 8 castles, but the 8th was Edinburgh so I didn't count it... Northumberland only ;-)
@@MagentaOtterTravels Well done for the Northumberland tourist board, and yes you are right not to include Edinburgh castle (too Scottish). Dunstanburgh is the nearest to me, and while a not is left of it I still think it is worth a visit for tourists. Keep up the good work for the U.K, love the vlogs.
@@davidtemple5934 thanks so much! I do love Dunstanburgh's location. Would love to visit it and Lindisfarne next time!
The background music is so matched with the scence of the castle. May I know the name of the music?
I use a website called EpidemicSound for all my music since it is copyright free. But I do pay a monthly fee for the subscription. In this video there were several songs used, including:
Endless Wandering by Etienne Roussel
A Night at the Castle by John Algar
Hopefully one of those is the song you are referring to ;-)
Cheers
Dara
Thanks so much. The music is so matched with your majestic sence. I love to lisen the Endless Wandering.
Sadly, never been to any of those castles.......But I am sat about 200 yards away from where Harry Hotspur (son of Henry Percy 1st Duke of Northumberland) died. In fact the left wing of his army formed up in my garden, the damned cheek of them!!
No way! You should be giving tours of your garden and charging 10 quid a ticket! And I'll serve flapjacks and tea out front for an extra 10 quid! Thanks for sharing that interesting fact.
Actually, Harry Hotspur is in next week's video. So I hope you tune in next Friday!
I do hope you go visit some of these castles. I showed a big variety of sizes and shapes and states of ruin/repair. There is something for everyone! And if you like bizarre collections of clutter and gruesome torture, you can visit Chillingham ;-)
@@MagentaOtterTravels Hi Dara, unfortunately my next door neighbour beat me to it!! And yes I,ll be there for next fridays video.
Seriously? Well, you’ll have to figure out some other way to profit😂
And their lands in the south that gave the name of Tottenham Hotspur.
Omg did you go to chilligham and not see the world famous cattle?
NO, sadly I did not. Just saw the signs. Because we were tearing around the countryside seeing 7 castles in 2 days like absolute maniacs! LOL
But we did get together with our friend sin Durham on that trip, and they had just done a trip with the Chillingham cattle (he is a farmer)... and they are a fascinating bunch of creatures!
500 years of clutter…..not much there by todays standards…you would find it difficult to spot a hoarder in days gone by..
I wonder how their psychological bent manifested itself in those days…eight chain mail suits ,20 swords…10 horses,5 wives..5 sedan chairs..
It was the craziest collection I have ever seen!
James VI of Scotland.
Sorry about that! I read the signage in the room too quickly! Honestly, I get all those monarch names confused.... History is not my best subject. I'm much more comfortable discussing FOOD! haha
I don't think beheading, crushed by rocks, burnt at the stake and roasted on a spit is torture, sounds like execution to me. And the Iron Maiden shown in your video was never a medieval torture device. It was "invented" in 1793 and one was installed in a Swiss castle as a visitor attraction. According to QI anyway. :-)
All are fair points. Further proving my notion that the castle is full of just a crazy collection of oddities... NOT a place to visit for historical accuracy ;-)
@@MagentaOtterTravels Makes it more scarey for the women with children.
@@Beejay950 Yes exactly! Eye roll...