Luxury Coastal Retreats in Northumberland
Northumberland
Once part of the Roman Empire Northumberland was the scene of many wars between England and Scotland. As evidence of its violent history, Northumberland has more castles than any other county in England, including the castles of Alnwick, Bamburgh, Dunstanburgh and Warkworth.
The region of present-day Northumberland once formed the core of the Anglian kingdom of Bernicia, which was later united with Deira south of the River Tees to form Northumbria. Northumberland is often called the "cradle of Christianity" in England, because it was on Lindisfarne, a tidal island north of Bamburgh, also called Holy Island, that Christianity flourished when monks from Iona were sent to convert the English. Lindisfarne was the home of the Lindisfarne Gospels and Saint Cuthbert, who is buried in Durham Cathedral.
Bamburgh is the historic capital of Northumberland, the "royal" castle from before the unification of England under one monarch. In contemporary times, although Northumberland County Council's offices are in Morpeth, Alnwick and Morpeth contest which of the two is the county town.
The lords of Northumberland once wielded significant power in English affairs because, as the Marcher Lords, they were entrusted with protecting England from Scottish invasion.
Northumberland has a history of revolt and rebellion against the government, as seen in the Rising of the North in Tudor times. These revolts were usually led by the then Dukes of Northumberland, the Percy family. Shakespeare makes one of the Percys, the dashing Harry Hotspur, the real hero of his Henry IV, Part 1.
The county was also a centre for Roman Catholicism in England, as well as of Jacobite feelings after the Restoration. Northumberland became a sort of wild county, where outlaws and Border Reivers hid from the law. However, the frequent cross-border skirmishes and accompanying local lawlessness largely subsided after the Union of the Crowns of Scotland and England under King James I.
Northumberland played a key role in the industrial revolution. Coal mines were once widespread in Northumberland, with collieries at Ashington, Bedlington, Choppington, Netherton, Ellington and Pegswood. The region's coalfields fuelled industrial expansion in other areas of the country, and the need to transport the coal from the collieries to the Tyne led to the development of the first railways. Shipbuilding and armaments manufacture were other important industries.
Today, Northumberland is still largely rural. As the least populated county in England, it commands much less influence in British affairs than in times past. In recent years the county has had considerable growth in tourism due to its scenic beauty and the abundant evidence of its historical significance.
This Month in Photo of the Day: The Stories Behind Your Shots
The snow made me treat myself to some side streets while looking for photo opportunities on my way to work, this bitterly cold morning in Baku. The rapidly changing capital of Azerbaijan always has something in store. Just outside the centuries-old Taza Bazaar, I came across the unlikely sight of an old Soviet-era Volga brimming with golden winter apples. The strange beauty of the scene brought back childhood memories of apples carefully picked and stored in the basement of our home in Norway, and the apples turning sweeter as the months of winter went by. —Erik Andre Juriks
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This shot was taken in Villa Luisita, a 19th-century house on the outskirts of Cortegana near Huelva in southern Spain. We were spending a few days in the countryside. At the end of the day, the summer light changes continuously and the activities around the house get a different significance every minute.
A little before sunset, while there is still light, we always have to collect the geese and the clothes that are drying in the sun. The most difficult thing is to convince the children to stop playing and get into the cottage to have dinner and rest after a long summer day. Their shadows seem to linger a little on the colored walls to make the sunlight last longer. —Miguel Parra
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This dam is on a river called Tukad Unda in Klungkung, Bali. I framed the photo to make the dam look like a natural waterfall. Locals regularly bathe and wash their clothes here. It's also a fun place for the children to play. I adjusted the shutter speed to capture the arcs of water flowing from their buckets. —Lisa Hendrawan
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My home is Tahiti and I am a dive guide working on board private megayachts, joining my clients anywhere in the world for unique dive experiences. I was cruising New Caledonia with one of my clients, around the small Loyalty island of Ouvea. While we were diving over a beautiful untouched reef, I noticed this crinoid in the distance because of its unusual colors. When I got closer, I realized the high photo potential of this beautiful creature. Sea feathers are quite common around New Caledonia, but it was the only time I had come across this amazing, colorful specimen. —Rodolphe Holler
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I was waiting for the train at Schlesisches Tor station in Kreuzberg, a predominantly Turkish neighborhood in Berlin, when I noticed people passing by below the train platform. I aimed my camera down at the cobblestones and waited a while for some interesting action. I must have shot 30 stills before this woman came walking through the frame. I missed my train but got this shot. —Gunnar Heidar
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While en route to another photo assignment I was drawn to this perfect reflection of Mount Errigal in the clear still water of Dunlewey Lough. I quickly set up my tripod and worked on getting this composition using the small bushes to break up the foreground. Mount Errigal is in County Donegal, Ireland. —Derek Smyth
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I took this photo in Villa O'Higgins, a remote town in southern Chile, during my bicycle trip through Patagonia. I arrived at this place after I had been riding my bicycle for two weeks. At the end of an exhausting day I went for a stroll and came across a lookout. As a storm was developing, I saw a beam of light breaking through the clouds. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it was a peaceful and magical moment. —Feliciano Ripa
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This Month in Photo of the Day: The Stories Behind Your Shots
Heading to the Canadian Arctic on the shores of the Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada, I had one day in Churchill before we would catch a small plane to the remote cabins on the tundra to photograph polar bears. A friend and I borrowed a local truck and toured around the Churchill area looking at the historic sites and watching for polar bears. As we drove past the massive grain terminal I spotted this hybrid red fox hunting among the piping. He paused, very comfortable with our presence, and posed for me—as interested in us as we were in it. —Todd Mintz
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I found out that there was an evening show on the ancient art of Kalaripayattu at Punarjani Traditional Village, less than a few blocks from my hotel in Munnar, India. Being an avid fan of martial arts, it immediately piqued my interest. I had just gotten a steal of a deal on a National Geographic camera strap on eBay, and while I was in line, the ticket master noticed it and dragged me to the front of the line. So I paid and followed him to the VIP seating, perfect for getting the shot!
First I observed the light and the action of the fighters. The dimly lit arena just gave it that feel of an '80s kung fu poster, and I wanted to keep it that way. After a few camera adjustments and a few hundred missed shots I finally captured the two fighters in midair. —Armand Poblete
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This great white egret is often found at this spot on Tampa's beautiful Hillsborough River. It was almost sunset, and we were just taking our kayaks out of the water at the Trout Creek Park boat dock. When I looked up and saw the bird directly across the river in front of this massive old bald cypress, I saw the "perfect" shot and grabbed my camera, a Nikon digital D80. The bluish cast to the water is partly due to the sun having gone almost down and pollen floating on the surface. —Carol Kay
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This is a landscape that I see every day from my terrace in Varna. This is an old playground. I love the silence and quiet that's created by the snow. In other seasons, it is not so beautiful, because kids no longer play there, and it's a little sad. —Juliano Miteff
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Mrs. May Haupt, February 2012, Montville, Queensland, Australia
One day I entered a little vintage store in Montville, Australia, and I stumbled upon an 86-year-old woman working behind her desk. During the following days I could not stop thinking of that image, so a week later I returned and asked her if I could take her picture exactly as I found her. Not only did she allow me to photograph her, but she also shared with me her beautiful life story. Her portrait is part of a photographic series called "Of Another Time," a project based on photographs and stories of people over 70. —Ana Paula Estrada
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The day began as any other storm-chasing day in the Canadian Prairies. My girlfriend and I followed this particular storm from its birth and observed as it formed this gorgeous shelf structure eight hours later, at the end of the day. The photo was taken just southeast of Fillmore, Saskatchewan, along Highway 33. I used my Pentax K200D camera with f/5.6, 1/200-second exposure and a basic 55mm lens to capture this unforgettable moment. —Gunjan Sinha
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Editor's Note, May 9, 2013: The title has been changed to more accurately reflect the cloud formation pictured above.
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A few years ago when I was working as a helicopter pilot for a local radio station, we were required to fly around all of Mexico City chasing news and traffic. I remember flying up to the highway that connects Mexico City with the neighboring state of Puebla, and on my way back this housing complex that seemed to go on forever caught my attention. I decided to circle around to observe from up close what I later found out was the recently built San Buenaventura complex, which is located in Ixtapaluca, on the eastern outskirts of Mexico City.
The exceptional afternoon sun reflecting those thousands of recently painted small homes just looked so beautiful, and the lower I flew the better the angle, so I just got out my camera, opened the sliding window on my Bell helicopter, and snapped a couple of shots. —Oscar Ruiz
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What inspired me to take this photograph was the light. As an artist (and enthusiastic photographer) I have always been fascinated by the warm, golden, late-afternoon light. During the spontaneous moment when I took the photograph, the light was reflecting off the surface of the lush plants and the water droplets (from the irrigation system), causing everything to shimmer. I chose a high shutter speed and a low angle of view, isolating the plants and water droplets against the plain, dark background of the tarred road.
The photo was taken in my home’s backyard, Cape Town, South Africa. —Albena Willuweit
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It was 5 a.m. and we had just landed on the shore of South Georgia to catch the sunrise. It was cloudy and overcast, which presented the perfect opportunity for me to shoot some long exposures. At first I experimented with standing out in the water and photographing the crashing waves contrasted with the penguins on shore, but the waves were moving my tripod too much to get a stable shot. I realized I would need to be on shore, where I could get a steady shot, but I still wanted to include the water in my photo. I looked over and saw this lone penguin just at the water's edge. I quickly aimed and took this long-exposure shot, and moments after the shutter clicked the penguin looked up and walked off. Even though the sky didn't glow orange that morning due to overcast conditions, I still walked away very pleased with shooting in wonderful conditions that allowed me to capture this image. —Max Seigal
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In the southern summer of 2012, I spent some weeks for work in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, together with my wife, and we used to take long walks on the beaches around the city in our spare time. One evening we came to a beach called Maitland, a large stretch of sand dunes.
I took a few photographs of the beach while a light wind was moving the sand and the sky was getting cloudy. Gradually the sea and the sky became first gray and then brown before the sun went down. It lasted just a few minutes, but luckily I had not yet finished the battery of my smartphone! I did nothing to this photograph; I was surprised myself but the sunset really looked like this. —Giampiero Torello
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This photo of a sadhu was taken in Allahabad at Maha Kumbh Mela 2013. I was walking along a road in Kumbh when I saw the bike and sadhu near the tent. I stopped walking and waited. The sadhu left the tent and went near the motorbike. I took a step forward to get closer to the subject (I was taking the photo with a 14-24mm very wide optic) and I took the photo. The sadhu realized what happened only when the photo was taken, maybe for the best since I was able to catch his expression in a better way.
After I took the photo, he asked me to come closer to show him the pictures. I did that and he blessed me. It was a nice experience. I prefer to shoot people only after interacting. Just in a few cases, like with the sadhu and motorbike, I preferred to shoot without asking. —Massimiliano Sticca
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I woke up early to go take some photos of a haunted mansion in Tokai in Cape Town. I got lost down a dirt road of sorts and noticed how gorgeous the heavy mist looked as it hung low over Tokai forest. I went into the forest and was taking photographs when I saw a crow in the tree about to take off, so I aimed my camera to where I thought the crow would fly and captured it when it came into my frame. —Penny R. Robartes
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The bridges and canals of Venice at first light. The alleyways and canals can be a photographer's dream. As morning light arrived before the hustle and bustle of the crowds, I captured the colors and reflections of this enchanting city near Campo Santa Maria Formosa. —Wilmot David
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During my summer holidays I spend a few weeks at a beach house on the South Coast of New South Wales in Australia. I am a professional photographer but have a real love affair with underwater imagery, so I look forward to this time of year. Instead of shooting the surfers above the water on the waves I would allow them to fly past me underwater, just to see them passing through the wave as it breaks. Sometimes they come a little too close … —Alex Coppel
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This Month in Photo of the Day: Nature and Weather Photos
This is an image I have had on my mind to get for three years. To align the waterfall and northern lights that are strong enough to light up the whole surroundings. At last it happened and I was at the right place at the right time. Godafoss means Waterfall of the Gods and takes its name from the old Nordic sagas.
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Small blenny fish hiding in a coral hole, Red Sea, Egypt
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Painter Andrew Wyeth kept a secret studio a few miles from this Woodlawn farmhouse, creating works of art inspired by the surrounding landscape until his death in 2009. Some of his paintings evoke similar wintry scenes.
See more pictures from the April 2013 feature story "History’s Backyard."
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A barrier beach of marine rubble stretches toward desolate Cape Blossom, at the southwestern tip of Wrangel Island. The Siberian mainland lies 88 miles to the south.
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