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- 28th Oct 2026
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Top 20 things to do in Northumberland this autumn and winter
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Looking for things to do in Northumberland this autumn and winter? You’ve picked a good year to ask. The Alnwick Garden is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and Berwick Lighthouse, which has stood at the end of the town’s pier since 1826, turns 200.
So we’ve rounded up our favourite dates from Halloween to Boxing Day and beyond, with a strong lean towards Alnwick, Berwick-upon-Tweed, and the north Northumberland coast. Think haunted candle making, steam trains, castle Christmas fairs, candlelit strings, and one very chilly dip in the North Sea.
Every listing comes with dates, prices, and a booking link, so all you’ve got to do is pick your favourites and get them in the diary.
SPOOKYDOREI AT LILIDOREI, ALNWICK
Until Saturday 31st October
Lilidorei goes full Halloween this half term, and the after-dark Spookydorei Nights sessions (5pm to 9pm) are when the magic’s at its most potent. Each clan dresses its corner of the village in its own spooky style, there’s trick-or-treating and chilling tales from the Storyteller, and you’ll choose between the Spooky or Not So Spooky trail to earn a secret from the villagers.
Keep your ears open for strange sounds from Belowground, too, as a brand new clan villager is set to reveal themselves for the very first time. The night sessions include some mild jump scares, so daytime Spookydorei Days are the gentler pick for little ones.
THE FAMOUS SCARYCROW TRAIL, FORD & ETAL
Until Sunday 1st November
For more than 19 years, locals and businesses across Ford & Etal Estates have been building weird and wonderful Scarycrows for half term, and you’re the one who decides the winner. Pick up a trail map and score sheet from one of the village shops (or download it the week before), then wander the villages scoring as you go.
Most of the trail’s walkable, though you might need the car for one or two out of the way spots. Dogs are welcome, parking’s free in Etal, Heatherslaw, and Ford, and the only rule is you mustn’t touch the Scarycrows.
Tickets: Free, with donations for the trail map going to Cancer Cars Berwick.
ALN VALLEY RAILWAY HALLOWEEN WEEKEND, ALNWICK
Saturday 31st October to Sunday 1st November
Dig out a costume for a spooky weekend at Northumberland’s only standard gauge heritage steam railway, on the edge of Alnwick. Steam-hauled trains run from Lionheart Station (Lionheart Enterprise Park, Alnwick, NE66 2EZ) out to Greenrigg Halt in vintage 1950s carriages, and there’s a bat trail to follow around the site.
Site admission’s free, so you only pay for your train ride, and the miniature railway, café, gift shop, and playground are all open too.
Tickets: Free site entry. Steam returns cost £12.50 adults, £6 children, or £33 for a family of two adults and two children
BERWICK’S OWN BURRELL COLLECTION AT THE GRANARY GALLERY, BERWICK-UPON-TWEED
Saturday 31st October 2026 to Sunday 21st February 2027
Shipping magnate Sir William Burrell’s best known for the vast collection he gave Glasgow, but Berwick got a gift too. While living at nearby Hutton Castle, he and Lady Constance Burrell donated paintings and objects to the town in the 1940s and helped open its first art gallery in 1949.
Berwick’s Own Burrell Collection: A Gift to the Town brings a selection of those works to The Granary Gallery, co-curated by The Maltings and a team of Berwick Barracks volunteers. It’s open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 4pm, and it’s a lovely excuse for a winter wander round Berwick.
ALNWICK COMMUNITY FIREWORKS
Saturday 7th November
Alnwick & District Round Table’s annual display lights up the sky over Alnwick Town Juniors Football Club on Taylor Drive. Gates usually open at 6.30pm, with the fireworks starting at around 7.30pm.
It’s run entirely by volunteers and funded by ticket sales and donations, so every ticket helps keep the show going for next year. Last year’s display came with food vendors, the club bar, and a funfair, so it’s worth getting there early.
BERWICK BARLEY WORKSHOP AT THE OLD BREWERY, TWEEDMOUTH
Saturday 7th November
Did you know Berwick takes its name from barley? Borderland Food Tours’ hands-on workshop follows the grain from field to fork inside what was once the town’s oldest brewery, The Old Brewery (53 Main Street, Tweedmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed, TD15 2AD).
You’ll cook a few barley dishes, hear how the grain shaped farming and food across the Borderlands, then sit down to lunch with your handiwork and more local food and drink. It lasts two hours and it’s for over 18s.
WHITTINGHAM WINTER CRAFT POP-UP
Saturday 14th November
Get a head start on your Christmas shopping in the Vale of Whittingham, where local makers, including Mann+Moon pop up for a winter craft fair. Mann+Moon hand-makes made-to-measure Harris Tweed and leather dog collars, leads, dog coats and dog walker’s bags and more from its Northumberland studio, so this is where you’ll sort the dog’s stocking.
The pop-up will be from 10am – 4pm on the 14th November at Chesterford, Whittingham NE66 4UP.
A CHRISTMAS CAROUSEL AT BAMBURGH CASTLE
Saturday 14th November 2026 to Sunday 3rd January 2027
Bamburgh Castle’s State Rooms get a festive makeover this winter, with each room inspired by a different Christmas song or carol. As you move from one room to the next, you’ll find themed scenes, twinkling decorations, and seasonal surprises set against the castle’s grand interiors.
It’s open daily from 10am to 4pm, apart from Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The installation is included in general admission, so there’s no extra ticket to buy. Pop in to Bamburgh Walled Garden, a gem of a place with a gorgeous cafe, seasonal plants and a brilliant playground.
A LILIDOREI CHRISTMAS, ALNWICK
Monday 16th November 2026 to Sunday 3rd January 2027
Each Lilidorei clan dresses its Clan House for the festive season, and you can wander a forest of 1,500 glittering Christmas trees hunting for eight giant nutcrackers on the Nutcrackers of Sillyshriek Trail.
The elves share Christmas traditions from around the world, Storyteller Elf has a brand new festive tale, and kids can make a craft to take home from the Elf Workshop for an extra £1. It’s open Thursday to Sunday, 10am to 3pm, until 18th December, then every day from 19th December (closed on Christmas Day). Day tickets get you into The Alnwick Garden too.
FESTIVE CANDLE MAKING AT NORTHUMBERLAND HAUNTED MUSEUM, AMBLE
Thursday 19th November and Thursday 10th December
The Haunted Museum’s candlelit crafting nights go festive for November and December. Ruth from Willows Den talks you through making your own Christmas-scented candle and a set of wax melts, with mulled wine and mince pies on the go while you pour.
Both evenings run from 7pm to 9pm, they’re beginner-friendly, and capacity’s small, so book early if you fancy an early Christmas present to yourself.
FESTIVE AFTERNOON TEA AT THE ALNWICK GARDEN
Thursday 19th November to Thursday 24th December, Thursdays to Sundays
Tucked inside The Potting Shed next to The Treehouse, this festive afternoon tea is cosy, quirky, and properly Christmassy. Expect Scottish smoked salmon and cucumber fingers, a roast turkey and stuffing mini focaccia, warm brie and cranberry croissants, and a pork and sage sausage roll, then a warm fruit scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
Sweet treats include a mince pie, a lemon and forest berry tart, and rich chocolate Yule log. There’s a children’s menu too, you can add Prosecco for £7.95, and sittings are at 1pm, 1.30pm, 4pm, and 4.30pm.
WINTER LIGHTS AT THE ALNWICK GARDEN AND LILIDOREI
Friday 20th November 2026 to Sunday 3rd January 2027
The Alnwick Garden’s 25th anniversary year ends with its much-loved Winter Lights. There’s an immersive light and sound trail through the Garden, Lilidorei’s lit up too, and one ticket covers both from 4.30pm to 9pm.
Arrive for your Garden entry time, then explore Lilidorei whenever you like after 4.30pm, before or after your slot. Prices change with the date rather than the experience, so a Saver night gets you exactly the same show for less. Dogs aren’t allowed, apart from assistance dogs.
ALNWICK CASTLE CHRISTMAS FAIR
Tuesday 24th November and Wednesday 25th November
Alnwick Castle usually closes for winter, but it throws open its Guest Hall especially for this two-day Christmas fair. Tuesday’s preview evening (6pm to 9pm) comes with first dibs on the stalls, canapés and a welcome drink courtesy of Ad Gefrin.
Wednesday’s market day (9am to 2.30pm) is the family-friendly one, with stallholders including Alnwick Soap Company, Garden Room Bakery, and Willows Den. Every ticket supports Smile For Life, a charity helping disabled and disadvantaged young people.
Tickets: Preview evening £15, market day £5
AD GEFRIN’S YULE GADERUNG, WOOLER
Friday 27th November to Sunday 29th November 2026
England’s most northerly whisky distillery revives the Anglo-Saxon Yule festival, starting with a candlelit parade through Wooler at 5.15pm on Friday. Choirs, drummers, and Saint Nicholas himself lead a six-metre straw Yule goat from the High Street to Ad Gefrin. Once it arrives, there’s live music and hot food in Bēodern, the distillery’s dining hall.
At 10am on Saturday, casks four, five, and six of the Crǣft Series single malt go on sale. The first release sold out in four hours, so get there early. Across the weekend, from 10am to 5pm, there’s a free winter market of Northumbrian food, drink, and craft. Storyteller Padraig also shares Anglo-Saxon legends in the Great Hall.
FORD & ETAL CHRISTMAS MARKET
Saturday 28th November and Sunday 29th November
More than 120 stalls spread across Ford, Etal, and Heatherslaw, plus Ford Castle, which is normally closed to the public. You’ll find local food and drink, cakes, crafts, pottery, and presents for your pets, with festive entertainment at every hub.
One admission ticket covers all the venues, the entertainment, parking, and all-day travel on vintage double-decker buses between the villages. It runs from 10am to 4pm both days, and dogs on leads are welcome.
FESTIVE WREATH MAKING AT BAMBURGH CASTLE
Sunday 29th November, Monday 30th November, Tuesday 1st December, and Sunday 6th December
Make your own front door wreath with Bamburgh Castle as your backdrop. Rachel from The Blossom Bee, a Northumberland florist, guides you through a relaxed two-hour workshop using a moss and wire frame, seasonal greenery, twigs, and festive decorations.
You’ll get a glass of fizz on arrival and tea and coffee throughout, plus full castle admission and entry to this year’s Christmas installation, A Christmas Carousel. No floristry experience needed.
ROYAL NORTHERN SINFONIA WINTER TOUR AT BERWICK PARISH CHURCH, BERWICK-UPON-TWEED
Tuesday 1st December
Grab a moment of calm before the festive rush at this candlelit concert in Berwick Parish Church. Violinist Jonathan Stone leads the string players of Royal Northern Sinfonia through Gade’s Novelletten, Grieg’s Two Elegiac Melodies, Atterberg’s Suite No. 3 for Violin, Viola and Strings, and Dvořák’s Serenade for Strings.
It starts at 7.30pm and lasts two hours, including an interval. Carers and companions go free.
CHRISTMAS GREETINGS LIVE AT ALNWICK CASTLE
Friday 4th December
Experience Alnwick Castle after dark with an enchanting evening of live music, ballet and festive favourites in one of Northumberland’s most magnificent settings. Led by violinist and Musical Director Matthew Glossop alongside the Bloomsbury Soloists, the concert weaves together much-loved Christmas music and cinematic classics, from The Nutcracker and The Snowman to Home Alone, Love Actually and The Holiday.
There are two concerts on the night: the first from 6pm to 7.10pm (doors 5pm), the second from 8.30pm to 9.40pm (doors 7.30pm).
SEAHOUSES BOXING DAY DIP
Saturday 26th December
Blow away the Christmas cobwebs with a 10am plunge into the North Sea at Seahouses. This year’s dip raises money for two local causes, the RNLI and Northumberland Hospice, so whether you’re braving the waves or cheering from dry land, you’re doing a good thing.
STARGAZING AT THE TEMPUS, CHATHILL
Monthly until March 2027
Swap the telly for the night sky at The Tempus, Visit England’s Small Hotel of the Year 2026. Each monthly package starts with check-in and dinner in The Orangery (with a £35 per person allowance), before the Kielder Observatory team leads a guided stargazing session in the grounds from 9pm to 10.30pm, hot drinks included.
Then it’s back to your room for the night and breakfast in the morning. If the date stops working for you, you can move to another stargazing night, subject to availability.
WHICH ONE’S GOING IN YOUR DIARY FIRST?
From haunted candle making in Amble to a Boxing Day dip at Seahouses, north Northumberland’s got your weekends sorted until spring. Pick a date, wrap up warm, and get booking.
Rachael Ellis
Head of Content
After gaining a first in her BA Media and Journalism degree at Northumbria University, Rachael worked at Newcastle’s leading regional newspaper with her stories being picked up in national and global newspapers. She spent two very successful years giving a voice to those communities across the North East who otherwise…
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