Alnwick, UK - Group Tour

I don't always travel abroad and not always alone. Here at Travel Counsellors, we like to cover all sorts of travel so when the opportunity came up to help organize our rugby groups tour I jumped at the chance.

Alnwick District is situated in the heart of Northumberland, with Alnwick Castle taking pride of place in the town. Under the Normans, and for some time after, the town was the administrative town for the whole county of Northumberland. Today, the district of Alnwick stretches from the North Sea Coast between Low Newton - Amble and south west to Elsdon near Otterburn and taking in about a third of the Northumberland National Park. A fantastic part of the UK.

Castle after castle and amazing beaches led to the Ripon Rugby Club Harry Potter Themed Tour of Alnwick District. (Harry Potter was filmed at Alnwick). Following the line of the Hogwarts Express we drove up the coast of Northumberland, with castles and plenty of accommodation from beautiful hotels and guest houses to lodges and park homes. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was filmed on location at Alnwick Castle in Autumn 2000. The following year, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (the second film in the series) used Alnwick Castle for shooting.

We had a day in Alnwick Castle, which has a Harry Potter theme. We had broomstick riding lessons, meals in the long dining room and spell making sessions. Others in our group went off and toured the gardens.

The rest of the weekend was spent on the fantastic beaches of Northumberland. They are so big! Better than most beaches abroad as many are empty - they are a just a bit chilly! There's high quality food fresh from the sea, great accommodation and lots to do. It's ideal for a long weekend or a family 'staycation'.

It's sometimes easy for people to forget that we cover the UK as a holiday destination and groups from schools, sports clubs or even conference. If you're looking to plan a trip around the UK or need help with a group booking, get in touch!