Northumberland's Castles selling fast
Monday 29 September 2025 to Friday 03 October 2025
£690pp Single supplement £166
- Destination
- Itinerary
- Full inclusions
- Hotel
- Booking request
Why visit Northumbria? Home to over 70 castles, Northumbria could be straight out of a story book, only without the dragons! Some of these iconic castles were chosen as filming locations for star-studded movies such as Harry Potter (Alnwick Castle) and Transformers: The Last Knight (Bamburgh Castle) - you can really feel the weight of history as you visit these magnificent buildings. This beautiful and peaceful part of the country is a place where history comes alive, from Hadrian's Wall to Holy Island (the birthplace of Christianity in England). It's also a place that's dotted with a variety of mesmerising landscapes, from windswept beaches to tidal islands and rolling hills to craggy outcrops. Northumbria isn't just old, it's epic.
Why visit with us? In 2024 99% of our holiday customers said they would book again and 99% also said they would recommend us to a friend. Shaws Coaches has a strong reputation for a dependable service, with a proven track record for punctuality and professionalism. Our friendly booking team and highly-rated tour drivers are ready to welcome you.
What do our customers say? "Enjoyed all the outings, all very interesting" • "This holiday was just perfect, I loved the Copthorne Hotel" • "The hotel was first rate and the food excellent" • Holiday rated 4.7/5 and hotel rated 4.6/5 by Shaws customers in 2024.
Holiday Insurance. We always recommend taking out adequate holiday insurance, that's why we’ve partnered with David Oliver Associates who offer cover specifically designed for your coach holiday. Find out more and get your free quote.
Tour code: B3492
Monday
Check in at your riverside hotel with tea/coffee on arrival.
Tuesday
Cross the paved causeway and spend time exploring the remote, unspoilt scenery and fascinating history of tidal Holy Island. Continue to Bamburgh Castle, a 1,400-year-old coastal fortress that went on to become the home of Victorian inventor William Armstrong. There’s plenty to discover with State Rooms full of global treasures, battle-scarred weapons in The Armoury, Anglo-Saxon Archaeology and much more.
Wednesday
Spend the morning in the historic market town of Hexham, dominated by its fine medieval Abbey and gardens, and in stark contrast, England’s first purpose-built prison, dating back to the 1300s! This afternoon, use the hotel as a base to explore Newcastle-Gateshead. The two areas are united by seven iconic bridges that cross The Tyne and are simply bursting with personality, shops and attractions!
Thursday
Spend the day amongst the winding cobbled streets of Alnwick, with entry to Alnwick Garden and Alnwick Castle included – which you may well recognise from the Harry Potter films and Downton Abbey! Walk amongst a unique combination of opulent Italianate State Rooms and medieval architecture inside the UK’s second largest inhabited castle. Then, to Alnwick Garden - a unique, contemporary site created in 2001, which features an eye-catching Grand Cascade, a perilous Poison Garden and an original Barbara Hepworth sculpture.
Friday
After breakfast, and before heading home, step back in time at Beamish – The Living Museum of the North where a multi-million-pound project has seen the opening of exciting new exhibits including a 1950s Town & Farm, a Bus Depot and an expansion of the 1820s Landscape. This world-famous open-air museum takes you on a journey through life in the northeast from the 1820s to the 1950s through incredible immersive displays. Beamish have just won Best UK Attraction at the 2025 GLT Awards and secured the largest museum prize in the world after winning Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025 – it must be the perfect time to visit!
- 4 night stay with breakfast
- 3 course dinner with tea/coffee (min 3 choices)
- Entry to Bamburgh Castle
- Entry to Alnwick Garden
- Entry to Alnwick Castle
- Entry to Beamish - The Living Museum of the North
- Tea/coffee on arrival at the hotel
- Visit to Holy Island
- Free time in Hexham and Newcastle-Gateshead
- Porterage
- All travel including home collection*
- International Passenger Protection
- Reserved coach seat
- 18kg suitcase pp
- Executive touring coach featuring a refreshment station, reclining seats, reading lights, curtains, foot and arm rests, toilet, safety belts, air suspension and individual air-flow controls
- An experienced, friendly, highly-rated and professional tour driver
- Friendly booking team on hand to answer any questions you might have in the run up to your holiday
- HALF PRICE DEPOSIT OFFER! Book before 31 July 2025 and pay just £25pp with the balance due 8 weeks prior to departure (deposit rises to £50pp thereafter)
- LOYALTY DISCOUNT! Book 3 holidays (in any calendar year) and save £15pp, book 4+ and save £20pp, just let us know in special requests that you'd like to redeem your discount
- SAVE £10PP by meeting the coach at Maxey, Stamford Bus Station or Peterborough Extra Services
- *Providing you live in Bourne, Stamford, Peterborough, Uppingham, The Deepings, Spalding, Whittlesey, Oakham and most of the villages between them and Maxey (we're happy to collect from outside of our free pick-up area with a small additional charge)
- *We’re pleased to offer home collection from the Welwyn area following our successful partnership with Reg’s Coaches. Departures from Welwyn, Welwyn Garden City, Codicote, Woolmer Green, Knebworth, Hatfield, Stevenage and many of the nearby villages incur a small supplement of £30pp. We’re happy to pick up outside these areas, please enquire
Copthorne Hotel Newcastle 
- Contemporary hotel in Newcastle Quayside, in the vibrant heart of the city
- Every bedroom overlooks the River Tyne
- Bedrooms refurbished in 2017
- Rated 4.6/5 by Shaws customers in 2024
- Ensuite rooms featuring flatscreen TV, ironing equipment, hairdryer, safe, free WiFi and complimentary tea/coffee tray
- Restaurant, bar and riverside terrace
- All singles are double for sole
- Lift
ACCESS: Steps to the outdoor terrace, steps at the river entrance but none at the roadside entrance, no walk-in showers
Please ask us about upgrade options which may be available at a supplement