ponteland and the surrounding area

Ponteland is a large village on the main A696, Newcastle to Edinburgh road in the southern part of the beautiful county of Northumberland. It is just over 7 miles northwest of Newcastle and 2 miles from Newcastle airport.

The river Pont winds through the village and it is thought that Ponteland takes its name from 'Pont Island' as the river flooded so often it left the village as an island.

The county of Northumberland, offers the visitor many attractions, some of which are briefly listed below.

In AD122 Emperor Hadrian ordered the building of a wall from the Tyne to the Solway to seperate the land of the Britons from the land of the Picts. Now officially recognised as a World Heritage Site, the remains of the central section of Hadrian's Wall still snake their way across the county.

Northumberland has more castles than any other English county. These are a legacy of the border wars of the 14th/16th centuries. Among the castles well worth a visit are, Alnwick, Bamburgh, Chillingham, Dunstanburgh, Warkworth and Lindisfarne.

Northumberland has a magnificent coastline with many long, uncrowded sandy beaches. There are also fishing villages and small seaside resorts to visit. These can all be accessed from the Northumberland Coastal Route, a 35mile signed route.

Among the many parks and gardens in the County is the magnificient Alnwick Garden. Opened in 2002, it has become the most popular tourist attraction in North East England.