Hexham has been named one of the North East’s leading destinations for a peaceful autumn break after being placed third in a new London North Eastern Railway (LNER) ranking of “quietcation” spots.
The Northumberland market town was ranked behind Rothbury and Alnwick in a study intended to identify places where visitors can escape the noise of everyday life and enjoy a slower-paced stay closer to home.
The ranking was published as autumn approaches, a time when many people begin looking beyond overseas holidays for quieter and cosier breaks in the UK. Northumberland’s combination of countryside, heritage and independent businesses was presented as making the county particularly suitable for that kind of trip.
How Hexham was assessed
LNER’s study compared destinations using a range of factors connected with peaceful travel. These included population density, air quality, dark-sky conditions, access to blue and green spaces, nearby nature designations and the availability of quieter activities.
For Hexham, the result places the town’s historic attractions, parkland, independent shops and eateries, and its position within the wider Northumberland landscape at the centre of its appeal to visitors seeking time away from busy routines.
The study’s overall order was Rothbury first, Alnwick second and Hexham third. All three were described in the supplied travel article as picturesque market towns with strong historic character.
History within the town
Hexham offers visitors several historic sites within or close to the town centre. Hexham Abbey, a former monastery, is identified as having been built in 674 AD. The town’s Old Gaol can be traced back to the 1300s, providing another link with its medieval past.
That heritage also makes Hexham a base for exploring Northumberland beyond the town itself. The travel guide points visitors towards Hadrian’s Wall and the Roman forts positioned along it, connecting the local visit with some of the region’s best-known Roman remains.
Visitors looking for a less formal way to spend time in Hexham can combine the historic attractions with the town’s independent shops and eateries. The Sele is another central feature highlighted in the guide. The park includes woodland walks and a traditional bandstand, offering green space close to the centre of town.
The Sele’s location means visitors do not need to travel far from Hexham’s shops and food businesses to find a quieter outdoor setting. Its woodland paths provide an alternative to a day focused solely on sightseeing, while the bandstand adds a recognisable feature to the park landscape.
Woodland and countryside nearby
One of the nearby outdoor attractions mentioned in the ranking is Allen Banks and Staward Gorge. The National Trust site is described as the largest area of ancient semi-natural woodland in Northumberland and is particularly known for its autumn colours.
That seasonal setting adds to the appeal of a visit during the period covered by the article. The site offers a way to experience the wider landscape around Hexham, rather than limiting a stay to the town’s buildings, shops and heritage attractions.
The guide also identifies the surrounding countryside as part of Hexham’s appeal, with the town providing access to walks, woodland and other Northumberland destinations. Its description presents Hexham as a place where history and outdoor activities can be combined in the same break.
Places to stay around Hexham
For larger families or groups of friends, the travel article highlights The Barn At Devil’s Water. The accommodation is located on a farm just outside Hexham, among meadows and woodland, and can sleep up to 10 guests and two dogs.
The property is presented as an option for visitors who want a rural setting while remaining close enough to use Hexham as the base for exploring the area. Its capacity and dog-friendly provision may make it particularly relevant to groups travelling together with pets.
Visitors who prefer hotel accommodation are also given several dog-friendly options in and around the town. According to the Booking.com reviews cited by the article, The County Hotel was the leading option, followed by The Coach and Horses and Langley Castle Hotel.
Langley Castle Hotel offers a particularly historic setting. The guide describes it as a 14th-century castle situated within a 12-acre woodland estate, giving visitors another way to combine accommodation with Northumberland’s heritage.
The article does not provide the Booking.com review scores or the dates on which those reviews were assessed. The ordering of the hotels should therefore be understood as a description of the supplied travel guide’s comparison, rather than a separately verified hotel-rating table.
Rothbury and Alnwick also make the top three
Rothbury took first place in the LNER ranking. The town is surrounded by the Simonside Hills, the Cheviots and Northumberland National Park, and the guide highlights its walking and cycling routes as well as its shops, pubs and tea rooms.
Rothbury’s National Trust attraction, Cragside, is also identified as a major draw for families. The Victorian mansion is surrounded by gardens and provides another heritage and countryside destination within the wider Northumberland area.
Alnwick was ranked second. Its best-known attraction is Alnwick Castle, which the article notes has appeared in several films and television series. The Alnwick Garden, with its treehouse restaurant, cascading fountains and Lilidorei play village, is another major visitor attraction.
Other Alnwick highlights include Bailiffgate Museum, which explores 10,000 years of local and regional history, and Barter Books, a second-hand bookshop based in a former railway station. The town also has independent shops, eateries and weekly markets on Thursdays and Saturdays.
For Hexham, the third-place result underlines the town’s position as a quieter North East destination where visitors can move between historic buildings, green spaces, local businesses and the countryside beyond the town.