Things to do in Otterburn, Northumberland
Situated in Redesdale in the Cheviot Hills, the village of 500 residents is 26 km (16 miles) from the Scottish border and 50km (31 miles) from Northumberland.
Surrounded by natural beauty, the small village of Otterburn is in the Northumberland National Park.
Once a staging post en route to Scotland, Otterburn continues the tradition with the 17th century Percy Arms, a former coaching inn, located on the main road (A696) which runs from Newcastle to Edinburgh.
Local landmarks include Otterburn Hall which was rebuilt as a stately home in 1869. Otterburn Tower is also easily spotted.
It was originally a Pele Tower first recorded in the area in 1245 and since then has been altered and extended.
The tower was said to have been founded in 1086 by a cousin of William the Conqueror and is now the Otterburn Tower Hotel.
The crenellated battlements along the roofline are in keeping with it being built as a small fortified keep, one of many along the border with Scotland at that time.
Things to do in Otterburn
The area around Otterburn is ideal for walking and rambling, pony trekking, golf, cycling and fishing and leisurely outings of sightseeing around the many castles and country houses in the area.
The Northumberland National Park offers some beautiful undulating countryside which is ideal for scenic walks, mountain biking or driving tours around this lovely area.
Hadrian's Wall runs nearby and Holy Island, Wallington Hall and Cragside are all within easy reach of Otterburn.
Visit the Otterburn battlefield, see the memorial and read the full account of the battle of the information boards at the battlefield site.
History of Otterburn
Historically Otterburn is best known for the battle in 1388 between the Scottish and English armies. The battle is immortalized in the ballad Chevy Chase and the Scottish ballad simply called Otterburn.
Over 1,000 English soldiers lay dead and were later buried at Elsdon church. Perhaps the atmosphere of the battle lingers on as one of the largest army training camps and firing ranges is located close by at Redesdale, just outside the village of Otterburn.
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Days Out in Otterburn
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Herterton House Garden and Nursery (8 Miles)*
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Wallington Hall (9 Miles)*
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Cragside (11 Miles)*
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Belsay Hall (15 Miles)*
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Housesteads Roman Fort (15 Miles)*
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Chesters Roman Fort (17 Miles)*
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Hexham Racecourse (18 Miles)*
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Alnwick Castle (22 Miles)*
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Birdoswald Roman Fort (22 Miles)*
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Jedburgh Abbey (23 Miles)*
Places to Visit near Otterburn
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Birtley (9 Miles)*
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Rothbury (12 Miles)*
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Humshaugh (12 Miles)*
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Haydon Bridge (17 Miles)*
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Greenhead (21 Miles)*
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Alnwick (22 Miles)*
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Bedlington (22 Miles)*
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Jedburgh (23 Miles)*
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Ashington (23 Miles)*
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Amble (24 Miles)*
Also near Otterburn |
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