Newcastle upon Tyne

Three Roman camps dot this corner of Northumberland, testament to how fiercely the locals once fought off invaders. Today's battles are more likely against midges on the moors, but the wild beauty that made this borderland so contested remains utterly intact.

Northumberland National Park spreads out from here like a green carpet thrown across the hills. Brigg Hill and Heathery Hill offer proper walks with views that stretch to the Cheviot Hills, while Castle Wood provides gentler strolls through ancient woodland. The archaeology buffs will love poking around Elsdon Motte and the Romano-British Farmstead - proper history you can actually touch.

Elsdon village sits just south, one of those places where the pub still serves as the community hub. The burn that bears its name meanders through countryside that feels genuinely remote, despite being well within reach of Newcastle's suburbs. This isn't chocolate-box pretty - it's the kind of landscape that gets under your skin.

Dargues Roman camp speaks to the area's strategic importance on the old frontier. Walking these hills, you understand why the Romans built their walls and forts here. The views go on forever, and every ridge could hide an enemy warband.

Getting here means a drive through increasingly empty countryside from Newcastle city centre - about forty minutes of watching the urban sprawl give way to proper moorland. Several glamping sites have sprung up recently, taking advantage of dark skies and that particular Northumberland silence. They make perfect sense as bases for exploring both the national park and the borderlands beyond.