An historic Northumberland market town, popular with both locals and tourists, has been crowned the best place to visit in the North East.
It’s a place where tradition meets lively modern bars, farmers markets sell home-grown produce and national heritage can be absorbed at historical landmarks.
Morpeth, known for its ‘charming streets’, has topped a list of the top five towns in the north east, compiled by experts from internationally renowned property firm Sotheby’s.
The town, which outshone its Northumberland neighbour Alnwick and other locations such as Whitley Bay and Hexham, received high praise for ‘combining history and heritage with the everyday hustle and bustle of a modern market town’.
The guide also highlighted Barnard Castle in County Durham and Staithes in North Yorkshire.
Sotheby’s online appraisal of Morpeth read: « Morpeth is a quaint village in Northumberland nestled on the banks of the River Wansbeck.
« Famed for its charming streets, traditional farmers markets (every Saturday of the month), stylish boutiques, and upscale restaurants are dotted around its cobbled corners ».
Sotheby’s critique of Morpeth highlighted several key attractions, including the Sanderson Arcade shopping district, Carlisle Park with its own paddling pool that draws crowds in the summer, and the 13th-century Morpeth Castle and Wallington Hall, the largest intact estate owned by the National Trust.
Whitley Bay, while not surpassing Morpeth in the Sotheby guide, is still highly praised as ‘a warm and welcoming seaside town’ known for its Blue Flag beach and a variety of cosy pubs, artisan bakeries, and independent cafes.
Hexham also received a positive review, beuing described as ‘a quintessentially British riverside town with a Viking-era history’.
The Hexham Old Gaol was noted for its ‘intriguing collection of images, books, and poems that add to the town’s history’, reports Chronicle Live.
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