Ive recently been offered a job as a gardener for the National Trust Wallington estate near Morpeth. Im currently living in the Scilly Isles so its not easy to pop up to check out housing areas. Is the Morpeth area worth living in or should I look elsewhere (Hexham, Corbridge, Alnwick etc). Im not a fan of noisy towns and cities!

Morpeth’s a nice place, though perhaps not quite as quiet as you might think. If you’re renting, however, it’d be a good place to start.

Personally I’d go with Alnwick. It’s on the coast, the housing isn’t expensive, the architecture is lovely…but it’s not hugely wealthy. Depends on what you like.

I’m from Rothbury – only 15 miles from Morpeth – which also has a lot to recommend it. Alnwick’s coastal location would swing it for me if I ever moved back (been daaaahn Saaaaarf for many years), but beware the biting North Sea wind!

Id be interested to know more about Rothbury – Its far closer to work than any of the other towns. What’s your opinion on the place? Being closer to the national park and Keilder forest is more appealing than the coast! (plus, having been living here on Silly for a while, no other coastal location will cut it TBH!)

I was born in Morpeth and grew up there, it’s a very nice town although a lot bigger now. Property prices are sensible and there is really nice areas. I live in Alnwick now, it was at one time cheaper than Morpeth but now property prices are very similar. Morpeth has better facilities than Alnwick that said Alnwick is now building back up. Bit more travelling from Alnwick though.

Either town would be a good choice they’re both nice and sit in the hear of Northumberland.

Have only visited, but it is lovely and quiet, just enough in the town to keep you occupied, and very close to Newcastle for a bit more life, if you want it. Also, quite near the border and Edinburgh. A good friend lived there for most of her life and she really enjoyed the community.

Morpeth is the busiest of the market towns, followed by Alnwick IMO, Rothbury is much more of a big village, and you’re really right on the edge of Northumberland national Park, but may be a bit slow for some. If I had to pick I’d go with Rothbury, there are some beautiful houses in Rothbury too.

Morpeth is nice … local village for local people only … 😆

+1 for Rothbury.

Gorehound – Member

+1 for Rothbury.

At least most of your rides will be downhill to home!

Rothbury +1
Alnwick +1

…my sister lives in Longhorsley which is nice, but quite small.

You have to be prepared to be cut off during the winter if you choose rothbury though!

Plenty of nice villages near Wallington if you don’t like towns. Shame you can’t get a NT house on the estate?

Wallington is probably 15-20 mins from Morpeth, 20-25 from Hexham in the rush hour 😉

Rothbury is pretty and touristy but very well sited for access to the hills.

You may have bother with the lingo.
Can you roll your R’s?
A truck driver once asked me, ‘haya gorra watterin caan’
& a little old lady in Alwinton said, ‘wheor ya fraam’? I said, ‘Durham’ & she said, ‘Dorram, whey thats a forreign countrry’. I love the Northumbrian accent!

NickF, does Johnny Alderson still have the hardwear shop in Rrothburry?

NickF, does Johnny Alderson still have the hardwear shop in Rrothburry?

Certainly does runs it with his son.

You have to be prepared to be cut off during the winter if you choose rothbury though!

It’s a fairly rare occurrence even the last 2 bad winters and they were, traffic was moving Ok during the day.

great everyone, thanks for your help!

there is a chance I might get a NT cottage on the estate, and there was the hinting of a possible substantial discount on the rent at the interview. I was up there last week for a day (epic trip for an interview – helicopter, train, parents car, plane, hire car, back again) and really liked the rugged feel of the places around Wallington. Ive lived in rural north wales too so remoteness is familiar! If only I could find a girl to share my gypsy lifestyle… I digress…

Any good bike shops/local weekly rides in the area to get to meet people?

I am back home in Coquetdale at the moment. The National trust have a big estate in the valley (Cragside) so they may have some housing near/in Rothbury as well. You can try my Rothbury double black diamond route if you can find it. “Wad a yu deeing up there y silly idiot, Y’ll brayk y neck” was one comment I got from a passing dog walker.

Morpeth is a really nice little market town in the centre, but the last few years its been a permanent traffic jam thanks to councils bad planning as there isn’t actually that much through traffic anymore!

Its a bit of a yuppy commuter town for Newcastle so house prices vary from OK to slightly inflated, but not so that you’d really notice.

Out of town its OK, though there are lots of cheap box houses popping up everywhere and they really help cheapen the place, though the entire country is now full of houses like those!

Alnwick is equally nice, but the roads around there are all ruthlessly policed with speed cameras, so be aware!

Some good riding about too, especially if you head just 10-15miles north & east of Morpeth towards and above Rothbury (which also has a really good bakery)

Missus stayed in a hotel there and said it was totally mental at night, so if you like a good night on the sauce it might suit.

Alnwick is equally nice, but the roads around there are all ruthlessly policed with speed cameras, so be aware!

Are they? Certainly no more than most places I’d say.

I’d move back up there tomorrow given half a chance…

I live and work in Hexham. Nice town, good bike shop (Thebikeshophexham on farcebook), good riding from the door every wednesday at 8pm.
I was up at Wallington on sunday afternoon, its 25-30 minutes awya I guess. Don’t think much of the new train climbing frame, not been properly thought through… But that’s an aside. 🙂

Northumberland & Staffordshire seem highest on Speed Cameras

been offered a job as a gardener for the National Trust Wallington estate near Morpeth.

You lucky, lucky, bast@rd!

Alnwick is equally nice, but the roads around there are all ruthlessly policed with speed cameras, so be aware!

The run from my Mums house in Eglingham to Alnwick is speed camera free, and I’ve never seen a police car on it, and that’s one of the main roads in to Alnwick. Thinking about it, the Alnmouth Road is also Speed Camera Free, and that’s the only road to the train Station…

There’s 2 Cameras near by, well when I say near by one is 5 miles north at South Charlton and the other 9 miles south at Felton both on the A1. You get the odd mobile one on South Road every few months but that’s it.

Not exactly ruthless.

Apparently 75 cameras under Northumbria Police, and only the 15 which are recording the worst offences actually record.
I know this from attedning a Speed Awarenes course. 😕

They only put camera’s where there’s been fatalities too.
The trick is not to break the speed limit on dangerous roads…

Plenty of nice villages near Wallington if you don’t like towns. Shame you can’t get a NT house on the estate?

There was defintiely still a For Rent/To Let sign on the estate cottage/s when I rode past on Sunday so you may be lucky 🙂

I’ve heard Morpeth is nice. I lived in Hexham for a while, which has a lot going for it, but moved to Gosforth to get away from ir_bandito.

Apparently 75 cameras under Northumbria Police, and only the 15 which are recording the worst offences actually record.

That’s a big area though.

My folks lived in Morpeth for 20yrs and it is indeed a nice place to live. A bit of a commuter town to Newcastle, but not touristy like Rothbury or Alnwick. Good section of shops but no bike shop I think. I did work for a while in one that opened up just as mountain biking was starting, +20yrs ago, but it didn’t last. Don’t rent somewhere near the river!

There isn’t good mountain biking in Morpeth from your doorstep like there is in Rothbury. In fact the MTB’ing from my house near the Surrey hills is closer than MTBing in Morpeth to good rides.

but moved to Gosforth to get away from ir_bandito.

I do that to people…

Nope no bike shop, there is Breeze’s in Amble and some in Newcastle.

Riding is limited from the doorstep as it’s fairly flat around the area.

Does Morpeth still have a bagpipe museum?

possibly not much use to you.. but had a holiday in the area, staying near Alnwick

Really beautiful part of the world.. I thought there was a real sense of space and some of the beaches are staggering.

Given the chance I’d live there.

I was born and raised in Morpeth. It’s a great lively town for youngsters but doesn’t hold it’s quaint semi-elite appeal that it used to have in the 80’s. Too many pubs, clubs and pound shops for my liking….it’s death was the opening of Winners on the front street in 1993 I reckon.

I’d love to be brought up there but I wouldn’t want to live there now, oh look….that’s exactly what I done.

Chantry Museum is still there yes and Sean I’m sorry but you’re older than you think. Winners opened in about about 1987, the redevelopment of the Sanderson Arcade has given a good feeling back.

1987??? Really, **** me.

Yeah at a guess, I was still at school for a few years after it opened so was before 93 anyway.

King Edwards?

Yup left in 1989 lives at Kirkhill in later years.

Ok, So ive finally sorted a place to live. Ill be resident in a small one bed cottage in Rothbury. Anybody live nearby fancy hooking up for a pint and a chat?