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At the roundabout in Cornhill, turn left (signed A698 Berwick-upon-Tweed)
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Beyond Tillmouth Park, the road dips to cross the River Till beside the 15th century Twizel Bridge. In the trees on the ridge overlooking the Till are the ruins of Twizel Castle, an 18th century folly built around the remains of a medieval tower house.
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Continue on the A698 until you come to the Salutation Inn.
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Turn right (sign-posted Shoreswood). About 3 miles further cross the B6254 and follow signs to Ancroft.
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In Ancroft village, turn right to visit the 11th century St. Anne’s church. The tower was fortified in the 14th century to protect the vicar and church treasures from marauding Scots.
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Leave the church and turn right on the B6525 towards the A1, then turn right (signed Newcastle ). About 3 miles to the south you pass the tall tower of Haggerston Castle, now part of a Holiday Park complex. The Haggerstons remained loyal to the Roman Catholic Church through the Reformation, Civil Wars and Jacobite Risings.
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A mile beyond Haggerston is the turn-off to Holy Island. Make sure you have checked the safe crossing times if you wish to visit Lindisfarne Castle and Priory. Like many local churches, in the 14th century Lindisfarne Priory was fortified against Scots attack. The Castle was not built until the mid-16th century, to guard the harbour against naval.
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Continue southwards on the A1, then turn left to follow the brown Northumberland Coastal Route signed-posted to Bamburgh. Bamburgh Castle was first built for William the Conqueror in about 1070. It remained a royal castle throughout the Middle Ages. In 1464, during the wars of the Roses, it was the first castle in Britain to be forced to surrender to cannon fire. The castle was rebuilt at the end of the 19th century by Lord Armstrong, the Newcastle engineer and industrialist. While in Bamburgh, be sure to visit the grave of the Victorian heroine, Grace Darling in the churchyard and discover her story in the nearby Grace Darling Museum.
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Drive south from Bamburgh, with fine views across to the Farne Islands, through Seahouses (following signs to Alnwick) and past Beadnell. About a mile beyond Beadnell, the road to turns sharply left towards Alnwick. Continue straight ahead through Swinhoe and Chathill.
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Beyond Chathill, turn right up the step hill to Preston Tower . The Tower is open every day in the year, for a modest £2 you can explore the rooms which are furnished as they may have looked in the 16th century.
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After leaving Preston Tower, continue to the A1 and turn right (signed Berwick).
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7 miles north on the A1, turn left into Belford. In Belford Market Place, turn left onto the B8349 (sign-posted Wooler). This road affords some splendid views across the wild moors towards the Cheviot Hills.
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Cross the hump-back of the 18th century Weetwood Bridge.
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Continue following signs to Wooler until you join the A697, then turn right (signed Coldstream) to return to the Collingwood Arms Hotel.
