Rothbury is ideal for walkers and cyclists, and for visitors interested in outdoor pursuits. Situated on the outskirts of Northumberland National Park, it offers easy access to stunning landscapes and beautiful terrain. Many places of interest are within an hour's drive away, including Hadrian's Wall and numerous castles.
Heather moors preside over the village to both north and south, with fine walking trails on both sides. Coquetdale, the valley in which Rothbury is situated, runs some 20 miles into the Cheviot Hills to the west. To the east, the Coquet runs into the sea at Amble, a dozen miles away as the crow flies.
Rothbury is a large village with an attractive and historic conservation area at its heart. It has a range of shops, pubs, restaurants, cafes, and churches of various denominations. It also has excellent facilities for golf, fishing, tennis, bowling, as well as a new swimming pool and fitness centre.
Cragside with its splendid Victorian house and extensive woodland and gardens touches the edge of the village. Now owned by the National Trust, Cragside was developed by the first Lord Armstrong, a Victorian inventor and industrialist who left a rich legacy of buildings and institutions on Tyneside and in Northumberland.
Northumberland was long disputed between the English and the Scots, resulting in a large number of castles and fortified houses. Many of these are within easy reach from Rothbury. Bamburgh Castle used to be the Royal Seat of the Kings of Northumbria and remains largely intact.
Other worthy castles to be found locally are Alnwick Castle & Gardens, Warkworth Castle, Dunstanburgh Castle and Edlingham
The Northumberland Coast, a designated 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty', is a pleasant 40 minute drive away and boasts Lindisfarne, otherwise known as Holy Island. The Farne Islands off the coast are an important wildlife habitat, home to nearly 40,000 breeding pairs of puffins.