Small group - Ancient Northumberland

This tour invites you into the deep past of Northumberland, tracing the story of the earliest humans through to the Celtic peoples who shaped the region. Drawing on the remarkable archaeological landscape of North East England, you’ll travel back thousands of years to walk in the footsteps of ancient communities. The journey begins on the dramatic Northumberland coast at Howick, where one of Britain’s best-preserved Mesolithic huts reveals the lives of early hunter-gatherers after the Ice Age. As you explore the coastline, your guide will explain how these early people adapted to a changing landscape and built their lives along the shore. Midday brings a peaceful break for lunch, offering time to rest and take in the sweeping views of Northumberland’s natural beauty. In the afternoon, the tour moves inland to Lordenshaws in Northumberland National Park, a landscape layered with history. Here, Neolithic rock art panels marked with mysterious cup and ring carvings open a window into the first farming communities that settled in Britain around 4000 BC. Nearby Bronze Age burial mounds and an Iron Age hillfort complete the picture, allowing you to follow the full arc of prehistory in one remarkable place. Throughout the day, your guide shares insights drawn from archaeology and the lives of ancient peoples, bringing the past vividly to life. This Ancient Northumberland Tour is a rare chance to connect with the deep history of the region, from early Mesolithic settlers to the later Iron Age tribes. Collection is available from your accommodation or a pre-arranged location at 9 am.