Thanks to our writer Bethanie for this post.
Hulne Park in Alnwick has long been a favourite walking spot for my family and I. We
started walking here when my son was a baby (nine years ago!) and enjoy the space it
provides.
In a nutshell, Hulne Park is located in the market town of Alnwick and makes
up part of the Northumberland Estates. Among the various walking routes, expect to
Hulne Park is open between 11am and 5pm as a number of residents live in the Park
and so also expect to see cars driving through.
This post will provide a bit more information about planning your visit and why I think
this is one of Alnwick’s best kept secrets.
Getting to Hulne Park.
If you Google “postcode for Hulne Park” it gives you NE66 3JE, this actually seems to
drop you in the middle of the Estates. Instead, head towards St Michael’s church,
turning left at the bottom of Northumberland Street. There will be a day nursery called
Apple Blossom on your left with the church on your right.
You will then take a very slight left which takes you along a track road called Ratten
Row. Drive along this until you reach the gated entrance to Hulne Park. You will find
plenty of space here to park your car on the left-hand side.
The other option is to park in the town of Alnwick and walk along from there. Parking is
free in Alnwick with a parking disc, and it isn’t a long walk to Hulne Park from the centre.
You could even walk past Alnwick Castle to make the most of your visit.
Plan your walking route.
As you enter through the open gates to Hulne Park, you will find yourself walking along
a well kept road, with tall trees and woodland on either side. There is an information
board and a map of the area so you can plan your walk. Hulne Park is suitable for pushchairs if you stick to the paths.
There are three walking routes: Yellow, Blue and Red routes.
At the time of writing this post (March 2022) Hulne Park has just reopened following
damage caused by Storm Arwen. The yellow route is closed as they try to clear the
paths and make it safe for walkers. I have included the yellow route in my round up so
you can perhaps save it for a future walk.
The details of each route are as follows:
Yellow: 4 miles. This is the walking route you would normally take if you wanted to see
the Brizlee Tower (built in 1781).
Red: 4.7 miles. This is a good one to do with the kids, because it is a manageable
distance and it takes you along the river and up to Hulne Abbey.
Blue: 6.2 miles. You follow much of the red route here and then it adds an extra loop
over Hulne Haugh, before re-joining the other routes back to where you started.
All three walks are circular walking routes.
One summer we were walking here, not far from the entrance, and accidently found a
Geocache. Might be worth checking the app if you like to hunt for these in case there
are any more hidden throughout Hulne Park.
I love that this is a totally free day out, with stunning scenery and you will see a
completely different side to Alnwick that you had never explored before.
A few things to note:
I think what may put a lot of people off walking at Hulne Park, is the fact there are no
dogs allowed. Personally, this doesn’t bother us, as my son has a fear of dogs and we
don’t have to worry about stepping in dog mess when running around. But I fully
appreciate this is frustrating if you are a dog owner.
There are also no bikes allowed in Hulne Park, which again I can understand, but it is a
shame as this would be a perfect place to practise riding a bike. It does mean your walk
is pretty relaxed.
As previously mentioned, there are cars that drive through as people live on the Estate,
so bear this in mind when walking here with young children who may be running ahead
and out on the road. It is still a pretty safe place to walk with kids but just to make you
aware. Once you get down to the river and Abbey it isn’t a worry.
Hopefully you enjoy your walks through Hulne Park as much as we do; it really is a
beautiful spot any time of year you visit but for the gorgeous colours I recommend a visit
in the Autumn.
Find out more here: http://www.northumberlandestates.co.uk/the-estate/walks-trails/
Why not combine a walk around Hulne Park with one of these activities in Alnwick:
- Bailiffgate Museum
- Barter Books
- Alnwick Castle
- Alnwick Gardens
- Lilidorei at Alnwick Gardens
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