Holiday visit to Hogwarts, the home of Harry Potter

Nov 29 2008

KATHARINE CAPOCCI takes a short break in the North East and visits a castle that was home to a certain boy wizard.

A LONG weekend away in Northumberland can be just as much a breath of fresh air as a quick jaunt abroad.

Especially when it’s a bright and breezy break, taking in the gems of Alnwick and Berwick-upon-Tweed, and the stunning Northumberland coastline.

Sometimes, when you need a break, you don’t want all the hassle of the airport or car ferry.

So with the kids piled into the back of the car, and a lengthy but leisurely drive from the Midlands, we arrived in characterful Alnwick.

Our destination was The White Swan, a 300-year-old coaching inn, situated slap-bang in the centre of the chocolate-box medieval market town.

With its mix of cobbled streets, fine stone buildings and gift shops galore, not to mention splendid Alnwick Castle and Garden, it ticks all the right boxes for a top day out.

You may recall that the market town was voted best place to live in the UK by Country Life magazine a few years back, and it’s still as charming as ever.

The White Swan is a landmark building in the town, and in a great spot for exploring Alnwick, situated as it is by the market place in Bondgate Within.

Inside the spot-lit, honey-coloured inn is a blend of traditional and modern decor, with the 57 comfortable en-suite bedrooms recently having undergone a revamp.

The inn’s big talking point is the spectacular dining room, the Olympic Suite. Its claim to fame is that the original oak panelling, mirrors, ceiling and stained glass windows were all salvaged from the SS Olympic, sister ship to the ill-fated Titanic.

The then-owner of The White Swan bought the Olympic’s dining room in the 1930s and