The bustling town centre is filled with independent shops, with the renovated Sanderson Arcade being the best spot to head to, with more than 25 independent stores and high street favourites to choose from. Surrounding the Arcade is the remainder of the charming town centre, where there are several more great places to shop including the modern market, which takes place every Wednesday, and the farmers’ market, which happens on the first Saturday of the month within the historic marketplace.
Carlisle Park
Morpeth’s fantastic shopping facilities are also just a stone’s throw away from the 13th century Chantry, which is home to the tourist information centre as well as the Bagpipe Museum. Here visitors can learn about how bagpipes played a significant role in Northumbrian culture and find out how the regional variant of the instrument differs to the Scottish standard. Clustered around here are a variety of shops which have helped to establish this part of the town as the Creative Quarter.
Every year the town uses its creative connections to hold the Morpeth Gathering, inviting visitors to get in touch with their creative side through crafts, workshops, street performances and dances. It’s also a fantastic celebration of some centuries-old Northumbrian traditions.
Outside of the shops at the heart of the town centre, there is plenty more to see and explore in Morpeth. Carlisle Park is perfect for a family day out with its tennis courts, skate park, children’s play areas and rowing boats, and is also home to the Turner Garden, dedicated to William Turner, the ‘Father of English Botany’. Visitors can also enjoy a gentle stroll along the riverside or past the remains of a 12th-century castle to ancient woodland, while the town is also well-known for its Bluebell Woods, carpeted with the colourful flowers.
Just outside of the town you will find the Whitehouse Farm Centre, the region’s largest farm attraction. Children will love to meet the variety of animals who live there, which include everything from bunnies, guinea pigs and sheep to alpacas, wallabies and reptiles. Kids will also love the play facilities on offer as well as the frisbee golf, maze, tractor rides and go-karts.
Alnwick can be found 18 miles to the north, while the large city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne is an ideal day trip from Morpeth, being just 15 miles to the south.
Morpeth has a variety of places to eat out, spanning cafes, tearooms, pubs and more. The Joiners Arms is a traditional pub with a choice of seven ales at any one time, while you can enjoy some tea and cake with views of the Chantry at the Chantry Tea Room. There’s also Indian, Thai and tapas restaurants should you be looking for something more exotic.
Visit our collection of Morpeth cottages for even more holiday inspiration.