It has a lot to offer in the way of outdoor leisure amenities. There is moorland, the Northern Pennines, which form part of the walk along the Pennine Way to the Scottish Border country, the largest man-made forest in Europe - Kielder which, along with its reservoir, contains a centre for a host of sporting activities.
We also have a large National Park which is a government-designated area of outstanding natural beauty, Holy Island with its Priory and Castle wild-fowl reserves, Bamburgh Castle with the Grace Darling Museum, and a truly beautiful Heritage Coastline.
The main towns are Berwick on Tweed, a walled town on the border with Scotland, which was still at war with Russia in the 20th Century; Alnwick, the seat of the Duke of Northumberland with its fairytale castle, always of historical significance and now world renowned as the location for the Harry Potter films.
We have the newly designed Water Gardens – complete with tree house, Morpeth in the centre and the seat of Local Government and Hexham in the West of the County, close to the Roman Wall and with its magnificent Abbey.
The Northumberland Federation of Women's Institutes was formed in 1917 and will soon celebrate 90 years of existence in the movement. Heddon on the Wall is the oldest institute, formed in the same year. There are 106 Institutes with just under 2800 members between them.
There are seven county sub-committees in addition to the Executive Committee; Organisation, Combined Arts, Home Economics and Specialised Craft, Public Affairs, International and Education, Sports and Leisure, Stationery and Publications and Catering. Events and courses are organised by the sub-committees on a regular basis providing our members with a varied and very full programme.
We hope you will visit us soon!
Jacqueline Wylie
Federation Chairman
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