Northumberland isn't exactly lacking on things to do, but if you feel you've exhausted a lot of the county's attractions, there's one coming this autumn that's very hotly anticipated.
Already named as one of the most exciting museum openings in the world for 2022 by the Smithsonian Museum, Wooler's Ad Gefrin has got another recommendation under its belt - this time from Guardian Travel. It was named among one of the 10 brand new or revamped visitor attractions to check out this year alongside the Game of Thrones studio tour in County Down and mast-climbing the Cutty Sark in London.
The visitor centre, which is one of the largest ever investments in north Northumberland, aims to celebrate the Anglo Saxon 'Golden Age' alongside the county's first whisky distillery. Its development is already well under way, with the stills for the county's first commercial whisky distillery having arrived in March, heralded by a parade down Wooler's High Street.
Read more : History made in Wooler as first ever whisky stills arrive in Northumberland
Anyone wanting to try its whisky will have to wait a while though: the amber nectar must be aged in barrels for at least three years before it can legally be described as such. And it's likely that the tipple, which will be made with ingredients from within 20 miles of the site, will be aged for longer.
It is hoped that Ad Gefrin will create around 50 jobs directly and put Wooler on the tourism map. Northumberland County Council announced a £650,000 investment in infrastructure in the town in January to prepare for the anticipated increase in visitor numbers the centre is expected to bring in.
The article in Guardian Travel read: "The archaeological remains of a great Anglo-Saxon palace were discovered at Yeavering in Northumberland in the 1950s. Now its Great Hall is being recreated four miles away at Ad Gefrin, a £10.4m cultural centre and whisky distillery.
"An immersive exhibition will tell the story of the people who lived at the palace during the region’s seventh-century golden age, and display artefacts from the dig. The centre will also include a bistro, bar and shop, and eventually the distillery will run tours and tastings of the first Northumbrian English single malt (when it is ready in 2025)."
Other new attractions recommended in the article include Clifford's Tower in York, which is just an hour from Newcastle on the train; The Shakespeare North Playhouse on Merseyside; and London's Vagina Museum. To read the whole article, click here.
Are you excited about the opening of Ad Gefrin this autumn? Let us know in the comments below!
