Travel bloggers Jonny and Hannah have named Allenheads as the prettiest village in Northumberland, surpassing well-known spots like Bamburgh and Warkworth. The couple, who run the website findingouradventure, compiled a list of the best villages in Northumbria after visiting more than 50 countries in their campervan.
Why Allenheads Stands Out
Jonny and Hannah described Allenheads as "a beautiful village surrounded by moorland" and noted it is "known as the highest village in England." They highlighted its history as a former mining village, where visitors can "ski in the winter and learn about the heritage of old lead mines." The village offers a coffee shop, a local craft shop, and public toilets.
Their website states: "Each travel guide is curated from our own authentic experiences. We visit every destination and share insights gained from our adventures."
Rich Mining History
Allenheads was built around lead mining, with the first mine opening in the 1880s. It soon became one of the leading lead mines in the area, but the mine closed within 20 years, devastating the local community. The pit briefly reopened in the 1970s under the British Steel Corporation to extract fluorspar, but it was not successful and closed again.
Today, the village's main income sources are agriculture and tourism. The Allenheads Industrial Heritage Centre, located in the exhibition hall in the village centre, tells the story of its mining past and includes a fully preserved Armstrong Whitworth hydraulic engine.
Things to Do and Places to Eat
Visitors can walk up to Keith Walker's Cairn on the moor east of the village. The cairn, built in October 2017, honors Keith Walker, who chaired the Allenheads Trust for 15 years. Its plaque reads: "Cairn restored in 2017 to gratefully mark the time in office of Keith Walker, Chair of the Allenheads Trust 2003 - 2017." The route uses a track off the road towards Rookhope, with a memorial bench and small car park nearby.
For refreshments, the Killhope Cafe inside the mining museum serves sandwiches, hot food, cakes, and hot drinks, with cash preferred. One TripAdvisor review praised the "first class and inexpensive" tea and sandwiches. The Allenheads Inn, a historic pub and B&B open Wednesday through Sunday, also receives glowing reviews, with one guest describing the hospitality as "amazing" after a late arrival.
