There are galleries and boutiques in Rothbury, Alnwick and Morpeth, and whilst it is impossible to list every shop for every eventuality, it is worth mentioning two of our favourites.

The first is Soulsby’s toy shop on the main street in Rothbury. Forgive us for being sentimental but this place takes you back to your own childhood and has real toys like tractors and Lego – brilliant!

The second is Barter Books in Alnwick – ‘The British Library of secondhand bookshops’ according to The New Statesman, and our favourite place to grab a coffee and browse to your heart’s content. Full of interesting people; the founder of Viz magazine works there just because he loves the place.