Cragside House Walk

The one major downside to the Cragside House Walk is that a good portion of it follows along a road, albeit a fairly quiet one. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes that will be suitable for both paved and unpaved surfaces, and keep an eye out for any passing traffic. Additionally, if you want to get the most out of this walk by exploring Cragside House, you will need to pay a fee, as the site is now operated by the National Trust.

Even considering the fee to explore the house itself, this is a wonderful walking route that will expose you to both the wonderful architecture of a Victorian era country house and the natural beauty of the surrounding woodland landscape. You will also be able to enjoy some lovely views overlooking the north and south bodies of Nelly’s Moss, a charming leake set near the midpoint of the walk. This really is a great adventure that can be enjoyed by a wide variety of outdoor enthusiasts.

Setting out from the car park, you will head to the southeast corner and pass by the charging station, following along Carriage Drive as it heads south towards Cragside House. Here, you will pass by a magnificent Victorian era country house that was constructed between 1869-1895 and served as the home of William 1st Baron of Armstrong.

After passing by Cragside House, you will continue along Carriage Drive for the next 2.7mi, as it winds through the wonderfully serene woodland landscape to arrive at the shores of Nelly’s Moss South. Just before the lake, you will turn right onto a footpath and follow it briefly through the tree cover in order to make your way along the charming shoreline of the lake.

In 0.3mi, you will come to a junction in the trail next to Nelly’s Moss North, at which point you will turn left and continue on for 0.1mi to reach the road. Turning left for a short distance, you will find a track on the opposite side of the road and follow it to continue on to the northwest.

Here, you will come to a series of junctions in the trail. Heading left at the first and right at the second, you will make your way through the tranquil forest setting for another 0.3mi, winding around the trees towards the northwest until you reach the terminus of the route. This is a great place to pause and take in the natural beauty of the forest, or spread out for a nice picnic under the canopy of trees. After exploring the area, simply backtrack along the same route to return to the car park having completed the Cragside House Walk.

Trail Highlights

Cragside House

Located near Rothbury in Northumberland, Cragside is a Victorian-era country house that was constructed between 1869-1895 by William Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong. William was an industrialist who invented the hydraulic crane and the Armstrong Gun, the latter of which would become the foundation for the Armstromng Whitworth armaments company. While Cragside originally consisted of a shooting lodge, it was later improved upon by architect Richard Norman Shaw, whose work on the property has been likened to creating a northern Neuschwanstein, in reference to the Bavarian palace.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who built Cragside?

While Cragside House was commissioned by the industrial magnate William Armstrong, it was designed by architect Richard Norman Shaw.

What has been filmed at Cragside?

The beautiful architecture of Cragside House was used to portray Locklwood Manor in the feature film Jurassic world: Fallen Kingdom.