Hulne Park
About 4 to 6.2 miles, by the estate's three marked walks · Rolling; a steady climb to Brizlee Hill elevation
About
The Percy family's walled former hunting park, entered by the gateway at the far end of Ratten Row, a few minutes' walk from Bailiffgate. Northumberland Estates owns it and lets the public walk the marked routes on foot: three waymarked walks on its map, of about 4, 4.7 and 6.2 miles. Walk 1 climbs to Brizlee Tower, the Gothick tower dated 1781 that was built for the first Duke; the longer walks go down to the River Aln and the ruins of Hulne Priory, founded by the Carmelites in 1240, and past the gatehouse of Alnwick Abbey. The rules are strict: the gates open at 11am and close at 4pm, no dogs, no cycles, and the estate closes the park on listed dates, mostly in late autumn and winter. The estate says Hulne Park is home to a good population of red squirrels.
Highlights
- ✓Brizlee Tower
- ✓Hulne Priory ruins
- ✓Alnwick Abbey gatehouse
- ✓Red squirrels
Tips
- →The gates close at 4pm and the walks take two to three hours, so start soon after 11am.
- →No dogs and no bikes; the castle points dog walkers to the riverside Pastures instead.
- →Check the estate's closure dates before you set out; in 2026 the park closes on several days a week from late October into the new year.
- →Keep to the marked routes: the estate's permission covers those ways only, on foot.