Alnwick is full of history and charm—but if you’re looking to go off the beaten track, there are plenty of quirky, unusual, and lesser-known things to do in and around the town. Here’s your guide to unusual things to do in Alnwick:
🧪 1. Visit the Poison Garden (Yes, it’s real!)
📍 The Alnwick Garden
Hidden behind locked gates and warning signs, this eerie yet fascinating garden contains over 100 toxic, intoxicating, and dangerous plants. You can only enter on a guided tour—because yes, some of them can kill you.
It’s beautifully macabre and unexpectedly educational.
🚂 2. Explore a Bookshop in a Train Station
📍 Barter Books
One of the UK’s largest secondhand bookshops, set inside a restored Victorian railway station. It’s full of cosy armchairs, model trains running overhead, a roaring fire in winter, and even a room devoted to antiquarian maps.
Bonus quirk: This is where the now-famous “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster was rediscovered!
🧙♂️ 3. Fly a Broomstick at Alnwick Castle
Yes, seriously.
Channel your inner witch or wizard with a broomstick flying lesson on the very lawn where scenes from Harry Potter were filmed. It’s one of the most popular and playful experiences at the castle.
Magical photo opportunity: guaranteed.
👻 4. Hunt for Ghosts in the Castle Dungeons
While Alnwick Castle doesn’t officially offer ghost tours, its dungeons and centuries-old corridors are rumoured to have spooky stories. Ask staff for local legends—they’ll often share tales of dark deeds and ghostly sightings.
🏰 5. Walk the Walled Garden’s Secret Paths
📍 The Alnwick Garden
Beyond the formal gardens, hunt out the Bamboo Labyrinth, Cherry Orchard, and Serpent Garden, filled with interactive water sculptures and mirrored art pieces. It’s a sensory playground for grown-ups as well as kids.
🍽️ 6. Dine in a Giant Treehouse
📍 The Treehouse Restaurant
One of the most unusual restaurants in the UK. This enchanting, fairy-lit structure sits high in the trees with rope bridges, wooden walkways, and rustic interiors. It feels like dining in a Tolkien novel.
Great for a romantic meal or magical family dinner.
🕯️ 7. Step Inside a Secret Chapel at Hulne Park
📍 Hulne Park (just outside Alnwick)
Once part of a Carmelite monastery, the ruins of Hulne Priory are tucked away in this peaceful private park. Open to the public for walking, it feels like a time capsule—remote, quiet, and off the tourist trail.
No dogs or bikes allowed = serene solitude.
🧵 8. Discover Alnwick’s Narrowest Street
📍 Pottergate and Narrowgate
Take a stroll down some of the tiniest, oldest streets in town—blink and you’ll miss them! Look out for odd architectural details, worn cobbles, and quirky little shops tucked into unexpected corners.
🍸 9. Try a Local Gin or Ale in a Haunted Pub
📍 The Dirty Bottles
This pub has been serving drinks for centuries and comes with a proper ghost story: legend says a man dropped dead after touching a bottle in the window. They left it untouched for 200 years.
Now? It’s a modern bar with craft ales, cocktails, and edgy decor—but the haunted tale remains.
🧶 10. Shop the Unexpected
Alnwick has a few unusual little shops worth hunting down:
- The Alnwick Vintage Bazaar – antiques, oddities, and upcycled treasures
- Notes of Northumberland – a beautiful little scent boutique making local candles and home fragrances
- Grannies – a café/deli hidden in a cellar full of charm