Covering a huge swathe of the country, the North holds an enormous variety of attractions, with historic castles and cathedrals, magnificently craggy landscapes, sandy beaches and dynamic cities. Encompassing Cheshire, Cumbria, Northumberland, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Durham, Tyne & Wear, Manchester and Liverpool, this is a traditional region, once known for its manufacturing prowess. Former mines, docks and factories are still, in many cases, the spiritual heart of the towns.
Visitors flock to Northumberland, drawn by the medieval castles that scatter the county. Nearby Durham is home to a historic university and a magnificent cathedral. York, further south, is a wonderful heritage city established by the Vikings and encircled by medieval walls. The northeast coast harbours beguiling towns including Whitby, whose ruined abbey provided inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Staithes, once…