Alnwick named one of the ‘best places to live’ in the UK by Muddy Stilletos

It is the only North East location included in lifestyle website Muddy Stilletos’ guide to the best 300 places to live.

The review says the town - dubbed the “Windsor of the North” due to its iconic and rather glam castle at its historic centre - ‘is the top spot for those who love a bit of history, the great outdoors and star-gazing’.

The guide adds: ‘With its picturesque Harry Potteresque (it was filmed here) cobbled streets, unusual eateries, and friendly, northern community, Alnwick is the rising gem in the north.

‘It’s definitely got that magical charm that’s hard to resist – think eclectic bookshops, cosy pubs with crackling fires down little alleys, and a calendar full of local events.

‘Half an hour from Newcastle, an hour from Edinburgh and three and half hours from London it’s well connected to city life by train but drive 10 minutes and you’re on an award-winning empty beach or up on the wild Cheviot hills without a person in sight.

‘The castle and its gardens give Alnwick a fairy tale magic but it’s probably the friendly community that puts it on the map as ‘happiest’ and ‘coolest’ place to live in a bevy of recent UK surveys.’

The guide also praises the town’s food scene, its thriving eclectic mix of independent shops, the myriad of local attractions and its role as a cultural hub.

It notes the average house price in Alnwick is around £250,000, ‘making it an affordable option to own your very own place’.

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