Wooler is a town in Northumberland, on a lowland route into Scotland that skirts the Cheviot Hills, with a population of 2000 in 2021. "Situated in an ill-cultivated country under the influence of vast mountains, from whence it is subject to impetuous rains" was the Norman conquerors' dismal assessment of it in 1107. It's now a quiet market town, and base for walking in the hills.
Get in
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Wooler is on A697, a low-level route into Scotland. This branches off A1 at Morpeth and heads northeast through Longframlington, Powburn, Wooler, Ford & Etal, Coldstream, Greenlaw and Carfraemill, where it joins A68 towards Edinburgh.
Arriva Bus X16 is a commuter special to Newcastle, leaving Wooler M-F around 7AM and taking 70 min via Morpeth. It runs north from Newcastle at 5PM. On Saturday it starts from Kelso and there's an extra run between Newcastle and Wooler.
PCL Bus 470 / 473 runs four times M-Sa from Alnwick, taking 45 min. No railway connection there, as the station is 3 miles east near Alnmouth.
Borders Bus 464 runs six times M-Sa from Berwick-upon-Tweed railway station, taking 50 min via Scremerston and Lowick. Berwick has trains from London Kings Cross, Plymouth, Birmingham, Newcastle and Edinburgh.
No direct bus from Scotland other than the Saturday X16. Usually you have to go via Berwick, which has buses via Coldstream to Kelso, Jedburgh, Melrose and Galashiels.
1 Wooler bus station is just a draughty square off High Street.
Get around
[edit]Town is small, but you need wheels for Chillingham Castle.
The town taxi service has folded.
See
[edit]- Here is a dear, a true industrious friend, Sir Walter Blunt, new lighted from his horse.
- Stain’d with the variation of each soil / Betwixt that Holmedon and this seat of ours.
- - Shakespeare's "Henry IV Part I" opens with Blunt bringing news that the Scots were crushed.
- St Mary's is the Anglican church east of the bus station, built in 1765 over a much older structure. It's open daily 9AM-5PM.
- Wooler Castle: you'll have to use your imagination. It stood just north of St Mary's, a motte-and-bailey wooden stockade, abandoned by the end of the 13th century and never rebuild in stone.
- 1 St Ninian's Catholic Church, Burnhouse Road NE71 6EQ. Snecked stone church opened in 1856. It's only accessible during mass.
- 2 Humbleton Hill rises 1½ miles west of town to 978 ft / 298 m. At the summit are remains of an Iron Age hillfort and 20 roundhouses, set within a much older larger enclosure. The Battle of Homildon Hill, the one recounted by Shakespeare as above, was fought on these slopes in 1402; the English crushed the Scots.
- Gefrin is an active archaeological site 5 miles west of town on B6351, beyond the hamlet of Yeavering. It looks to have been an Anglo-Saxon summer palace circa 600 AD. Findings are on display in the Ad Gefrin Museum hosted by the distillery (see Drink).
- 3 Yeavering Bell is a mountain of 1158 feet / 353 m standing west of Humbleton Hill, likewise with the remains of a ringfort and dwellings.
- 4 Chillingham Castle, Chillingham NE66 5NJ (6 miles SE of Wooler, Bus 473), ☏ +44 1668 215359. Mid-April - Oct 11AM-5PM. This was built in the 12th century as a monastery, became a fortress, and had one of England's first glass windows installed in 1298 for a visit by King Edward I. It stood near the border in an era when England and Scotland were often at war, and was enhanced into a castle. The region was pacified by the Union of the Crowns in 1603 so the castle became more residential. Sir Humphry Wakefield the owner since 1982 is an antiques expert and has stuffed the place with his eclectic collection. It has been used as a TV / film location and has various hokey ghost legends, with occasional night tours. Adult £14, conc £13, child £8.
- Chillingham wild cattle are a unique breed, visited by guided tour from the pavilion north of the castle. There's about 70 bulls and 70 cows, all small and white with upturned horns. They roam free individually or in loose groups but don't herd, probably similar behaviour to the wild aurochs that gave rise to domestic cattle 10-11,000 years ago. Tours run Easter - October four times a day, booking essential, and in 2025 cost £12 per adult, combi-ticket with the castle available. Wear stout walking boots, no dogs.
- 5 Ros Hill rises east of the castle to 1033 ft / 315 m, with a 3000 year old Iron Age ringfort on top. It's reached by a 10 min walk from the lane to the south, easy going but sometimes soggy. It's said to have a view of seven castles, and you're not allowed down until you've clocked them all.
Do
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- Golf: Wooler GC is in Doddington 3 miles north, off B6525. White tees 6357 yards, par 72.
- St Cuthbert's Way is a 65 mile / 105 km hiking path from Melrose via Harestanes, Kirk Yetholm, Wooler and Fenwick to Lindisfarne. It crosses Wideopen Hill at 400 m but is mostly lowland. At Melrose it connects with the Southern Upland Way. At Kirk Yetholm it's at the north terminus of the Pennine Way. At Fenwick it crosses the Northumberland coastal path towards Berwick.
Buy
[edit]- Coop Food at 10 Market Place is open daily 7AM-10PM.
- Budgens supermarket at 7 South Rd is open daily 6:30AM-8PM.
- Murco on South Rd is the pricey filling station. They also sell spares and do repairs.
Eat
[edit]- Grinders cafe at 29 High St is open Tu-Sa 9AM-4PM.
- Terrace Cafe at 18 Market Place is open daily 9AM-4PM.
- Fry Fry takeaway at 2 Market Place is open M 4-9PM, Tu-Sa noon-2PM, 4-9PM.
- Milan Restaurant at 2 High St is open Tu-Su 5-10PM.
- Anchor Inn at 2 Cheviot St may have rooms.
Drink
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- Riverside Bar is a drouthy place by the A697 river bridge, open M-F noon-midnight, Sa Su 10AM-midnight.
- Ad Gefrin Distillery on South Rd makes whisky and gin, tours available and combi with the Ad Gefrin museum.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Wooler Hostel, 30 Cheviot Street, Wooler NE71 6LW, ☏ +44 7492 018545. 51 bed former YHA hostel and shepherds' huts (sleep 3); camper vans also accommodated. Welcoming and well-run, in wartime it was a camp for Land Army women and somehow retains a 40s retro vibe. Dorm £27 ppn, shepherrds' hut £80.
- No 1 Hotel, 1 High St, Wooler NE71 6LD (facing bus station), ☏ +44 1668 283089. Clean friendly place. B&B double £110.
- The Old Mill is a B&B at 8 South Rd.
- Arlington House is self-catering rooms at 24 High St in town centre.
- 2 Tankerville Arms Hotel, 20-22 Cottage Rd, Wooler NE71 6AD. 17 room hotel with restaurant (mains from £15). Also runs 6 self-catering cottages.
- 3 Riverside Holiday Park, South Rd, Wooler NE71 6NJ, ☏ +44 1668 281447. Caravan site south edge of town, mostly static units but it also accommodates tourers and campers. Pod £15, hook-up £20.
- 4 Highburn House Caravan Park, Burnhouse Rd, Wooler NE71 6EE, ☏ +44 1668 281344. Friendly well-run site west side of town. Tent £20, hook-up £27.
Connect
[edit]As of June 2025, Wooler and its approach roads have 4G from O2, Three and Vodafone, and 5G from EE.
Go next
[edit]- North to Ford and Etal for the castle ruins and light railway.
- Cross the Tweed at Coldstream for the Scottish Borders and a series of stately homes and ruined abbeys.
- Wind east through the back lanes to the A1 and scenic coast: south to Bamburgh and Seahouses, north for the tidal causeway to Lindisfarne.
- Alnwick to the south has a plush castle.