Ford and Etal

Ford and Etal are two neighbouring villages in Northumberland. Most of its attractions are connected to the Ford and Etal estates and the towns receive thousands of visitors every year, admiring the castle ruins, riding the heritage steam train or enjoying the beautiful rural surroundings.

Etal Castle gatehouse

Get in

When you're driving in, take the A1 and then follow the B6352 from Berwick-upon-Tweed or the B6353.

See

• 1 Ford Castle. Ford castle originates in the 13th century. Except for incidental special openings, it's closed for public.  
• 2 Etal Castle, TD12 4TN. Apr-Sep: daily 10AM-6PM, closes 16:00 in Oct, Closed Nov-Mar. Ruined castle, built in 1341. Occupied by a Scots army in 1513 before the battle of Flodden. Castle has an exhibition on Flodden. £4.10.  
• 3 Heatherslaw Corn Mill. Apr-Sep: daily 10AM-5PM; Oct: 11AM-4PM. A working water mill. £3.75.  
• 4 Heatherslaw Visitor Centre (Opposite Heatherslaw Mill). Apr-Sep: daily 10AM-5PM; Oct: 11AM-4PM. Visitor centre with information on the Ford and Etal estate. 
• 5 Flodden Battlefield. The site of a battle on 9 Sep 1513, between an English army of about 26,000 and a Scottish army of about 34,000. Around 14,000 were killed, including the Scottish king.  

Do

• 1 Heatherslaw Light Railway, Ford Forge, Heatherslaw, Cornhill-on-Tweed, TD12 4TJ, ☏ +44 1890 820244. Daily Apr - Oct: hourly 11AM-3PM. Narrow gauge steam railway running from Heatherslaw, 6.4 km to Etal Village, a return journey of 50 minutes. £6.50.  

Don’t expect to be able to plonk your bum on a bench in Etal Village and watch the world go by while you wait for the return train! Ford Estate removed the benches outside the village hall in 2020 as part of COVID-19, and to refurbish, and have not brought them back.

You can sit in the garden at Lavender Tearooms, but you will need to purchase a snack, and/or one of their excellent teas or coffees, the hot chocolate is pretty good too, seating is limited due to Covid, so you may need to wait. There is also the Black Bull across the road, if they are open. Cyclists very welcome.

Eat

Lavender Tearooms, excellent service and food n drinks.

The Black Bull pub, not bad when it’s open, good selection of real ale brewed a couple of miles up the road. Take-away service for food when open, fish and chips are A1.

Drink

Lavender Tearooms, excellent service and food and drinks.

Sleep

• 1 Hay Farm House. 3-room guesthouse From £40. 
• 2 The Estate House, Ford Village, TD15 2PX, ☏ +44 1890 820668. 3 room guesthouse From £45. 

Connect

As of June 2022, Ford and Etal have a basic mobile signal from Three but no other coverage. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

Ford, Northumberland

Etal