Bellingham Heritage Centre

Bellingham Heritage Centre tells the story of the North Tyne valley and Redesdale, a corner of Northumberland shaped by border reiver raids, hill farming, coal and iron working, and the coming of the railway. Housed close to the site of the old station in Bellingham, the centre grew out of a local community effort to preserve the area's history and now serves as the main visitor point for anyone exploring this remote stretch of the county.

Inside, displays cover the Border Counties Railway which once ran through the valley, the reivers who terrorised these hills in the 16th century, and the lives of local shepherds, blacksmiths and miners. There are collections of photographs, farming tools, domestic items and railway memorabilia, along with information on Bellingham's role as a market town and gateway to Kielder Forest.

The centre is a useful first stop before heading out to walk sections of the Pennine Way, which passes through the village, or to explore Hareshaw Linn waterfall just to the north. Staff are typically volunteers with strong local knowledge and can point you towards other sites of interest in the surrounding countryside.