Tired of being stuck in the house? Why not take an indoor or outdoor tour of Hexham?

The history of Hexham is rich and fascinating. St. Wilfrid put us on the map back in the seventh century by establishing a monastery here (built almost entirely from upcycled Roman ruins!). Thanks to our key location near Hadrian’s Wall and the border with Scotland, we’ ve been attacked by the Vikings, William ‘Braveheart’ Wallace and this region’s special brand of ruthless raiders – the Border Reivers.

All this and more (did we mention that we boast two medieval towers and that a decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses took place here?) makes Hexham a fascinating place to take a tour. Even in the winter months, you can enjoy the following:

1) Hexham Abbey

Hexham is dominated by the beautiful Hexham Abbey, which was part of the monastery. It survived Henry’s VIII’s Reformation by becoming a parish church. It’s a wonderful building to walk around unaccompanied, but joining a tour with an expert will reveal all of its mysteries.

Hexham Abbey’s guided tours run on Tuesdays at 3pm, Thursdays at 2pm and Saturdays at 11am. The cost is £7.50 (free for accompanied under 18s). You can just turn up at Hexham Abbey to take a tour, there’s no need to book. Utterly fascinating!

2) Adventours

Helen Wearmouth – one of Hexham’s town criers – runs tours focusing on Hexham’s gruesome past. She says that, “Only the most cruel, the most unjust, the most revolting historical, factual tales will do.”

Helen’s circular walking tours currently run on Saturdays, but her Friday tours restart on 14th Feb. They’re an hour long, cover half a mile and are dog friendly. Adult bookings are just £8 with under 16s just £2. Great fun for all ages!

3) DIY audio tours

You’ll find five walking tours of Hexham on the Visit Hexham app. It’s available to download for Android or Apple phone users. Choose from A Medieval Meander, The Trouble with Hexham, Edible Hexham, The Apple Amble and The Society Circuit. Flexible and free!