Angling Saxons Make for Cool Castle On Tyne

Is this England’s coolest fishing-break castle accommodation?

England’s coolest authentic fortified castle hotel, Langley Castle, is witnessing an influx of angling Saxons, all keen to take advantage of its position close to the stellar fishing opportunities available on the River Tyne.

Langley Castle’s extensive grounds are crossed by Deanraw Burn, a tributary of Langley Burn, which flows into the North Tyne.  The word ‘Tyne’ is increasingly a magical one for the many Brits, often from Gen Z, getting hooked on fishing thanks to the influence of media icons like Mortimer and Whitehouse and various Tik Tok streamers.

The Tyne is deemed one of England’s cleanest rivers and the very best river, outside of Scotland, for salmon and sea trout fishing.  The fishing season runs from February to October 31, so there’s plenty of opportunity for anglers to pack their rods and look forward to idyllic days on a riverbank, amidst wildflowers and an abundance of nature.  Permits are sold by the Tyne Rivers Trust and the proceeds help river conservation.  

If they don’t want to fish for salmon or sea trout, the Tyne also has excellent coarse fishing opportunities, with good-sized dace and sizeable chub, roach and gudgeon available.  On the nearby River Derwent, there is also grayling to be bagged.

Langley Castle is the perfect place at which to check in, if you want to enjoy all of this and more.  It is perfectly located to offer fishing tourists the Tyne’s delights, but is also very close to Langley Dam Fishery, where there are rainbow, brown, blue and tiger trout to be caught. 

And then, by taking the dramatic A686, accessed at the end of the sweeping castle drive,  fishing aficionados can head on the route to Alston, deemed one of England’s most beautiful drives by the AA. The South Tyne, at Alston Moor, is teeming with fish and offers the glorious backdrop of the North Pennines AONB landscape.  The Alston Angling Association makes up to eight rods available each day and day tickets can be bought at Alston Post Office.

Also in the area is fishing hero, James Stokoe, winner of BBC fishing programme, Earth’s Wildest Waters – the Big Fish/Big Catch.  Anyone wanting a guided experience can book a day with the team at James Stokoe Fishing and enjoy expert insight and guidance.

Gen Z love to fish by day and chill by evening, making Langley Castle ideal. Their Instagram pics of time out on the river can be supplemented with images of a castle built in 1350, with extraordinary raised window seats set into the original seven-feet-thick walls.  A Drawing Room with sparkling chandeliers, impressive fireplace, glorious picture window and knights in shining armour is truly photogenic, as are rooms with four-poster beds and features such as sauna and spa bath.  If they opt to stay outside the castle walls, they can often bag pictures of the resident peacocks and the amazing vista of the castle that greets them every morning.

The candlelit 2AA Josephine restaurant is another thing for the feed, as are the best-preserved examples of medieval latrines in Europe, the Langley Garderobes.  Add to this everything they will see on their free Battlements tour, including the amazing view from the battlements themselves, and there’s lots for fishing guests to love.

Staying in the grounds is possible in Castle View suites and rooms, or Castle Lodge rooms, but a new alternative is the self-catering Toll Bar Luxury Villa.  

Gen Z just love Toll Bar too, as it allows them to castle hop and enjoy meals inside the castle, if they don’t want to cook, but then escape for complete privacy when desired. With their own private driveway and terrace, there’s plenty of space to unload any fishing gear they don’t want to take out with them.  Just bring a tarpaulin, wrap it up and keep it by the side of the property.

With a current offer of ‘book two nights and get one free’ or ‘book seven nights and only pay for five’, on bookings to the end of May, it’s a real catch right now.

It’s the coolest fishing break you could imagine on the River Tyne, backed by the warm welcome of the Langley Castle team and excellent food.  In the Josephine Restaurant, this includes trout, lobster cod and halibut, within different dish choices but if they simply want good old fish and chips, that’s available on the relaxed dining menu.  They can even accompany that with a glass of Billecart Salmon champagne and have ‘Molly’s Favourite’, named in honour of a 92-year-old guest who has visited every Thursday since 1987, just for that treat.

For more details about the cool castle by the Tyne, head to www.langleycastle.co.uk

Notes to Editors

Families staying at Langley Castle can choose from accommodation inside the castle, in a Feature or Deluxe Room and with children’s beds provided, or in a Castle View room in the grounds, in Castle Lodge or in the new self-catering Toll Bar Luxury Villa, which has accommodation for two adults and two children.

In-castle accommodation, in Feature and Deluxe rooms, costs from £275 per room per night, inclusive of hearty Northumbrian breakfast.

Castle View accommodation is priced according to whether a suite or room is chosen, with rooms costing from £195 per room per night for bed and breakfast.

Castle Lodge rooms cost from £155 per room per night for bed and breakfast.

Toll Bar Luxury Village, which is a two-bedroomed property for two couples, or a family of two adults and two children using the two rooms, costs £375 per night.  Guests staying in this accommodation are able to ‘castle hop’ and make use of the castle facilities for relaxation in the glorious  Drawing Room and for dining (either in the Drawing Room or 2AA Rosette Josephine restaurant), if they wish, even arranging to have breakfast in the castle, if they do not wish to cook.  

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Editors notes

Langley Castle, built in 1350, is located in Langley-on-Tyne, Northumberland and is one of the few authentic, fortified medieval castles in England. It has a rich history, with strong links to Jacobite rebellions, is located just a stone's throw from the World Heritage Site of Hadrian's Wall and boasts features including battlements, seven-feet-thick walls, window seats set into the walls and the best example of medieval garderobes in Europe. It is one of the most exquisite wedding venues in the north and also offers a wide range of options when it comes to exclusive use, with the castle being available for weddings, family celebrations, Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs, D&D-style events and a wide variety of corporate functions.