The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre is your gateway to Northumberland National Park.
Nestled in the Hadrian’s Wall UNESCO World Heritage Site, The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre opened in 2017. The award-winning building was designed with accessibility at its heart, creating a world-class visitor centre where everyone can experience Northumberland National Park’s unique and special landscape.
It's the perfect place to start your journey and experience one of England’s finest landscapes through nature, climate, culture, and heritage. There’s parking on site, toilet facilities including a Changing Places washroom and an 86 bed YHA adjoining the building.
The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre is free to enter and features a wide-range of experiences for you to discover, from seasonal exhibitions and events to its stunning accessible rooftop walk where you can enjoy unrivalled, breath-taking, 360-degree vistas of the National Park and Hadrian’s Wall.
Walks from The Sill take in some of the most iconic stretches of Hadrian’s Wall so whether you want a half hour stroll or a 3-hour adventure, start here to explore the southernmost tip of Northumberland National Park. You can also book on to one of the popular Ranger e-mountain bike tours.
The Sill’s state-of-the-art permanent exhibition brings Northumberland National Park’s incredible landscape to life. It includes geological and historical exhibits; artwork installations and interactive audio-visual storytelling, featuring many of the people who live and work in the local area. The exhibition will transform how people of all ages can discover and explore the natural and cultural heritage of the landscape and it will ignite your curiosity about the environment and empower you to ask big questions about nature, climate change and the world around you.
The Stell exhibition space hosts an ever-changing programme of exhibitions exploring landscape in more depth. From art to music, literature to science; there’s something for everyone.
The Sill also has a year-round programme of events and activities complimenting the exhibitions. Try your hand at Northumbrian crafts or bring the kids to explore the wild at an interactive session with one of our Rangers. There’s also walks, talks and a full learning programme for all ages.
The Sill’s shop celebrates the talent and creativity of local producers from across the region – perfect to pick up a gift to take home or something to equip you for your day out. The stunning Northumberland landscape inspires creativity and our team have sourced a wide range of gifts that express this shared local passion for our beautiful countryside. The selection of locally inspired products includes art, ceramics, books, and jewellery as well as locally produced beers, spirits, and food to enjoy at home.
The shop also has clothing, maps, and guidebooks to help you explore the area and discover the very best our region has to offer, in fact, more than 80% of our suppliers are local with more than a third from within the National Park and Hadrian’s Wall area.
The Sill’s café - The Once Brewed Coffee and Bakehouse - has an excellent menu of locally sourced food and drinks featuring ingredients and products inspired by Northumberland National Park.
The café is a light, airy and welcoming space where hikers, locals and visitors sit back and enjoy Northumbrian music whilst gazing out over the rolling Northumberland hills and Hadrian’s Wall. The Once Brewed Coffee and Bakehouse has a wonderful hiker’s afternoon tea, presented on a miniature picnic table that must not be missed! No booking is required.
T: 01434 341200
E: [email protected]
W: www.thesill.org.uk