16 Things You Only Understand If You're From Northumberland

The truth about life in England's Northernmost county.

1. It’s cute when anyone from Liverpool or Manchester call themselves ‘Northern’.

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You're all Southern softies to us, we're afraid. Even you, Yorkshire.

2. Castles? They’re no big deal.

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Seeing how we can choose from *deep breath* Alnwick, Aydon, Bamburgh (above), Belford, Bellingham, Bellister, Belsay, Berwick, Blenkinsop, Bothal, Bywell, Callaly, Cartington, Chillingham, Chipchase, Cocklepark Tower, Cotherstone, Coupland, Cresswell, Dally, Dilston, Dunstanburgh, Edlingham, Elsdon, Etal, Featherstone, Ford, Halton, Haltwhistle, Harbottle, Haughton, Langley, Lindisfarne, Mitford, Morpeth, Norham, Ponteland, Prudhoe, Rothley, Thirlwall, Twizell, Wark in Tyndale, Warkworth or Widdrington Castle. (That's more than any other county, if you couldn't guess).

3. Stonehenge is overrated.

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The Duddo Stone Circle in Duddo, Northumberland is a prehistoric collection of stones from the Neolitihic period just as mysterious and beautiful as the South’s more famous World Heritage site.

In fact, it’s better, because there is no visitor centre, food vans or grown men pretending to be druids to spoil the magic.

4. The answer to this joke.

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Thanks to the Farne Islands, we can watch England's most diverse seabird colony at play - including 37,000 pairs of puffins.

5. If you touch these bottles, you will die.

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According to an extremely dubious but never-to-be-tested local legend. You've been warned.

6. What it’s really like to belong to the Night’s Watch.

HBO

George RR Martin confirmed in a 2000 interview that the inspiration for the massive wall Jon Snow hangs out on in Game of Thrones was based on none other than Hadrian’s Wall, the former Roman wall and UNESCO World Heritage Site that partly runs through Northumberland.

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Meaning Northumbrians have been fending off Wildlings - make that the Scottish - for centuries.

7. This guy owns everything.

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"Whose is that field, over there?"

"That's the Duke's land."

"What about those nice houses?"

"The Duke's."

"...the castle?"

"Duke."

"OK."

8. This priceless breakfast tip.

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9. What it was really like to grow up with Harry, Ron and Hermione.

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Warner Bros.

After all, they were only up the road in Alnwick Castle (left), where a certain School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was filmed (right).

10. The look people from down South give you when you say where you're from.

Via reactiongifs.com

"Is that like, in Wales?"

"Do you guys have running water up there?"

"So you're a Geordie, then."

11. What this means:

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Translation: "Excuse me Sir, I'm afraid I seem to be rather covered in mud. Could you direct me to the nearest toilet please?"

12. If you enter this place, you're not coming out sober.

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Ah Alnwick Squash Club, still going strong after 30 years.

13. When you speak to people from London in December and you're like:

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14. Finally, that more than 30 miles of secluded beaches...

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Alnmouth

Unspoiled coastline, officially designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty...

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15. Make you happy to belong to England's biggest and most remote county.

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Brighton.

16. The one that's as far away from the South as possible.

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