These are the most beautiful spots to visit in the north of England

It's the summer of staycations, and it seems that not even those famed for adventures in far-flung places can get enough of our green and pleasant land - especially up north.

Harrison Ford, aka Indiana Jones himself, has been spotted filming the fifth film in the franchise in North Shields, as well as various other locations across the North of England.

But which are the most gorgeous spots in the North, ready to tempt intrepid (and ok, perhaps less intrepid) travellers? These beautiful locations will have you joining the M6 in a flash...

Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland

The Indiana Jones crew have recently decked out this 1,400-year-old castle with sandbags and barbed wire for filming purposes.

Set in a striking location on the northeast coast, above the glorious Bamburgh beach, the current castle was built by the Normans but lies on the ancient site of a Celtic fort.

Currently closed for the filming, the castle is set to reopen on the 14th June.

York Minster, Yorkshire

There's a reason why much of the Harry Potter franchise was filmed in York, a city which mixes picturesque beauty with fascinating ancient history.

Perhaps the best spot of all, in a town packed with competition, is York Minster - the oldest cathedral in all of northern Europe. Come for the magnificent medieval stained glass windows, stay for the pretty grounds and the tiny carvings of wooden mice.

Grasmere, Cumbria

The Lake District is famously beautiful - so much so, in fact, that it's inspired everyone from William Wordsworth to Taylor Swift to write poems and songs about it.

In a region offering lovely vistas down every hillside and around every watery shore, it's hard to know which lakeside spot beats all the rest - but Grasmere probably pips them to the post.

You can visit Wordsworth’s former home, Dove Cottage, or hire a rowing boat to pootle around the lake.

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Stanage Edge, Derbyshire

This craggy gritstone outcrop, with soaring views over the Dark Peak moorlands, is one of the most famous spots in The Peak District - especially since Keira Knightley came here to brood in picturesque style in the 2005 adaptation of Pride And Prejudice.

It's popular with climbers and runners, but you can walk up at a more sedate pace from the nearby village of Hathersage.

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Lindisfarne, Northumberland

Lindisfarne, widely known as Holy Island, is only accessible to the mainland at low tides, via a causeway.

The difficulty involved in getting there, the wild coastal landscape and the ancient monastery founded there by Saint Aidan of Iona in the sixth century AD all conspire to give it a truly magical, mysterious aura.

While you're there, be sure to have a tot of the famous Lindisfarne Mead, which has been made on the island for centuries.

Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire

Think Robin Hood, think Sherwood Forest and Nottingham. Right? Well, it seems that the man feared by the bad and loved by the good may occasionally have ventured further north.

The exact etymological origins of this quaint fishing village, with picturesque houses dotted down a steep staggered hill to a wide sweep of white beach, remain uncertain.

What is certain, however, is that the view of the windy bay is one of the best outlooks on Yorkshire's 'dinosaur coast' - if not the whole of the UK.

Scarfell Pike, Cumbria

You'll need strong legs and some careful planning to climb the steep and rocky 978 metres up to The Lake District's Scarfell Pike, both the tallest mountain in the UK and our highest war memorial - but you'll be rewarded with magnificent views of craggy peaks, rolling fells and glassy water.

Whitby Abbey, North Yorkshire

The ultra-atmospheric gothic ruins of Whitby's 7th century abbey stand perched on the water's edge in the pretty seaside town.

Standing there, it feels like no surprise that Whitby Abbey is a location in Bram Stoker's classic vampire novel Dracula. Try to catch a sunset, glinting through the glassless windows, then reward yourself with fish and chips in town. Perfection.

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