There's much to do in and around Hexham, writes Bob Lawrence - if only the rain would stop.

IN A wet summer like the one we had this year, I was glad of the opportunity to take a short break at a pleasant hotel in a nice Northumbrian town. Despite the rain there was a fair bit which could be done in the town of Hexham. There was the impressive abbey, for example, only a stone's throw from the Beaumont Hotel where we were staying, and nearby was The Old Gaol, the oldest purpose-built gaol in England which now houses the Border History Museum.

And across the road from our Best Western hotel was an inviting park for the odd dry spells.

Apart from that there were some quaint streets to explore and various interesting shops to look round.

For our second day at Hexham, we ventured slightly further afield, taking the A6079 to Chollerford then driving along the B6318, following the line of Hadrian's Wall, with views which were still spectacular despite the continuing rain. I lost track of the number of times we said: "This would be breathtakingly beautiful if the sun was shining"!

But there was a break in the rain long enough for us to explore the ruins of the Roman fort at Chesters and marvel at the skill of those who designed and built it. The grass had been cut and our damp shoes very quickly took on a thick covering of grass so we were glad to find a bucket of water as we left the site.

There was also a fascinating exhibition about the area at the Once Brewed National Park Centre, further along the B6318. And if the weather had not been so bad we would have stopped off at one or two more Roman forts along the way, such as Housesteads and Birdoswald.

We had a good day out but it was great to get back to the comfort of the Beaumont Hotel and be waited on with an excellent dinner. We were well looked after at the hotel, where the en suite rooms are very comfortable.

The following day we set off back to York, calling in at Prudhoe Castle which on that occasion was being used for a children's chess competition.

Accommodation: excellent 4/5

Food: good 4/5

Value for money: good 3/5

Things to do: good 4/5

More information: Prices per night for Getaway Short Breaks at the Beaumont are £57 dinner bed and breakfast in the spring, £62 in the summer and £58 in the winter, if booked through Best Western in York (tel 08457 74 74 74).