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The Great Britain Guide

Follies · Scottish Lowlands

Ratcheugh Observatory

Free admission

Ratcheugh Observatory — Folly or eyecatcher.

Ratcheugh Observatory, follies in Scottish Lowlands

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
20 min–45 min
Nearest railway station
Greenrigg Halt · 3.3 km
  • Free entry
  • Dog-friendly

About

Ratcheugh Observatory is a folly — a piece of decorative architecture built more for the view than any practical purpose — in the United Kingdom. Wikidata describes it as: "Folly or eyecatcher.". Coordinates: 55.4247°, -1.6470°.

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Protected designations

  • Site of Special Scientific Interest: Northumberland Shore SSSI
  • Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Northumberland Coast

Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Ratcheugh Observatory is a late 18th-century folly on a prominent crag between Alnwick and Longhoughton in north Northumberland, England. Commissioned by Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumberland, the castellated Observatory incorporates a viewing tower with prospects of Alnwick and its castle, and of the North Sea coast at Boulmer.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Coordinates
55.4247, -1.6470
Parish
Longhoughton
Postcode
NE66 3AD
Parliamentary constituency
North Northumberland
Nearest railway station
Greenrigg Halt3.3 km

Sources

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Ratcheugh Observatory?
Ratcheugh Observatory is in the Scottish Lowlands, United Kingdom (postcode NE66 3AD), in the parish of Longhoughton.
Is Ratcheugh Observatory a protected site?
Yes — Ratcheugh Observatory is part of the Northumberland Shore SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Northumberland Coast National Landscape (AONB).
Is Ratcheugh Observatory free to visit?
Yes, Ratcheugh Observatory is free to enter.
How do I get to Ratcheugh Observatory?
The nearest railway station is Greenrigg Halt, about 3.3 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode NE66 3AD.