Exterior shot of Bamburgh Castle (Tamala Malerk)

The sounds of Viking chants, music and beating drums fill the air as the voice of Alexander Dreymon says in a deep and alluring tone, “I am Uhtred, son of Uhtred…” then, he dramatically recaps previous episodes and ends with the iconic line of “Destiny is all.”

In case you missed it, “The Last Kingdom” is a five-season BBC show (also available on Netflix in Europe) that culminated in a Netflix movie, “Seven Kings Must Die.” It follows the adventures of  fictional character, Uhtred, a Saxon kidnapped by Vikings in his youth, who struggles with an identity crisis while trying to reclaim the throne of Bebbanburg (modern-day Bamburgh) from his Saxon uncle. He constantly loses lovers to whatever medieval peril or enemy befalls them and begrudgingly aligns himself to King Alfred, all while he and his merry band of misfits are shirtless more than the plot requires.

All jokes aside, it is one of the few shows that doesn’t suffer from a loss in quality as the seasons go on. I cried at the end of the movie, which acts as a series finale for reasons I won’t spoil for you. The show is based on a series of books, “The Saxon Stories” by Bernard Cornwell, and you can act out all of your favorite scenes, whether from the books or the television show, by visiting Bamburgh Castle.

Inside the walls of the castle area (Tamala Malerk)

While Uhtred is fictionalized, he seems to be based on a composite of English nobles. Bamburgh Castle, the fortress at the center of Uhtred’s journey, very much needed an Uhtred as it changed hands from Saxons to Normans to monarchs and then private owners over thousands of years. It was the first castle in England to be destroyed by gunfire; it cost over one million pounds to restore it to its former glory in the early 1900s. That is equivalent to over one billion pounds in today’s currency, according to the Bank of England.

Bamburgh Castle has several interior State Rooms that you can tour filled with ancient, medieval, renaissance and modern artifacts along with interactive exhibits where you can listen to the current owner describe some of the history. In these rooms, you can play electronic games guessing who won historical battles at the castle and dig up digital fossils and remnants in displays that are probably meant for children but that my spouse and I had a blast playing.

We also got to see costumes and props at the temporary “The Last Kingdom” exhibit, which included a throne specifically for us to sit on for pictures. Touring the State Rooms and connected chapel ends in a two-room gift shop where you can shop for “The Last Kingdom” merchandise along with prints from artists and typical gift shop items.

Coastline point-of-view from the castle (Tamala Malerk)

The castle is also home to the Armstrong and Aviation Museum which features airplanes and artifacts from both World Wars. The most moving part of this museum was the Air Force song lyrics on the wall from WWII about service members who died in combat.

If you get hungry while walking through the nine acres of castle and castle grounds, fear not, there are two places where you can grab a bite to eat. For small bites like a pastry or sausage roll and tea, head over to the Tack Room. For warm ciabattas and specialty jacket potatoes, make your way to the Clock Tower Café. I mean, what is better than a cheese-smothered potato whilst learning about Vikings?

Bamburgh Castle is a great way to spend a day in northern England. It is conveniently located less than 20 miles from the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, so you can have a Viking-filled getaway. Be sure to arrive when they open to avoid the crowds. In 2025, “The Last Kingdom” exhibit will be on display from again. The exterior areas are dog-friendly and its location on a beach makes for great photographs on a sunny day as the waves crash upon the sand. To learn more about the castle, their events and to book your tickets, go to bamburghcastle.com.