Browsing. It’s a good way to pass some time. For me, I’d always opt for a book shop over a record shop, for MOH it’s probably the other way round. But when we were in Northumberland in the summer neither of us wanted to pass up the opportunity to browse Barter Books on the day we visited Alnwick.

We’d opted to visit Alnwick Castle and then headed into the town and found our way to one of the largest second hand bookshops in Britain, which is also home of the original ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ poster.

The arched 'Barter Books' metal sign above the entrance - on a blue skied summer day

Across the road on a grass embankment is a tall column with a lion on top

Outside Barter Books the old railway station - looking at the old station clock

The bookshop opened in 1991 and as its name suggests was based on the swap system. It opened in Alnwick’s old Victorian railway station, where it remains today. Today the bookshop is made up of seven rooms, and retains the Old Waiting Room as a place to sit, have a meal, read newspapers and enjoy the open fire with a coffee.

Rows and rows of books and bookshelves at Barter Books

A model railway circles above you as you browse the books, and I must admit I became quite taken with it, trying to get a shot of the engines as they passed by. There’s so much more than I can share with you in a single blog post - but if you’re in the area, or close enough to visit, then it’s really a must visit kind of place. But if not, there’s so much more for you to see on their website.

Above the bookshelves among the ironwork is a train track complete with running engines

One of the trains crossing a bridge above me with bookshelves in the background

The books, the building, the trains and the whole ambience was a wonder to experience. And that’s without mentioning the cafe, ice cream bar, the art installations and the poetry on display.

Neon lights in a sun like shape at one end of the building (the lights are mounted on a red background) — SUNSET AND EVENING STAR. AND ONE CLEAR CALL FOR ME! AND MAY THERE BE NO MOANING OF THE BAR. WHEN I PUT OUT TO SEA. - TENNYSON.

The poem 'To Posterity' displayed high up on the wall in Barter books — TO POSTERITY
WHEN BOOKS HAVE ALL SEIZED UP LIKE THE BOOKS IN GRAVEYARDS
AND READING AND EVEN SPEAKING HAVE BEEN REPLACED
BY OTHER, LESS DIFFICULT MEDIA, WE WONDER IF YOU
WILL FIND IN FLOWERS AND FRUIT THE SAME COLOUR AND TASTE
THEY HELD FOR US FOR WHOM THEY WERE FRAMED IN WORDS,
AND WILL YOUR GRASS BE GREEN, YOUR SKY BE BLUE,
OR WILL YOUR BIRDS BE ALWAYS WINGLESS BIRDS?
LOUIS MACNEICE (FROM VISITATIONS, 1957)

We spent a good hour or so here, and could quite easily have spent the same amount of time again. It’s a place you could come back to again and again, and each time find something new to marvel at. And that too is part of what makes it great.