A work trip to Alnwick this week led to something a little bit special…
After a day spent talking about social media, leaflet distribution and marketing plans, I was rewarded with a stop at one of the North’s best known literary landmarks.
Barter Books is somewhere that I’ve wanted to visit for years, and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s the sort of place that book lovers dream about.
A huge second hand bookshop set inside an old Victorian railway station in a small Northumberland town, Barter Books is a little bit magical. There’s a fire that you can curl up beside with a book, an old fashioned railway style café and endless rows of shelves. Not to mention the poetry and quotations decorating the walls and bookcases.
There’s even a functioning model railway that runs across the top of the bookshelves above your head.
The shop gets its name from the barter system: you can buy a book, but you can also offer your old books to the shop in exchange for credit. There are some truly unique finds among the shelves, including cases of antique books, maps and other items.
It’s the sort of place you could get lost in, completely unaware of the time.
Misha says
omg I visited here a few years ago and it is utterly gorgeous! You managed to capture the photos that my 14 year old self with a crappy phone was unable to procure. I’ll have to visit again sometime! 😀
Flower Crowns and Fairytales
Amy Lord says
Thanks Misha, it’s definitely worth a return visit!
Natalie K. says
This looks AMAZING! I want to go! It sort of reminds me of Strand Books in New York City… have you been there?
Amy Lord says
I haven’t, but I’ll add it to my list for the next time I get to visit NYC! I always try to buy a book as a souvenir on holiday and I love a unique or quirky bookshop 🙂
Kristin | My Life as a Teacup says
Gorgeous!!
Ellie Crossley says
I was so excited to see this post! I’m going to Barter books for a work function in March and and am even more excited now I’ve seen the inside! Thanks for this! Xx
Amy Lord says
Ooh a work function at Barter Books – I’m a little bit jealous! Hope you enjoy it – and take a shopping bag because it will be hard to resist all those books 🙂
Cayce says
I love the idea of this “barter system”, and the shop itself is just gorgeous – a dream place for us, book lovers. Aww. would love to visit it one day…
Sara Strauss says
Holy amazingness! This bookstore is beautiful!!
~Sara
Gemma says
Just lovely!!
Gemma
http://www.fadedwindmills.com