Barter Books is one of the largest secondhand bookshops in Britain and it's based on a swap system. The magnificent setting for the bookshop is the Victorian railway at Alnwick, stuffed with shelves on every topic and packed with perfect little corners to sit for hours upon end if you wish.
With its electric toy train encircling the first room of books, to its numerous quotations linking bookcases and its majestic sun-shaped light display on the wall the bookshop has a charming and unique character, that had me constantly looking upwards in awe. Enjoy open fires in the winter and the Station Buffet, a delightful café ideal to sit and read in.
This magical bookshop is well worth a visit if you're in the area. Let me know if you have been and tell me what you thought!
