48 Hours on the Northumberland coast!

Each village, beach and bay has a unique narrative that can be discovered alongside your day at the beach, such as old smokehouses, crumbling castle ruins and adorably uncoordinated puffins!

Picking out the best of Northumberland’s coast is tricky, but the traditional fishing village of Craster is an excellent place to start. As the charcoal scent of L Robsons and Sons’ smokehouse drifts past your nostrils, follow your nose to its restaurant for a traditionally-smoked kipper breakfast, then wander towards the pocket-sized chunk of the once grand fortress, Dunstanburgh Castle. 

Head back to your car, or hop on Arriva’s X18 Coast and Country Bus, and cruise along the coastline to Seahouses to visit The Farne Islands. Here, an abundance of clumsy puffins reunite with their mates annually, seals lollop on the rocks and the mysterious St Cuthbert’s chapel overlooks the water. Little stalls belonging to boat companies that tour the islands can be found on Seahouses harbour, such as Golden Gate or Serenity. 

Walk along the beach to Bamburgh Castle, where dark tales of battles, legends and myths echo throughout the dimly lit, stone-walled corridors. Stay here after sunset for a magical and spell-binding outdoor cinema viewing, where towering turrets are the back-drop and crashing waves are the soundtrack. End the day by cosying up in your chosen B&B, inn or hotel in Bamburgh where snug, sea-view accommodation is easy to come by. Sleep beneath the stars at Waren Caravan Park, curl up in Budle Hall B&B or, if self-catering is your style, take a look at Crabtree & Crabtree’s elegant Kingfisher Cottage, which practically sits beside Bamburgh Castle.

Every step of Northumberland’s shoreline has a story to tell; you can see it in the impressive fortifications, fragmented town walls and spiritual sites.

Enjoy a freshly-cooked B&B breakfast, sip on a coffee on your cottage terrace, or head to a quaint local café such as The Copper Kettle, known for its deliciously spongey bakes and flower-covered entry way. Squeeze one last bit of history out of Bamburgh at the fascinating RNLI Grace Darling Museum, which is dedicated to the local heroine who rescued nine men from a tragic shipwreck in 1938. 

Continue your journey north and cross the causeway to The Holy Island of Lindisfarne, which is cut off from the rest of the world daily as the tide submerges the causeway (always check safe crossing times before you visit). This place of worship, tranquillity and breath-taking beauty was the home of St Cuthbert, who allegedly held the power of spiritual healing. The ethereal sites of Lindisfarne Castle and Priory are unmissable, and this pint-sized island holds pubs and cafés a-plenty for a spot of lunch.

Your final stop is the last town on the English coastline, Berwick-Upon-Tweed. Teetering on the border of Scotland, its complex history is represented in each brick and barrack of the town walls and each piece of rubble and ruin of Berwick Castle and its ramparts. Take a sunset boat trip along the romantic River Tweed and admire the magnificent Royal Border Bridge as you sail to the mouth of the river for some seal and dolphin spotting. Dine on seafood and taste local tipples into the evening in one of the bustling pubs that line the cobbled streets.

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