Northumberland Coast

Don't miss

King of the castles
Of Northumberland's 70-odd castles, Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh stand out. Being perched right on the shore is not the only trait they share: both were destroyed in the Wars of the Roses but while Dunstanburgh Castle remains a romantic ruin, Bamburgh Castle was rebuilt, restored and is still inhabited. Both are unmissable. 

Holy Island
Lindisfarne has been a place of pilgrimage for over 1,300 years (it was also the site of the first Viking raid in 793AD). The three miles of mudflats that separate it from the mainland are swamped twice a day by the tide, which makes a visit all the more adventurous. Get there by following the vertical markers across the mire; or better still, go guided with Footsteps in Northumberland. There's also an infrequent bus.

Sensational seabirds
Scattered offshore between Bamburgh and Seahouses, the Farne Islands offer arguably Britain's best wildlife encounter. From April to August, seabirds gather to nest here in their tens of thousands, creating a riotous cacophony of guillemots, gulls and Atlantic puffins. Get close to the cliffs on a boat trip from Seahouses, or pay extra to go ashore. It's genuinely an unforgettable experience. 

Pure shores
Silvery sands run almost uninterrupted from Dunstanburgh Castle all the way to Bamburgh, with giant dunes on one side and the North Sea on the other. Low tide reveals a vast promenade; at high tide (or when birds are nesting on Beadnell Bay) go parallel to the shore on the Northumberland Coast Path. 

Action stations
Beach walks aren't the only way to explore this wild coast. If sea kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, kitesurfing or coasteering are more your thing, KA Adventure Sports has you covered. Operating from a shipping container at the urban end of Beadnell Bay, they'll kit you out for at-sea activities to suit the day's weather conditions. 

Hot to trot
If even that's too pedestrian, how about galloping on the strand? If you're confident in the saddle, Slate Hall Riding Centre (near Seahouses) will hook you up with a canter down the coast. A considerable upgrade on traditional seaside donkey rides, there's little in life more exhilarating than going full pelt on the beach. 

Cultural fix

A name you'll come across time and again on this stretch of coast is Grace Darling: a 19th Century lighthouse keeper's daughter. In helping to rescue survivors from a Farne Islands shipwreck in 1838, she became a national heroine and the stuff of local legend. Discover her story at the RNLI Grace Darling Museum in Bamburgh. 

Bottoms up

The yomp across the mudflats to Lindisfarne is worth it alone for the coffee (and cake) at Pilgrims Coffee. Housed in a former shipping container within a walled garden in the isle's tiny village, this independent business is powered by renewable energy and roasts its own ethically-sourced beans on-site. It's the ultimate feel-good brew. 

All the coastal villages hereabouts have a pub that's worth visiting. Of the three in Bamburgh, The Castle Hotel (dubbed The Middle') gets the locals' vote. In Seahouses, the one to head for is The Olde Ship Inn. Packed out with seafaring memorabilia as befits is position overlooking the harbour, it's particularly good for its range of real ales (not to mention a good choice of whiskeys). There's regional flavour too, with Black Sheep Best Bitter or Theakston Best Bitter from all the way down south in Yorkshire or, for even fewer food miles, a Farne Island Pale Ale from Newcastle's Hadrian Border Brewery. 

Or in Beadnell, hit The Craster Arms, which also serves plenty of regional ales either indoors or in the garden (which has all-weather cabins named after Lindisfarne's saints). There's more of an upbeat vibe here too, with occasional live music in the alfresco space. 

Feed me

If the number of fishing villages along the coast is anything to go by, the North Sea's bounty has long underpinned the local economy. Beyond fish & chips (for which there are numerous spots in Seahouses), the classy things to order here are kippers, crab and Lindisfarne oysters. You'll find them on many a menu, but the key place for take-out is L. Robson & Sons' smokehouse in Craster; or find a seat at its grown-up sibling, The Craster Seafood Restaurant. 

Craster is also home to The Jolly Fisherman, one of the region's best gastropubs (it's so close to the sea that the coast path cuts through its beer garden). Another great pub with a seafood offering is The Ship Inn at Low Newton, which overlooks the green in a picture-perfect fishing village that can barely have changed in three centuries. 

For more in the way of a seafood snack, try Bait at Beadnell: a shack behind Beadnell Beach that serves crab sandwiches and home-made fish fingers. Another good lunch spot is Wyndenwell in Bamburgh, which does decent coffee and locally-made ice cream. And if you're doing the Lindisfarne walk, be sure to fuel up (or refuel) at The Barn at Beal (on the landward side of the causeway) with a hearty breakfast or very good seafood platter. 
 

LGBT+

It's fair to say that isn't the most diverse of English regions, but nevertheless its history features an interesting tale of cross-dressing. The story goes that local landowner Thomas Forster was imprisoned in 1715 for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion, but escaped by cannily disguising himself in feminine attire. The dress that he wore to fool the guards is displayed in Bamburgh Castle.

Best foot forward

From Bamburgh's Lord Crewe Hotel, cross the road and head down The Wynding. Cut through the car park to reach the beach beside a small stream, then turn right along the shore. Whatever the state of the tide, this is the very best aspect of Bamburgh Castle looking magical as it rises over the dunes and shifting sands. At low water, the beach ahead becomes a gently shelving promenade and the Farne Islands over the sea to the left seem almost within touching distance (and certainly close enough to see that the cliffs are splattered with guano). Head south down the beach for as far as you fancy, turning back whenever you've had enough.. or keep going all the way to Seahouses, a good three miles away. From here, there's the choice of a ten-minute bus ride back to Bamburgh; otherwise refuel at The Olde Ship Inn before returning along the strand. 

Take me home

Handicrafts and local produce make the best souvenirs. You probably won't want to carry it if you're walking back from Holy Island, so it's just as well that Lindisfarne mead (a honey-based beverage from St Aidan's Winery) is available on the mainland. Find it at Wyndenwall in Bamburgh alongside a good selection of other local wines and beers. Vacuum-packed Craster kippers should survive the train journey home without upsetting fellow passengers. And of course don't leave without picking up some puffin paraphernalia - from mugs and tea towels to snow globes and fridge magnets - at Seahouses' cheesy gift shops.