There are many beautiful beaches in Northumberland. I’d love to mention them all but that would result in a very long blog so I’m just going to talk about the ones we visit most frequently.
Alnmouth
The one we probably visit the most, purely because it’s the nearest for us is Alnmouth Bay. It’s aptly named as it lies on the mouth of the River Aln. It’s a beautiful sweep of golden sand that offers views of Coquet Island, a small RSPB nature reserve that is home to a variety of seabirds, some who travel from Africa to nest.
The reason I love this beach is, not only is it picturesque, but the village itself has many pubs, tea rooms and a few little shops to explore. So after a brisk walk along the beach or the river estuary to see the boats bobbing about, you can enjoy a pint or a bite to eat. Our favourite walk here is a climb over Bracken Hill which leads to the golf course and you can enjoy a fantastic view stretching from Seaton Point all the way to Warkworth Beach, another one worth visiting by the way.
Alnmouth Beach leading to the river estuary
Bamburgh
You can’t come to Northumberland without visiting Bamburgh, both the iconic castle and the beach. It has to be one of the most impressive stretches of coastline in the UK. You have beauty and history rolled into one with an ancient fortress, the royal seat of the Kings of Northumbria and miles of golden sand and deserted dunes. The sand dunes are great for shading against the wind from the sea, especially in the Summer. We often sunbathe in the dunes. It’s a great way to relax and get a tan in the process.
The view from the bay is phenomenal. If you look to the left, in the distance, you can see Lindisfarne Castle from the island that brought Christianity to our country and where the Vikings first invaded our land. To the right, you can see the Farne Islands, a group of 15 and 20 islands depending on the tides. You can get a boat ride here to see a variety of bird life, seals, puffins and sometimes dolphins from the nearby harbour town of Seahouses. Not forgetting the magnificence of the mighty castle itself that is Bamburgh, perched on volcanic rock 45m above sea level. We’ve visited this village countless times and never tire of the view. Like Alnmouth village, it also has many pubs, hotels and tea rooms. One of our favourite tea rooms is the award-winning Copper Kettle – well presented homemade food.
Bamburgh Beach seen from the castle ramparts
Druridge Bay
I have a personal bias towards Druridge Bay because my Grandma lived near here when I was a child growing up and I used to spend many a Summer holiday swimming in the sea – yes the North Sea (couldn’t do it now!) and rolling down the tall sand dunes. It’s a 7 mile long stretch of beautiful coastline and even though the beach itself remains unchanged, apart from a bit of erosion, a large part of it has been developed into a country park with nature reserves and a lake used for surfing and boating. A walk along this beach which is quite often deserted will always be a favourite of mine.
Embleton
Compared to some of the others, we discovered this bay quite recently but it’s now in my top 5. Like Bamburgh beach, it also offers views of a mighty castle, although this one is in ruins and not perched quite as high but in many ways, just as impressive. This is Dunstanburgh Castle, a 14th century fortification that played a big part in the War of the Roses. The walk from Embleton Golf Club to Dunstanburgh is very enjoyable. Again, the bay has many tall sand dunes if you prefer a bit of a climb and more shelter from the easterly winds but the beach itself is very pleasant. Once you reach the castle, you’ll notice the same volcanic rock that is evident at Bamburgh, known as the Whin Sill. Then from the castle, if you’re feeling energetic, you can walk further to the fishing village of Craster, famous for its oak smoked kippers. Depending on the wind direction and as you arrive nearer to the village, you can smell the pungent smokehouses used for smoking the herring. A stop at the well-known Jolly Fisherman pub is a must if you’re a fan of kippers or seafood in general.
Rob, ‘the mountain goat’ enjoying the high dunes at Embleton Bay
It’s a Secret!
Sorry to be a killjoy but I wanted to keep this next beach a secret. Well, they do call Northumberland The Secret Kingdom and even though we run a tourism business, there are some places that should remain exclusive to the locals. But I’ll describe this particular bay and if you manage to guess where I’m talking about, then frankly you deserve to go there.
One of the reasons I don’t want to broadcast this particular bay is that the beach itself is very small and also happens to be our Tour Guide, Rob’s favourite. That’s because I think he was a mountain goat in a former life. He loves to climb and there are some lovely big rocks and cliffs here. It’s a great place for divers and fishermen, lots of nooks and crannies and caves to explore. If you enjoy rockpooling and looking for crabs and other sea life, this is a perfect location for it. As I said, the beach itself is small but also very secluded and is often a great sun trap.
Have you guessed where it is? 🤫
Karen Lundgren Jones
March 31st, 2019
