Out and About

From lazy days exploring the beach and the dunes to fine dining and a multitude of activities for the more committed adventurer, Northumberland has it all!

BEACH LIFE

One of the great attractions to visitors is the magnificent sandy beach stretching out north and south at the foot of the castle. Ideal for making sandcastles, flying kites or unwinding with an early evening stroll gazing over at the Farne Islands. Great beaches are dotted up and down this coastline, many virtually deserted even on the warmest of days, although we’d have to say, Bamburgh is by far the best – but we admit to being just a little bit biased!

FOOD & DRINK

Bamburgh is well served with a wide range of pubs and restaurants – from fine dining to great English pub grub and of course, there is always an ice cream cone to be had from the vans! The county has many fine food and drink producers, including the winner of the BBC Food Producer of the Year 2015, Doddington Dairy whose ice cream and artisan cheeses are available from many outlets.

TRIPS & OUTINGS

An unmissable boat trip to the nearby Farne Islands can be picked up from nearby Seahouses. The islands are a Mecca for breeding seabirds such as puffin, guillemots and razorbill and host the largest breeding colony of grey seals in the county. Whales and dolphins can also occasionally be spotted which if you are lucky enough to spot one, make a special day into a magical one. The red and white lighthouse on Longstone is where Grace Darling and her father lived and set out from on that faithful night in an attempt to rescue the passengers and crew of the Forfashire.

A short journey up the coast brings you to Lindisfarne or Holy Island – the birthplace of Christianity in the British Isles. The island has a castle to visit, the remains of the ancient abbey, which was sacked many times by Viking raiders and was the home to the Lindifarne Gosspels.

Golf – If you must!

Only joking! There are a multitude of great golf courses dotted up and down the Northumbrian coast, the vast majority of which provide welcome visitor day tickets. Nearby Bamburgh Castle Golf Club must surely boast some of the best views of any golf course in the country. Seahouses Golf Club is a friendly links club just a mile or two down the coast and Gosswick Golf Club a short journey north is an Open Qualifying course open all year round.

Cycling & Walking

Mile upon mile of well signposted trails and routes through some spectacular scenery await those prepared to don walking boots or dust off their cycling gear. Trails vary from those suitable for family pottering to full on grand tour trips. Bikes can be hired from many outlets and guided walks are available throughout the year.

Adventure junkies

A walk in the hills or along the beaches a little tame for you is it? OK, well how about a sea kayak trip around the spectacular Farne Islands Or a coastineering session throwing yourself off a few cliffs into the north sea? You can even get a birds eye view of this beautiful region from a microlight (Eshott Airfield) if you fancy.