Where to stay in...
Northumberland, also called Northumbria is often referred to as 'The Best Kept Secret' in England, this the most northerly county, covers an area of some 1935 square miles.
Adjacent with the Scottish Borders and the North Sea, the 100 mile long Northumberland Coast is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Sweeping from the historic town of Berwick upon Tweed in the north, to the village of Tynemouth with its golden sands and rolling surf, in the south.
Northumberland's Heritage Coast is a popular holiday area, both for day visits and as a main holiday, being easily reached by both private and public transport.
With the Northumberland Coastal Route providing access to the many towns and villages located along this magnificent stretch of coastline.
Much of the area is unpopulated, tranquil, with mile-after-mile of clean and safe award-winning golden sandy beaches, quiet country lanes and an unequalled sense of freedom.
The Northumberland Coast has much to offer all visitors, including...
Dramatic Castles, including Holy Island Castle, Bamburgh Castle and Dunstanburgh Castle.
Traditional seaside towns, charming villages and hamlets.
For lovers of wildlife, majestic Holy Island, the Farne Islands and Coquet Island.
Interesting shops and markets, restaurants, cafes, coffee shops and quaint pubs.
A variety of bus companies have available services covering the Northumberland Coast and rural inland areas.
The coast can also be accessed from further afield, with national bus operators providing services to various towns.
It should be noted certain services are only operated on a seasonal basis.
Bus operators covering the Northumberland Coast...
- Arriva
- Arriva - Online Map of Routes 501 and 505
- Arriva - Online Map of Routes 1 and 1a - Blyth - Ashington - Amble (Cresswell - Route 1 - Start of the Northumberland Coast Path)
- Glen Valley Tours
- National Express
- Perryman's Buses
- Travelsure
Amble hosts the first Puffin Festival, taking place between 18th May to 1st June 2013.
This new and exciting event coincides with the best time to see puffins and their young on Coquet Island.
Features throughout include community exhibitions, children's events and live music.
The Northumberland Coast has much to offer visitors interested in the outdoors, including...
The 64 mile / 103 km long Northumberland Coast Path, part of the international North Sea Trail.
The 97 mile /156 km long St Oswald's Way, commencing at Holy Island and ending at Hadrian's Wall.
Sailing, Windsurfing, Sea Canoeing and River Kayaking.
Cycling, including the international Coast and Castles route.
Horse Riding, including the popular Beach Rides as featured on television.
Friendly and challenging Golf Courses, with beautiful coastal locations and excellent facilities.
Vera - ITV Crime Drama...
The popular television drama
Vera,
first shown on ITV, was filmed at various locations on the Northumberland Coast.
These include, Holy Island, Embleton Bay and it’s quaint Beach Huts,
Dunstanburgh Castle, with it’s massive Gatehouse-Keep and isolated Lilburn Tower,
Newbiggin by the Sea, with views of St Bartholomew's Church,
Seaton Sluice, Blyth harbour and various settings around the mouth of the river Tyne.
The main character in the drama is Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope, played by award-winning actress Brenda Blethyn.
This popular drama is an adaptation of a book by crime writer Ann Cleeves.
Photo © Christine Matthews - CCL
The Northumberland Coast Path...
The 64 miles / 103 km long Northumberland Coast Path forms part of the international North Sea Trail.
Recently established, the path starts at the village of Cresswell in the south and ends in Berwick upon Tweed in the north.
The route is split into six manageable stages...
- Stage 1 - Cresswell to Warkworth (10.5 miles / 16.8 km)
- Stage 2 - Warkworth to Craster (13 miles / 20.4 km)
- Stage 3 - Craster to Seahouses (10 miles / 16 km)
- Stage 4 - Seahouses to Belford (10.7 miles / 17.2 km)
- Stage 5 - Belford to Fenwick (6 miles / 10.3 km)
- Stage 6 - Fenwick to Berwick upon Tweed (12 miles / 19.5 km)
Ordnance Survey Maps...
- Sheet 81 (Landranger) - Alnwick and Morpeth
- Sheet 75 (Landranger) - Berwick upon Tweed
- Sheet 325 (Explorer) - Morpeth and Blyth
- Sheet 332 (Explorer) - Alnwick and Amble
- Sheet 340 (Explorer) - Holy Island and Bamburgh
- Sheet 346 (Explorer) - Berwick upon Tweed
Ordnance Survey Online Map of the Northumberland Coast Path available HERE
The route is well signposted, generally level, with a few steep climbs and can be covered over a leisurely period of three, four or six days, with a wide variety of accommodation and facilities available along the way.
An excellent and informative guidebook 'Northumberland Coast Path (North Sea Trail)' is published by the Northumberland Coast AONB Partnership.
This guidebook (ISBN 978 1 873402 23 6) costs in the region of £4 and is available from local Tourist Information Centres (TIC's), Local Bookshops, or Here.
The DVD - 'Exploring the Northumberland Coast Path' is available from Local Bookshops, or Here.
Also available from Tourist Information Centres is a free guide...
Northumberland Coast Path (North Sea Trail)
This is an introduction and covers basic details of the walk.
Various vendors have available guided walks of either single stages, covered in one day, or the full length of the Northumberland Coastal Path, taking three or more days, depending on the package available.
Guidebook, route notes, accommodation and baggage transfer are included where applicable.
Leading specialist in self-guided walking holidays, Absolute Escapes Ltd, offer a 4 to 6 day holiday following the Northumberland Coast Path.
Details are available
Here
Door to Door Baggage Transfer...
Baggage Transfer covering the entire route is available from Carry-Lite, details of this service can be found Here, or phone 01434 634 448 / 07976 356 459.
Kitesurfing on The Northumberland Coast ...
The exciting sport of kitesurfing, a combination of wind, waves and beautiful golden sandy beaches is now active on the Northumberland Coast.
Beaches used for this fast-growing sport include Budle Bay, Bamburgh beach, Beadnell Bay and Druridge Bay.
Courses and lessons are available seven days a week, all year round, are taught by Kevin Anderson, a qualified British Kite Surfing Association (BKSA) instructor, these catering to both groups and individuals.
The Northumberland Coast has a wide variety of holiday accommodation available, including...
Hotels, Inns, Guest Houses, Bed and Breakfast, Self Catering, Camping and Caravan Sites,
Backpackers Hostel, Bunkhouses and more recently Wooden Wigwams.
