For the first time, we headed to the Northumberland Coast  for a four night break. Beautiful Northumberland is famed for it’s golden beaches, coastal castles and quaint fishing villages. I couldn’t wait to explore.

Our base was Low Hauxley, a small seaside hamlet near Amble By The Sea. We were close to  the Northumberland Coast Path and walked on the  sand with our labrador Hugo everyday. We were very nearby  ( a 20 minute walk) Hauxley Discovery Centre & Nature Reserve and just over the water is Coquet Island Seabird Sanctuary. My Merlin app had never been so busy!

Amble.

It’s a 45 minute stroll along the coast path from Low Hauxley  into the small  harbour town of  Amble By The Sea . Fresh fish is caught and brought in daily , to be sold at the various  restaurants & fresh seafood centre.  We had a lovely meal at The Old Boat House in the harbour village.

Amble Harbour Village is a collection of cute wooden retail pods that contain various shops selling everything from nautical gifts to leather goods to sea glass jewellery. Local pies and cheeses aren’t forgotten about either. And the coffee at Mocha Mondo is best enjoyed whilst watching the world ( and the Eider Ducks! ) float by.

Puffin Cruises set out daily  from Amble  harbour( weather permitting ) to Coquet Island. The one-hour round trip takes passengers to witness the islands resident seal colony and seabird sanctuary. Happily we had hit the timing just right as rafts of puffins return in Spring for breeding season. 😊 I was so happy to witness puffins, guillemot, eiders, fulmar, terns , gannets and grey Seals from the boat. The excursions are dog and family friendly.

Amble has been known as ‘ The Friendliest Port ‘ since the 1930s,  when Amble Council sent a telegram to the captain of the Mauretania on its final journey before getting dismantled, describing the passing  ship as ‘ still the finest on the high seas’. The Mauretania replied ‘ Thank you to the last and friendliest Port in England’.  A  1930s themed  Mauretania day  is apparently celebrated annually in July. 

Other things to do in friendly Amble include….

Search for 12 quirky bird art instillations on the Amble Art Trail.

Head to Spurrelli Ice 🍨 cream parlour for a delicious Knickerbocker Glory.

Admire the colourful Beach huts on Little Shore Beach.

Amble alongside the River Coquet to Warkwath Castle.

Warkworth.

The marvellous medieval Warkworth Castle looks out over the ancient village of Warkworth. Looked after by English Heritage, the castle was once the residence of the powerful Percy’s, the Earls and Dukes of Northumberland. An interactive tour guides visitors around the impressive ruins.

In Warkworth itself there are a scattering of  boutiques, cafes and restaurants. I can recommend Bertram’s for brunch and the castle is a great place to explore. Both welcome four-legged friends. We didn’t visit the beach but apparently it’s a lovely one. Your spoiled for choice for perfect beaches in Northumberland.

Alnmouth.

If you wish to walk or cycle , the  charming village of Alnmouth is connected to  Warkworth by the Northumberland Coast Path. Otherwise, there’s a large carpark by the shore with a £3-50 charge for the day. Over the years coastal erosion has revealed WWII defences including tank traps on the beach,  it’s quite the interesting place for a seaside stroll. Little Alnmouth experienced sporadic bombs during the war, so it’s no wonder the village braced itself for German invasion.

Alnmouth is home to England’s 4th Oldest Golf Club at Foxton Bay, with views across the North Sea to Coquet Island and beyond. The village also has a pretty high street with various pubs, deli, shops and cafes. And a short walk to the outskirts of Alnmouth brought us to the The Old School Gallery for tea , cake and  yep , I couldn’t resist a bit of holiday gift shopping. Well, gifts for me, that is….😁

The cutest place to visit in Alnmouth has got to be The Ferry-mans Hut looking out over the estuary. The unassuming wooden shed is actually Northumberland’s smallest museum!  Back in the 1900s locals and visitors were rowed over the river to access the sandy beach on the other side of the Aln. Today the bijou hut features photos and memorabilia about the village and there is a sweet little book swap located next to it.😘

Boulmer.

After a morning in Alnmouth we headed to the next coastal settlement Boulmer,  pronounced Boomer.  This peaceful fishing village is home to The Fishing Boat Inn and I was so glad we managed to find an outside table. Look at those sea views! If you have a dog with you  like us, you will have to walk along the beach to the back of the pub and sit out on the terrace, as pooches aren’t allowed inside. But this was no hardship on a sunny day.

On the outskirts of Boulmer I noticed fields and fields of purple. Turns out they were planted with ‘ Lacy Phacelia ‘ a top soil conditioning crop. The effect was certainly striking and I couldn’t resist climbing over a gate to take some photos. Unfortunately I then got stung by a wasp. 🙈 Phacelia certainly attracts the pollinators……

Bamburgh.

25 miles North of Amble is the beautiful coastal village of Bamburgh. Dominated by it’s  magnificently imposing  Castle , Bamburgh is a lovely settlement of pretty cottages, shops, pubs & cafes , adjacent to a delightful village green. Bamburgh Castle tells a fascinating history, having been a Royal Residence, an 18th Century Coast Guard Station and the home of the innovative Armstrong family since the Victorian age. In recent years the castle has appeared in the television series The Last Kingdom and the film Indiana Jones & The Dial Of Destiny.

To be honest the day we visited was meant to be cool and rainy ( Hugo’s favourite weather! ) but the forecast foxed us, the sun came out, and it suddenly became  too hot for our aging  black labrador. So our time in Bamburgh was  all too short.

I did manage a very quick nosey around the  free RNLI Grace Darling Museum situated on Radcliffe Road. The small exhibition is interesting, informative and packed full of memorabilia.   Grace was a  plucky lighthouse keepers daughter who became a reluctant celebrity after helping  her father rescue several shipwreck survivors, rowing them to safety through stormy seas. Included in the exhibits are Grace’s  black cloak, a light up model of Longstone Lighthouse where the Darling family lived & worked and the Coble boat used in the dramatic rescue.

I absolutely loved the Northumberland Coast and hope it’s not too long before we venture there again. 💙💙