Northumberland Coast Path - Bamburgh to Alnmouth (★★★★★)

Today is the second day of a two day walk from Berwick-Upon-Tweed to Alnmouth - and on the previous day I had walked the Northumberland Coast Path from Berwick-Upon-Tweed to Alnmouth

Having stayed overnight in Bamburgh, I am up early, drop by key behind the desk and - after spending a few minutes working out how to get out of the hotel without setting off any alarms - head out on my walk.

Here I turn right, and start walking down the quiet streets towards the castle - where I have a bit of a look around the castle, before heading off across the dunes to continue to follow round the coastline.

Bamburgh Castle

Bamburgh Castle but from further away

Bamburgh Castle has quite a long and rich history, dating back to the kingdom of Bernicia.

Bamburgh is thought to have been the capital of Bernicia - and King Ida (of Bernicia) is said by the Anglo-Saxon Chronical (871-899) to have built a fort here in 547 - 'first enclosed by a hedge and then after by a wall'.

The grandson of Ida - King Æthelfrith - was then said by the Historica Brittonum (written around 828) to have given the fort to his wife Bebba, after whom it was then named (Bebbanburh = "Queen Bebba's stronghold").

That same King Æthelfrith is then credited with the unification of Deira and Bernicia, to form the kingdom of Northumberia - having seemingly conquered Deira, and then married Acha of Deira (it is unclear what happened to Bebba).

King Æthelfrith was a powerful war leader, but after his death in battle at around 616, the throne passed to the formerly exiled brother of Queen Acha - Edwin - who took the throne of Northumbria.

Both Acha and the sons of King Æthelfrith fled to Scotland, but Edwin would himself die in battle against Cadwallon ap Cadfan, king of Gwynedd (North Wales) and Penda of Mercia (Severn Valley). After this battle Bernicia and Deira split once again - and Eanfrith (one of the sons of Æthelfrith) became king of Bernicia.

In 634, Eanfrith was himself killed in battle (again at the hands of Cadwallon) - and after this Oswald (another of the sons of Æthelfrith) gathered up a small army, and (despite being outnumbered) defeated and killed Cadwallon near Hexham - having likely caught Cadwallon's army by surprise. 

Oswald became king of Northumbria - and, having been converted to Christianity during his time in Scotland, turned Northumbria into a Christian kingdom - with his Bishop founding a church at Linidsfarne and a string of other churches across Northumbria (including an older version of the church we passed while walking through Bamburgh). 

Oswald himself died in battle against Penda in 642 - but until the later Viking invasions Northumbria remained one of the most powerful of the kingdoms of Britain - and Lindisfarne the most preeminent church.

All this would change when the final kings of Northumbria (Osberht and Ælla who were disputing the kingship at the time) were defeated by the Great Heathen Army of Danish, Norwegian and Frisian Vikings at York in 867.

This led to the disintegration of Northumbria - after which the lands north of the Tyne remained as an independent kingdom called Bamburgh. Meanwhile the stretch of coast between the Tees and the Tyne became a buffer area, between this kingdom and the new kingdom of Northumbria, now centered around York.

This split would largely hold up until the Norman invasion of England in 1066, after which the Normans would build a new castle at Bamburgh - and this would then be extended in 1164. 

This castle would not survive undisturbed, however - for in the War of the Roses the castle was put under siege, and almost destroyed, in 1464 - and it was left in ruin at the end of a brutal nine month siege.

The castle was quite obviously rebuilt (otherwise we wouldn't have photos of it would we?), and has always been a key strategic fortress, due to it's location and due to its natural defensive strengths (it does sit on a rather useful hill after all).

But today we walk on, with that rebuilt castle stood on that hill behind us - and whilst initially I alternate between walking on the official route through the dunes, I eventually realise what a fool I have been, and swap to walking along the beach. 

Bamburgh Castle from the beach in 1828

If you are doing this same walk, don't make my mistake - and instead head on past the castle to the beach, and then enjoy this wonderful walk round to the town of Seahouses - walking about three miles round the coast along this beach.

Walking along the beach

As we walk along this beach it is about 7:30 in the morning, but the folk living or staying here clearly also like their mornings, because beach is already busy with everyone out for a walk or a jog - and taking in the early air of the day.

Generally I prefer peace and quiet to the throngs of a crowd, but there is something nice about us all being out so early, and getting in some exercise.

And so it ends up being a lovely walk round to Seahouses, where there is a cut up into town - and here I plan a quick stop at the shops to get some supplies for the day.

Coming into Seahouses

Seahouses is the bigger town, and so is a more affordable option to Bamburgh for overnight accommodation - although to me there is still something slightly better about Bamburgh as the choice of overnight stay.

Despite this, Seahouses is a very lovely seaside town - with a very pretty harbor, and boat trips out to Farne Island for those staying in town for a longer period of time. 

For those who are looking to explore this coastline at a slightly slower pace, an option that I was sorely tempted by was to take the longer boat out from Seahouses.

This boat heads out past Farne Island, and then drops you off at Lindisfarne whilst the tide is out - and then after two hours on the island, the boat heads back past Bamburgh Castle to Seahouses - and that does sound like it would complement the walking route and history of this trail quite nicely.

That boat trip takes four and a half hours in total (including time at Lindisfarne) and so doesn't really fit with our schedule today - but maybe it is one for another day.

Instead we must continue on powered by our own feet, as we pass the holiday parks on the far side of Seahouses.

Here the walking is a bit less magical - but as we turn at North Sunderland Point, I find the quickest permitted route down onto the beach (there is a golf course as well to navigate past) and settle back into some beach walking once again.

From here we continue along another of Northumberland's golden beaches to Beadnell - which is one of the towns along this coastline which are served by a bus service (as is Craster further along the trail).

Beadnell is more a town you have to get through, than one you particularly enjoy - but having made it through the holiday park on the far side, we get back into the quiet sand dunes that are so common to this stretch of coastline.

To our left we have the beach at Beadnell Bay, but once again we also have sections where there is restricted access from May till July - in order to support nesting birds (and specifically protecting arctic tern, little tern and ringed plover breeding colonies).

Here we continue on through the dunes, following the main path - and this takes us past High Newton and out to Newton Point - where the path cuts back up to Low Newton-by-the-Sea - which is another pretty little seaside town.

Passing through town there are toilets here for those that need them - and the route passes high above the ridge along this section - and then drops down past Embleton Beach.

Steps to the beach

It does look like it would be possible to walk the whole beach section from Low Newton-by-the-Sea, but it is a busy stretch of beach and so the higher route is probably still the better route on balance.

But at Embleton Beach there is a sign that encourages you to pop down onto the beach (should you choose to do so) and from here round to the far end of Embleton Bay both the beach route and the official route are equally enjoyable walks (I have walked and enjoyed both routes). 

The inland route

Having reached the end of Embleton Bay, the path then heads back up onto the cliffs - and from here it is a very short walk past Greymare Rock to Castle Point - and Dunstanburgh Castle.

Heading past the castle

The castle from the front side

There is not much of this castle left, but it dates back to the early 1300s - and sits on the same site as an older Iron Age fort.

In the early 1300s, the Ordinances of 1311 were imposed upon Edward II by his barons just four years into his problematic reign - which sought to limit the power of the king and his officials, whilst increasing the power of the barons themselves.

During the early years of Edward's reign, Robert the Bruce had been increasingly successful in his war against the English - and by 1311 he was well on his way to regaining control of Scotland, and starting to raid into northern England.

The leader of the group of barons had been Henry Lacey (Earl of Lincoln), but after his death the Earl of Lancaster, became the figurehead for this group. And it was that Earl who built this castle between 1313 and 1322 - intending to build a retreat of last resort, far away from Edward's forces in the south.

This construction went on during a very turbulent period in English history, with an on-going power struggle between Edward and his barons, that was made worse by Edward's failed invasion of Scotland in 1313 - ending in a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bannockburn. 

This failed invasion was a boost for the barons - and began a period where the Earl of Lancaster had virtual control over government. But eventually in 1322 the dispute came to a head, and the Battle of Boroughbridge was fought.

At this battle the Early of Lancaster was defeated and was later executed - although Edward didn't fare too much better, and was deposed in 1327 - and died of unknown causes in the same year.

The castle initially became property of Edward II, but passed back into the Duchy of Lancaster - and was expanded in the 1380s in response to an increased threat from Scotland.

During the War of the Roses the castle changed hands between the Lancatrian and Yorkist factions multiple times, but was damaged heavily during this conflict.

But then following the unification of England and Scotland in 1603, there was less need for a remote castle in this location - and King James I sold the castle, with the castle slowly falling into decline ever since.

And so it now stands as a ruin that we leave behind as we continue on to the town of Craster (which is also accessible by bus for those looking to walk a shorter section of this route).

This is once again a very pretty little seaside town - and here the path heads through the outdoors area of the Jolly Fisherman Inn - and this is clearly a very popular spot to stop and have a drink.

But since we do not intend to stop today, we head south out of Craster, along the baby cliffs - and past the village of Howick - to start along a run of fairly small, but almost entirely deserted beaches.

Howick Haven

It deserved a second photo

Sugar Sands further along the path

After these beaches pass in quick succession we round a corner and head down into Boulmer - another small finishing village, that seems to still be used at a fishing port.

From here we head out across the cliffs past Marmouth Scars and Seaton Point - where the route passes some holiday homes, as it cuts inland along one of the less interesting sections of the trail.

However, this lesser section does not last for too long - and soon we are able to drop down onto the beach below (ahead of Marden Rocks) - and follow the beach round into Alnmouth.

Beach to Alnmouth (you can drop down shortly after this point)

Alnmouth is itself quite a big town - and there are a few places to stay overnight in Alnmouth - but for me this is the end of my walk, and so my destination is the train station, just outside of town.

If like me you are taking the train - you just need to keep following the path until you are over the bridge and then, when the Northumberland Coast Path heads off left (heading off to Warkworth and Amble), you keep going and head up the hill.

Note that trains at Alnmouth are not always particularly frequent, and so if you arrive at the wrong time it can be a long wait till the next train.

And indeed, here I have an hour or so to wait on the platform for the next train - wishing I had checked train times before I headed up the hill to the station (I can't be bothered to walk down and back up again by this point). For those who are early and smart enough to check whilst still in town, you will find that Alnmouth has plenty of places in which to eat.

Total Distance: 21.7 miles

Total Ascent: 1,191 feet

Enjoyment Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5

Click to see the writeup for the next section of coast path from Alnmouth to Ashington (including the remaining section of the Northumberland Coast Path, from Alnmouth to Cresswell).

Disclaimer: This writeup provides a narrative of what to expect rather than a route guide to follow. The route is covered by the 75 and 81 OS Landranger maps - while there is also a Northumberland Coast Path guidebook (covers Newcastle to Berwick-Upon-Tweed) which includes OS mapping (links redirect to Amazon). The route is in general well way-marked.