Craster

Whilst many people label Bamburgh as the jewel in the Northumberland crown, which has made our top five, for us a trip to Northumberland isn’t complete without a trip to Craster. 

Visitors are encouraged to park in the designated parking area on the outskirts of the village so the village isn’t plagues by cars, other than those residents accessing properties. 

Craster is a perfect starting point for a number of coastal walks, with a pub, The Jolly Fisherman, offering sumptuous seafood and scenic views. Shoreline Café offers a great pit stop for a bacon sandwich and a coffee, before walking through the working fishing village and setting off to meet #dunstanburghcastle in the horizon. 

Bamburgh

Probably the most photographed village in Northumberland! With its magnificent castle guarding the village and towering over the village cricket pitch. Quaint tea rooms and traditional pubs make Bamburgh a must-see village stop off. Of course, any visit to Bamburgh isn’t complete without meandering through the dunes to the wide expanse of beach where you can really see how imposing the castle is, nestled at on top of the dunes. 

Alnmouth

A bustling village with a beautiful swathe of sandy beach. Popular for its quaint high street with fantastic pub offerings, a golf course and tempting deli’s and cafes. 

Alnmouth is a village popular with locals and tourists alike. Come August, why not join in the bustling atmosphere in watching the raft race. Teams of eager rafters race their homemade rafts from the estuary round to the middle of the village before celebrating (or commiserating!) their success in the local beer gardens. 

Warkworth

Get your legs ready for walking up the steep hill in Warkworth! With the imposing castle ruins perched on the top. Visit in Spring for a carpet of daffodils surrounding the castle.

Hop on the rowing boat down by the river to visit the hermitage on the other side. 

Take a stroll round by the river and through the village, for gift shops, galleries and tea rooms.  

Once you’ve exhausted the pretty village, head to Morwick dairy on the outskirts of the village for delicious creamy ice cream straight from the farm, or head down to the beach, you’ll be blown away (possibly quite literally) by the surprising nature of the beach that emerges from the meandering path down to the creamy white sand. 

Holy Island 

OK, so technically this is an entire island and not just a village! Holy Island however, is like walking back in time, it oozes in charm and character. The visitor car park is far enough away from the main village so not to spoil those fantastic photos, so take your walking shoes to explore the narrow streets, fishing huts and walk to the cute medieval castle on the horizon. 

Head down to the beach and sit and listen to the seals lolling on the causeway waiting for the tide to come back in before enjoying a coffee from Pilgrims Coffee House!