Northumberland coast holiday – best location?

Want to go to Northumberland for a week in summer. Did think about Amble but looking at the map I think it’s a bit far out for the obvious places we’d want to visit, such as Bamburgh  and Seahouses.

Preferances are…

Village or small town with a decent pub and shop, reasonable distance to a beach, er, that’s it really.

Happy to hear of any actual properties too, if anyone has specific knowledge. 2 bedrooms and 1 dog.

Cheers.

Beadnell? We stayed at a place right next to The Craster Arms on a street called The Haven. I can’t find the place (mother in law booked it so I don’t have the info to hand) but it was lovely and dog friendly. Also in pretty easy walking distance to the beach and the pubs in the village (obviously very walkable to The Craster Arms).

Beadnell +1

Alnmouth is nice.

Easy to run up the coast to Bamburgh and Seahouse from Amble, Amble will be significantly cheaper than those places.

Beadnel – Small village with pubs and a few shops

Alnwick – a bit bigger than a small town but pubs, cafes and shops a plenty many are dog friendly.

Belford – small village not a great deal there but allows easy access to places

Boulmer – very small village has a pub

Cottages wise they’ll be filling up fast but you may get lucky.

Why not Seahouses itself? We had a good holiday there a few years ago; weather wasn’t the best but we were out of school holidays as the kids were small.

I’m staying at my friends place this weekend in Embleton. Village has a pub (open fires, dog friendly and grub), shop, hotel (food and drink pretty decent). 15 min downhill walk to the golf club club house (all welcome) beach takes you to Dunstanburgh Castle in one direction and the village of Newton-by-the-Sea in the other direction, complete with the Ship Inn on the beach and The Joiners further up in the village.

You can walk miles of the coastal path from here, the village also has a hourly bus to get you to Seahouses if you don’t fancy the drive, Alnwick or get off at Alnmouth and walk the coastal path back to Embleton in time for beer and crisps.

His place has 3 bedroom and 2 bath rooms, sizeable back garden and is dog friendly.

We recently stayed in a very nice cottage called The Old Dairy in the grounds of Ellingham Hall. Well located for visiting the usual places and whilst it’s a very small village the Packhorse Inn is a cracking pub.

I’ve stayed all along the coast, from Holy Island down to Amble. I’m a big fan of Amble, a lot cheaper and town has some great choices for eating. Still really accessible to the big beaches. Beadnell also a great shout and lots of accommodation options there.

I think we’ve stayed in Sea Houses, Bamburgh and Craster. No problem with any of them

Craster was my favourite. We had a house with a Harbour view

Why not Seahouses itself?

Well yes, but I didn’t want to limit peoples suggestions.

I’d considered Beadnell because one of my colleagues SIL’s has a house there, but not dog friendly.

Embleton bus sounds good. We stayed on the Yorkshire coast earlier in the year and used the costal service to go places a few times.

I’m probably in a minority but I find Seahouses is by far the busiest and by far the tackiest village up that stretch of coast, (sorry to the member who has a shop there).  Embleton is in a good position along with Low Newton. Our favourite is still Berwick Upon Tweed and Spittal, a nice town, plenty to see and close enough to pop up to Eyemouth, the borders and St Abbs.

Stayed in Amble with the family last summer.

It were fun.

Stunning beaches just to the south and to the north of the harbour (H had a surf lesson there).

Day trips to Alnwick and Newcastle.

I really enjoyed cycling the coast to the south and back.

You’re not really wrong Wheels. Some of the shops are very tacky, but it caters for the holiday parks around seahouses.

+1 for Spittal.   Superb beach with some rental properties right on it.  The one we have been to twice recently taken off the market unfortunately.

Warkworth’s worth a look as well. Good pubs, interesting castle and church in the town, it’s about a mile from the beach

A colleague of mine stayed in Alnmouth a year or two ago and had a great holiday.

Wherever you go ensure to visit the Drift Cafe at Cresswell on your way up.

Recommend the veggie haggis + egg rolls!

I like Beadnell because of its central location and the sheltered bay.

Bamburgh is nice once the crowds of the daytime leave. Seashouses is just a bit meh all the time.

Low Newton by the Sea is nice too

However good luck finding any accommodation anywhere on the Northumberland coast for this summer, start planning now for summer 2025

We stayed in Broomhill, just outside Amble, cheap and cheerful, quiet roads for riding on.

We stayed in Embleton, which has the requisite shop/pubs/beach, and there’s some little dog-friendly self-catering places in a courtyard right next to the Dunstanburgh Castle hotel (not part of the hotel, just next to it). We had one of those and it was great for a week’s exploring of the area.

Some great castles, nice walk from Craster to dunstanburgh castle, Warkworth castle, Chillingham castle (you can stay there self-catering), Belsay castle & quarry gardens are lovely.

Not keen personally on Alnwick and Bamburgh, just posh stately homes IMO.

bookmarked as been meaning to visit for years but still not been up there yet and this looks like a good informative thread.

However good luck finding any accommodation anywhere on the Northumberland coast for this summer

When wife and I were planning a short break for this coming weekend, we were looking at Northumberland, I was shocked to find that prices are being discounted (this was last weekend we booked)..It’s also true for cottages for summer, a quick google now on the first “Cottages4U” site brings up 355 to choose from for a week in mid August and many with £100 or more  discounts.

Warkwarth is a good shout – have been back twice to a truly awfully decorated (think Hyacinth Bucket, but with more mirrored surfaces) but otherwise brilliant place there. But then if you think Amble is out of the way Beadnell might be better for you. Seahouses is proper tacky, agreed. We stayed in a very nice cottage right on Craster harbour a couple of years ago, but there’s absolutely nothing there, apart from the cafe in the car park whose Bacon and Haggis sandwiches are to die for.

No offence taken about those calling out Seahouses! It is what it is.

However, it’s got 5 pubs/hotels, 2 of which have got very good food.

It’s actually one of the best options to live as it’s not a complete ghost town in the winter.

Also, if you want to go to the Farne Islands, and you should, then you have to go from Seahouses.

We live in the old part of the village, North Sunderland, about 1/2 a mile inland. It’s completely different from Seahouses Main Street and is a lot quieter on an evening.

Also not all the shops sell tack……

Beadnell is a lovely place to stay in the summer, fantastic beach, lovely walks to Low Newton & Craster. 2 pubs and a great fish and chip van. I’m lucky enough to still have a shared family holiday place there.

Bamburgh is another good option, plenty of food and drink options.

I wouldn’t recommend Amble, it’s cheaper for a reason. It’s also a good drive from the main tourist areas.

Alnwick is further out than you think as well.

I was shocked to find that prices are being discounted (this was last weekend we booked)

Oh thats good then, over the last few years its been very difficult to find accommodation, especially that allow dogs !

The family and I stayed in Seahouses last year and had a wonderful time.

We were in a large new house just as you get into the village right after the golf course.

It was a fantastic base for exporing the area and a great seaside town in itself.

Wherever you go ensure to visit the Drift Cafe at Cresswell on your way up.

Truth 🙂

Not specially convenient for the “classic” Northumberland coast hot spots, but Berwick was a good shout. In some ways it reminds me of Edinburgh in miniature. Amble is a bit triste in my opinion, and the Hairy Bikers really over-sold the eateries there. Alnwick is known for its castle and its secondhand bookshop. The castle will require a mortgage if you visit with a family, and the bookshop is the most over-rated place in the county (again, obviously a personal view). Otherwise anywhere near the coast is fabulous – I can watch the sea for hours, and the skies are spectacular.

there’s some great road and gravel bike riding to be had along the coast.

be careful after they’ve cut back the thorn hedges

be careful after they’ve cut back the thorn hedges

No kidding. A thorn went right through my car tyre sidewall. Needed a new tyre. Also there’s some absolutely spectacular potholes.

i wouldn’t recommend Amble, it’s cheaper for a reason. It’s also a good drive from the main tourist areas.

It is cheaper but has some very good food places too, plus Brewis on a weekend. It’s 15 minutes drive to Alnwick, around 35 to Seahouses and there’s loads in between. Alnwick offers plenty plus is on the bus routes for the other villages. Seahouses does have some cracking pubs but it’s the shops by the roundabout and the amusement arcades that don’t give a great impression. As I say though it’s for a reason, the caravan parks near there is what they cater for.

Off to Beadnell next week for the second time as part of a wider family holiday with parents, 2 year old and three dogs.

First time we went was when my white was pregnant and the dog was a pup and we found it to be a fantastic base with great beaches and short drive from Bamburgh and Seahouses with Alnwick, Alnmouth, Craster and Berwick not too far away.

this year I’m taking part in the Hamsterley Beast Funduro too as it’s a short 2hr drive away from our digs (rather than 4hrs from home!)

there’s some great road and gravel bike riding to be had along the coast.

They have made a start on this which will be amazing when done.

https://www.borderlinegreenway.com/

Never been but would like to go ,so post some pictures!

Well, I’ve booked a place near the harbour at Seahouses and right over the road from the Black Swan and Schooner Inn. Hmm, maybe should have thought about the potential for noise, I’ll take some ear plugs for the missis.

I will be taking a bike, but SWMBO isn’t a cyclist so may not get a great deal of use. Mega. Well looking forward to this!

It’s a lovely part of the country to visit. Big though.

The Olde Ship Inn is excellent. Great range of beers on draught and generally bloody nice

Elan pizzeria is fab too!!

Hmm, maybe should have thought about the potential for noise, I’ll take some ear plugs for the missis.

You’ll get hardly any noise at night now the Viking is long gone.

Someone asked for pictures. This was the beach at Embleton Bay last April.

And the same beach in July the year before.

Ship in is great, but can get busy.

Finally, no photos, but Howick Hall is a hidden gem, lovely cafe.