The ‘Needs to Know’
Distance: 4.99 miles (8.03km)
Time to walk: To just walk would be a couple of hours, but you’ll want to explore Craster & Dunstanburgh Castle
Difficulty: All off road & no stiles
Parking: Craster Pay & Display Car Park
Public toilets: Craster Car Park
Map of the route:
Our walk begins in the small village of Craster on the wonderful Northumberland coast, 8 miles from Alnwick. It’s within the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
For many years, the village has had a herring-curing business. Craster kippers are well known around the world
Craster is named after the Craster family who held the estate since 1272. The beautiful harbour was built to commemorate the death of a member of the Craster family who died while serving in the army in Tibet in 1904. The memorial is still visible on the harbour wall, as are the remains of a much taller structure at the end of the harbour that was used to lift stone from the nearby quarry (now the car park) on to the boats
The name Craster actually means “fortification or earthwork haunted by crows”
The stone from the quarry (which was shut down in 1939) was shipped to London where it was used for kerb stones
Let’s Walk!
1. Our walk starts from the Pay & Display Car Park. Exit it & walk down the road towards the harbour…
Ahead of you is the wonderful harbour
2. Before heading off towards Dunstanburgh turn right at the harbour up the hill to visit the famous Craster Smoke House, home of their amazing kippers. Just follow your nose…you’ll find it…
Although a long-standing tradition in Craster, commercial kipper production is currently now only continued there by L. Robson & Sons, using their over 100-year-old smokehouses
The preparation process begins with raw North Sea herring, known locally as “silver darlings”. These are split, gutted & washed, soaked in brine, & then taken to the smokehouse where they are cured over smouldering oak & white wood shavings for 16 hours
They were on the breakfast menu at our hotel & were amazing
3. Walk around the harbour & along the street keeping the sea on your right…
…& pass through the gate onto the grassland & track that will lead you to Dunstanburgh Castle
4. Go through another small gate & now just follow the clear path along the coast…
The nearer you get, the sheer size & dominance of the castle is really impressive
5. Pass through two more gates & begin the climb up to the entrance…
To visit the castle itself go through the gate, noting the entrance charges or free if you’re a member of the National Trust
6. Dunstanburgh Castle is a 14th century fortification which was built by Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster between 1313 & 1322, taking advantage of the site’s natural defences & the existing earthworks of an Iron Age fort
Thomas was a leader of a baronial faction opposed to King Edward II, & probably intended Dunstanburgh to act as a secure refuge, should the political situation in southern England deteriorate. The castle also served as a statement of the Earl’s wealth and influence & would have invited comparisons with the neighbouring royal castle of Bamburgh.
Thomas probably only visited his new castle once, before being captured at the Battle of Boroughbridge in 1322 as he attempted to flee royal forces for the safety of Dunstanburgh. Thomas was executed, & the castle became the property of the Crown before passing into the Duchy of Lancaster
The castle was maintained in the 15th century by the Crown, & formed a strategic northern stronghold in the region during the Wars of the Roses, but by the 16th century the Warden of the Scottish Marches described it as having fallen into “wonderfull great decaye”
King James I finally sold the property off into private ownership in 1604. The Grey family owned it for several centuries. It became a popular subject for artists, including Thomas Girtin & J. M. W. Turner, but by the 1920s its owner Sir Arthur Sutherland could no longer afford to maintain Dunstanburgh, & he placed it under the guardianship of the state in 1930
When the Second World War broke out in 1939, measures were taken to defend the Northumberland coastline from a potential German invasion. The castle was used as an observation post & the site was refortified with trenches, barbed wire, pill boxes & a minefield
Today the castle is owned by the National Trust & run by English Heritage. The most prominent part is the Great Gatehouse, a massive three-storey fortification, considered by historians to be “one of the most imposing structures in any English castle”
If you believe the ghost story about Dunstanburgh, a secret hidden room exists somewhere close to or inside the gatehouse, just waiting to be rediscovered
7. Walk inside & explore the huge interior. Rectangular towers protect the walls, including the Lilburn Tower, which looks out across Embleton Beach towards Bamburgh Castle. The tower was named after an early castle constable, John de Lilburn & was intended as a high-status residence with a guardroom for soldiers on the ground floor. The rectangular towers at Dunstanburgh reflect the local tradition in Northumberland, & are similar to those at nearby Alnwick
The views across Embleton Beach are spectacular
8. The cliffs are also a paradise for bird watching. In the distance you can see the nearby, renowned Farne Isalnds
Once you’ve finished exploring the castle come back out & follow the track down & round to the right, passing under the Lilburn Tower
9. At the shore the path bends left & goes through a gate onto Dunstanburgh Golf Course…
PLEASE BE CAREFUL as the path crosses one of the golf holes so give way to golfers
10. The path now follows a straight direction close to the fairway so beware of stray golf balls…
Finally it narrows through a hedge & arrives at the gate in the picture below
11. Pass through the gate & walk up the lane…
…bearing left as below
12. Walk through the farm, past the holiday cottages & go through the gap ahead…
For the next mile or so you’re going to follow the concrete track
13. There are magnificent views to the left again, back towards the coast & castle…
Cross a cattle grid & look for what looks very much like a pill box but it could be a farmer’s shelter
14. Eventually the path approaches some buildings…
…but before reaching them turn through the gate on the left towards the coast again
15. Keep going, but be careful as there may be livestock present & dogs will need to be kept on a lead…
Go through another gate & walk up the grassy bank through the gap
16. There are several routes here that will take you back to Craster, but we decided we fancied following the coastline once more so continue straight ahead
Cross the stile in the picture below
17. Now walk down to the coastal path once more & then turn right & follow the track you walked along earlier back to Craster & the start of this walk
We were lucky to do this walk on a day when the weather was excellent, but there will be days when it’s spectacularly wild & windswept & giving you a totally different walk
Northumberland is a wonderful place & this is a great stroll. Don’t forget to explore other areas such as Holy Island, the wonderful beaches & castles at Bamburgh & Alnwick
Go walk!