The ‘Needs to Know’
Distance: 12.81 miles (20.6 km)
Time to walk: About 5.5 hours at a steady pace with lots of stops to admire the scenery
Difficulty: Coastal walking along a mixture of paths
Dog Friendly?: Most definitely, but keep on leads when signs tell you to
Parking: Public car park in Craster although we were staying in Embleton & caught the local bus to the start
Postcode: NE66 3TR
what3words: pilots.goose.truffles
Public toilets: Pubs & cafes along the route
Map of the route:
This is the second of two great coastal walks we did in Northumberland in May 2026, the other being in the opposite direction from Embleton to Bamburgh (Walk 217)
It’s a walk we recommend you don’t rush. You could easily take all day as there’s lots to see & some fabulous beaches to spend time on
So…
Let’s Walk!
1. Our walk starts in the lovely fishing village of Craster on the north-east coast outside the Jolly Fisherman pub. If you’re there when it’s open we can highly recommend the amazing Crab Sandwich or the local oak smoked kipper…
Craster is probably best known for its herring fishing & curing into kippers. In fact you’ll probably smell them as soon as you arrive in the village
2. And the kippers you eat in the pub don’t get any fresher as they’re smoked 25 yards over the road at L. Robson & Sons Smokehouse…
They’ve been smoking herring here since 1856 & what you see today are the original smokehouses. The preparation process begins with selected 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 sixteen hours. You can see white plumes pouring out of the wooden vents in the roof
In appearance a Craster kipper is still recognisably a fish; the head is preserved &, unlike some other kippers which are dyed using annatto, the natural colours of the Craster kipper’s skin are tanned golden by the oak smoke. The flesh has a distinctive reddish-brown colour. And yes they are delicious!
3. Facing the pub walk down the left side & turn right through the gate behind it…
…& away we go. All that’s needed now is to follow the coastal path although there are a couple of anomylies
4. Be aware of ground nesting bird warnings where it’s necessary to keep dogs on leads, plus some of the path goes near to the cliff edge. Depending on the time of year you’ll see many different kinds of wild flowers…
…&, where you get near the edge, lots of nesting birds & the mess they make
5. At the junction with the sign keep straight ahead in the same direction. The path is quite narrow, but it’s also stunning
Shortly ahead you’ll start to see a house on the edge of the cliff. The nearby village you can see to the right is Howick
Howick Hall was the seat of the Prime Minister Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, after whom the famous tea is named. The original Earl Grey tea was specially blended by a Chinese mandarin to suit the water at Howick, & was later marketed by Twinings. Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum are open to the public
6. This remote house is called The Bathing House & was built in the early 1800s by the 2nd Earl Grey for his 16 children to use when bathing in the sea
Today it’s a private rental property, although there’s over a 1 year waiting list if you’d like to stay there. The rock formation forms a pool at high tide & it even has its own private beach
7. At the junction with the signpost bear left along the track heading towards beautiful Sugar Sands…
The limestone rocks form part of an area known as Sugar Scars which runs a considerable distance along the coastline
8. And next is a real treat & somewhere we stopped & chilled for a bit. Pass through the gate & enter Low Stead Links…
Cross the creek via the bridge…
…& then just sit on the rocks & chill for a while as it’s such a stunning little cove
9. Refreshed, continue on the same path up the hill & through the car park for Longhoughton Beach. Walk through the gate & continue on the coastal path…
Just keep following the signs as you approach Boulmer
10. Boulmer (pronounced ‘Boomer’) is a real, traditional fishing community, notorious for its smuggling activities, much of were centred on the Fishing Boat Inn. In the 18th century, one of the most well-known smugglers, King of the Gypsies William Faa, lived some 35 miles away in the remote Scottish village of Kirk Yetholm
In the 18th & 19th centuries, the village was the smuggling capital of Northumberland. A major change was the arrival of the Royal Air Force in World War II. Otherwise, Boulmer has changed little in over 100 years & is one of the few true traditional fishing villages left on the Northumberland coast – we loved it!
11. Continue along the coastal path, passing the Lifeboat Station…
…& ‘Scary Mary’
12. The path now goes through a gate & approaches a caravan park…
Bear right & continue past the mobile homes
13. Follow the road past the cottages…
…& then carry on along the beach road again
14. Cross the beach road & up the other side…
Pass through a gate onto a pasture & then out onto the Links of Alnmouth Golf Course
15. The path across the course is well marked, but you still have to respect the golfers & keep an eye out for errant balls. Pass an old ‘pillbox’ & follow the path along the coast…
Eventually you’ll arrive at a junction & signpost. Bear right past the clubhouse
16. Almouth is a stunning golf course & the 4th oldest in England. Based here at Foxton Hall, it was one of the historic residences of the local Percy family in the early 1900’s when the then Captain, the Duke of Northumberland, offered it as the clubhouse for the new course
The path is well marked as it winds its way round the Hall…
…& passes through on to the course again
17. There’s plenty of signposts indicating the route…
…which runs up the hill beside one of the holes
18. Continue past the green & another pillbox…
…to arrive at one of ‘those’ benches you just have to sit on a while & just take in the amazing view across Almouth Bay
19. Follow the markers & the path starts to descend the hill, arriving down some steps at a road…
Turn right along the pavement to the t-junction. Go left & walk along the path into Almouth itself
20. Located at the mouth of the River Aln, the village had a port supporting a small fishing industry & engaging in national & international trade. It was for a time a leading north-east centre for the export of grain & other foodstuffs, especially to London, & specialised in the import of timber & slate. These activities to some extent shaped the village, as granaries were constructed to store grain, & sawmills & a boatyard established to process wood & build ships.
With the coming of the railways, Alnmouth transformed into a coastal resort complete with one of the earliest English golf courses, a holiday camp, bathing houses, beach huts & spacious sea-view villas. Alnmouth is now a well-conserved picturesque coastal resort & tourist attraction
On the right’s The Schooner Hotel, a 17th-century coaching inn which was a popular retreat for historical figures like Charles Dickens & King George III. However, it’s most widely recognised for its reputation as one of the most haunted hotels in the UK, with claims of over 60 ghosts & regular paranormal investigations
21. At the end of the street follow the road round to the right along the river. Port activities declined at the end of the 19th century, in part because of the deterioration of the port due to the shifting & silting of the river estuary, in part as trade transferred to the railways. A notable change in the course of the river during a violent storm in 1806 resulted in the loss of the remains of the village’s original church & disruption to the functioning of the port & industries
When the road bends sharp right look straight ahead to see a gate heading into some stables. Do not go through it, but turn immediately left & walk down the narrow alley…
22. Follow the riverside path towards the historic, stone-arched, Duchess’ Bridge which was built in 1864 & funded by Eleanor, the 4th Duchess of Northumberland. This Grade II listed bridge replaced older & less reliable crossings
Cross the river by the adjoining footbridge which was a later addition & walk along the footpath until reaching the sign in the picture below, showing you the path continues over the road
23. The route continues on a walking / cycle route, crossing a bridge & then turning right up a hill. At the top’s a rather nice bench with a lovely dedication on it…
Continue along the path where there are some lovely views across the estuary back to Almouth. Looking at the brightly coloured houses you can see why it gets compared to Tobermory on the Isle of Mull
24. At the end of the path turn left & go down the lane where, at the bottom you get another great view…
Our route though bears right alongside the buildings
25. Pass through the small gate on the left & continue along a narrow path to reach another gate…
Now follow the wider track past a ruined building & eventually up a steep hill
26. Pass through a metal gate & eventually you get a view of the expansive Warkworth Beach & our destination ahead…
At the signpost bear left. The path now carries on through dunes & alongside Warkworth Golf Club
21. Eventually you’ll arrive at a lane. Turn right & walk up the hill…
Continue ahead along the field edge where you get your first view of Warkworth Castle
22. Walk down the path to reach the main road. Turn left & you now have the option to cross the River Coquet via the new road bridge, but why would you, when you have the chance to walk across the beautiful old one…
The bridge is one of only two fortified medieval bridges in Britain (the other is in Monmouth) & is a Scheduled Monument & Grade II Listed Building
The Bridge Tower is a rare example of a late 14th century stone gatehouse, built to fortify the bridge. In the 19th century the tower became the local gaol
23. After walking through the gatehouse turn left & cross the road. Go left & bear right round the corner…
Turn right at the footpath sign on a narrow path
24. Warkworth is probably best known for its well-preserved medieval castle, church & hermitage
A church has existed on the riverside site in the village for around 1,200 years. St Lawrence’s Church is a large & almost completely Norman building, which is unique in Northumberland. The first record of the village dates from 737AD when King Ceolwulf of Northumbria gave the church & village to the Abbot & monks of Lindisfarne. In 1174, the church was the scene of a massacre when some 300 people were brutally butchered by Duncan, Earl of Fife during a Scottish raid
Follow the alley…the imposing castle begins to appear before you
25. On emerging turn right to arrive at the Castle which doesn’t look that large from this angle but, when you walk around it, it’s very impressive…
Warkworth Castle was founded at an uncertain date. Traditionally its construction has been ascribed to Prince Henry of Scotland in the mid 12th century, but it may have been built by King Henry II of England when he took control of England’s northern counties. A timber castle was first documented in a charter of 1157–1164 when Henry II granted it to Roger fitz Richard. However it was considered “feeble”, & was left undefended when the Scots invaded in 1173
Roger’s son Robert inherited & improved the castle. Robert was a favourite of King John, & hosted him at Warkworth Castle in 1213. The castle remained in the family line, with periods of guardianship when heirs were too young to control their estates. King Edward I stayed overnight in 1292. With the outbreak of the Anglo-Scottish Wars, Edward II invested in castles including Warkworth where he funded the strengthening of the garrison in 1319. Twice in 1327 the Scots besieged the castle without success
The castle came to the House of Percy in Edward III’s reign and is still held by their descendants the dukes of Northumberland, despite some brief changes of ownership in the 15th century
During the 18th century the castle was allowed to languish. The south-west tower was falling apart & around 1752 part of the curtain wall east of the gatehouse was demolished (it was rebuilt towards the end of the century). The town & its historic ruins were by now attracting interest as a tourist destination, largely due to Bishop Thomas Percy’s poem, ‘The Hermit of Warkworth’. In the mid 19th century Hugh Percy, 3rd Duke of Northumberland, undertook some preservation work. His successor, Algernon Percy, contracted Anthony Salvin to restore the keep
The castle became a scheduled monument in 1915
We didn’t visit the Hermitage but saw it on one of the recent excellent ‘Pilgrimage’ series ‘Pilgrimage…the Road to Holy Island’
So we’ve now covered the coastal route of Northumberland between Bamburgh & Warkworth & what a stunning trail it is & we look forward to going back in May 2027 to do some more
Northumberland is just stunning so…
Go Walk!