Walkwise Walking Weekend Alnmouth, Northumbria Coast & Country

The Northumbrian Coast has such an array of landscapes, history and wildlife that we can only scratch the surface of this forgotten land over a weekend. To provide an interesting programme that reflects the diversity and interest of the county we have collated a few highlights of Northumbria and we can use these to form the basis of the trip.  

The amazing coastline of Northumberland is a great attraction with miles of empty sandy beaches overlooked by many a fairy-tale castle! Small fishing villages have grown up along the coast like Craster or Seahouses, where you can catch a boat to the Farne islands to view the wildlife. Of course, though all this coastline is best accessed on foot and this is some of the best coastal walking in the Country. One lovely walk can be made between Seahouses and the Bamburgh Castle. Another lovely coastal walk begins at Newton by the Sea, crosses the bay to Dunstanburgh Castle, then continues to Craster with its famous ‘Kipper Smoke’. The coast can then be followed all the way down to Alnmouth.

Just inland from Alnmouth lies the beautiful market town of Alnwick where one may find the ancient parklands of the Alnwick Castle. Set away from the coast this area hoped to avoid the marauding Vikings, the savage Scots and the Border Rievers. So, under the protection of the mighty castle a town, an Abbey and a Priory were established. There are miles of footpaths through these parklands and we can follow the wandering River Aln in front of Alnwick Castle, then stroll through the mature woodlands, complete with red squirrels up onto the open hills beyond. Ancient drovers’ tracks criss-cross the moorlands and strange follies mark the best viewpoints of the vast panoramas beyond. Finally, we can return to the valley where peaceful riverside paths eventually reveal the priory before returning us back to Alnwick.

Another day we also have option to visit the Rothbury which is located in the heart of Northumberland, surrounded by beautiful scenery and rare wildlife, with it’s bustling high street. There are numerous ways to make a fine circular walk from Rothbury as we follow the peaceful bank of the tumbling River Coquet en route to the historic tower of Great Tosson. Woodland paths gradually ascend to Little Church Cave with it’s views across to the distant Cheviots, before the final climb onto Simonside. The panoramic views over the surrounding area truly justify the ascent as we can see from the coast to Cheviot itself. A gentle stroll along the ridge leads back to Rothbury looking out for the ancient cup-and-ring stones on the way.  

One other place that ought to be mentioned is Lindesfarne or Holy Island. This island is cut off by the tides twice a day, so one has to get their timings right, but it is an interesting place to visit, with a small but perfectly formed castle and of course its famous Lindesfarne Mead which just must be tried. Outside the village the island has some extensive nature reserves, sandy bays and peaceful rural farms. Altogether though it is an interesting place to visit it may be a nice addition to the trips itinerary… tides permitting of course.

To allow you to choose a walk that suits you best, WalkWise UK will provide a minimum of two walks on each day, led by professional and knowledgeable walking guides. On all days there will be a harder walk of 10-12 miles with 1000+ft of ascent, and a gentler walk of 6-9 miles with less ascent. All walks are weather dependent and own transport may be taken to the walk starts. You will be supplied with a ‘what you must bring’ list - it is your responsibility to ensure you have these items.