The Northumberland Coast & its Castles

Very much enjoyed this my first walking holiday. Being able to walk along the beaches with the tide out was a special treat. The Hulne Park circuit in Alnwick was also very special, with the beautiful woods and no noise, just nature at its best.

Coastal walks were stunning-we were very lucky with the weather! Hotels were all very comfortable. Having walked from Warkworth to Alnwick, a bath at The Cookie Jar was like heaven! The staff in the hotels were all very friendly and helpful.

Highlights:

Plenty of good places to eat locally in all three locations.

Hauxley Nature Reserve.

The Alnwick Gardens.

Billy Shiel's Farne Island & Lindisfarne boat trip.

We have always wanted to visit this beautiful and very historic area and was not disappointed; it has also spurred us on to trying out further UK locations with Inntravel. All the arrangements worked perfectly and, as usual, the choice of accommodation was excellent. The walking routes were not onerous and often led to stunning beaches. We were also delighted to see such good public transport (and well referenced in the guidance notes) which enabled us to change our itinerary when the weather was a tad wet! Such a friendly area too as we met many fellow travellers. 

This is a great walking holiday for those looking for open skies, empty beaches and scenic walks, without hills and with little chance of going astray. There is interest in the castles, birds and small seaside villages and towns. The boat trip was a good experience with a good commentary and time taken to see the seals and seabirds. Time on Lindisfarne limited and very few options for coffee or melas there so worth booking ahead for castle or priory and taking own food so you can do justice to one of those iconic attractions. We also managed a day at Cragside from Alnwick using bus there and taxi return. Bus service along the coast is great.   

The hotels offer great food, particularly the cookie jar and Beadnall towers and the included meals were exceptional. Another great holiday Thank you Inntravel 

Perhaps we were lucky with the weather and tides (could Inntravel perhaps provide more information on the tides?) but we walked along the beach every day apart from Alnwick. It was sunny and magical. We decided to do a boat trip to Lindisfarne from Seahouses which was excellent taking in the Farne Islands with seals and some birds. Billy Shiels gave an excellent trip and would recommend it to everyone. We had 2 hours on Lindisfarne. There were some lovely tea shops in Amble and Alnmouth.

This holiday provides a great balance of manageable walking with sight seeing. Alnwick Gardens are not to be missed. We really appreciated a restful cup of tea in the garden at the Cookie Jar afterwards. The food there was top quality. The highlight of our stay was the boat trip round the Farne Islands where we saw gannets diving - so exciting.

This trip was a great balance of beautiful old towns, charming accommodation, good food, wonderful beach, dune, and farm land walks, and fascinating castles. The mix in the itinerary keep every day refreshing.

What a brilliant holiday! We were so impressed with the quality of the accommodation, service and food. The walking was terrific and we enjoyed the option to walk along the beaches when the tide was out. The route guidance was spot on and we very much appreciated the additional recommendations of sights to see and places to eat, as well as the historical notes for background. 

A really excellent holiday with spectacular views and lovely beach walks. The hotels were all excellent, and we really cannot fault the overall experience.

A very interesting itinerary with the magnificent Northumbrian coastline and its castles. Excellent hotels en route with hearty suppers. 

HIGHLIGHTS & TIPS: Enjoyed the short walk from Warkworth to Amble along the riverside with interesting sculptures. There is a TSB cash link in the high street there. Alnwick Castle Gardens. The Cookie Jar was outstandingly good with a warm, welcoming staff. Barter Books the quirky secondhand bookshop at the old station. Walking amongst the wildflowers alongside the sand dunes. A tasty lunch with a cool cider at The Ship Inn at Newton by the Sea. 

We did back to back walking tours and each was different but exceptional. After a few tours we have stopped expecting something to go wrong. As usual all arrangements went like clockwork. There was new staff at a couple hotels that were not familiar with Inntravel arrangements but this was easily sorted out and there were no other problems. If there has been rain before walking the Trails of the Riverbank, it will be very muddy in numerous places. If the tides are in your favor do walk the beaches on the Northumberland Coast and Castles. Very enjoyable walking in both areas.

Lovely range of castles, easy walking with a variety of interests served

Three excellent hotels staffed by very friendly helpful people. Bedrooms comfortable and good food. Good suggestions for walks and visits. Another very enjoyable holiday. Thank you.

The Village Tearooms in Alnmouth was delightful. All the castles were fascinating to explore. We saw wobbly lambs and calves as we walked to Alnwick, and magical windswept sands along the beach en route to Bamburgh. Low tide beach walks were a balm and early spring meant that the blackthorn blossoms and daffodils and blue scilla were everywhere.

reliable accommodation and food

The 3rd time I've booked with InnTravel and once again the attention to detail and planning were top notch. The hotels chosen by InnTravel were wonderful and luggage transfers went without a hitch. A lovely relaxing holiday. 

Holy Island is a must experience! It is a very special place which shouldn't be missed - be careful though when the tide is high all the businesses closed! Be careful - bring supplies! 

We had not visited Northumberland before and loved the wide open spaces, rolling fields, castles and the many birds. It is well worth spending time visiting Alnwick castle and Bamburgh as both use modern technology as well as traditional ways to convey their interesting history. We would recommend taking an extra day to see Holy Island as we did, to allow sufficient time to see this as well.

Great opportunity to see the sand dune flora. Beautiful views.

This holiday has everything - fascinating history, amazing wildlife, easy coastal walking, great places to stay and good food. There were many highlights - Hauxley Nature Reserve, the coastal walking, Alnwick Garden - the rose garden was magnificent, full of colour and perfume, the castles. Our walk on the northern shore of Lindisfarne was accompanied by the sound of the singing seals which was simply magical, so glad we booked the extra day to go there.

A most enjoyable walking holiday in a beautiful part of the country. It was extremely well-organised but at the same time very flexible. This was my first trip with Inntravel but it certainly won't be my last.

Excellent holiday that met all expectations.  Would recommend this route with minor exception.  Last day Craster to Bamburgh is much better walking on the beach (if the tide is out!!) than following the exact route of the coastal path.

The walking was brilliant. The beaches were stunning and being able to walk most of the way along them at the water's edge was a definite highlight. The castles gave a real sense of history and Dunstanburgh was a highlight for us with a very special atmosphere.

Quick tip: It's always worth checking whether restaurants will take bookings as sometimes the info provided can be out of date.

The weather was wonderful!

Recommend the walk in Hulne Park, Alnwick

This was another excellent Inntravel holiday. Some highlights were the flowers (cranesbill and orchids) in the dunes between Hauxley and Amble, three long walks on near-deserted beaches, sitting on a seat to the north of Seahouses looking out at the Farne Islands eating crab baguettes, lunch on a seat at the Emmanual Head Daymark on Holy Island where we were at last free from traffic noise.

Before the holiday we spent some time on the web and phone choosing and booking restaurants in Warkworth and Alnwick. This was time well spent. Our booking for a Saturday evening special at Bertram's in Warkworth was cancelled because of a staff shortage but the hotel was able to fit us in. Their food was reasonable but the helpings too large. In Alnwick we ate in Caffé Tirreno (they do take phone reservations and are open on Monday evenings), Sherkhan and Lilburns. All were welcoming, friendly and with excellent food. Beadnell Towers is very dog friendly. People who prefer to keep their distance from canine guests at meal times, including breakfast, should ask to be seated in the restaurant rather than the bar.

Overall a very beautiful area and the walking was generally fairly easy. Accommodation was good, food wonderful. 

An excellent and well organised walking holiday - the hotels were very welcoming and the walking was excellent with very detailed notes. We would definitely recommend this holiday.

A very enjoyable holiday, with a good mixture of coastal & farmland walking. The Northumberland coastline is stunning & this walk gives the opportunity to explore it, in all its glory. Very little road walking & lots of wildlife on view. The hotels we stayed in were very good quality & the day spent in Alnwick provides a different option mid-walk. Overall, one of our favourite holidays & will definitely look to book something else in the near future.

All in all, a wonderful holiday!  We were so grateful for the route suggestions and detailed guidance that allowed us to make the most of six glorious days in this beautiful part of the world.  

Very enjoyable holiday, with beautiful countryside and beaches.

It was well worth upgrading to the Cookie Jar. The highlights for our holiday were unquestionably our two nights in Alnwick at the Cookie Jar, Alnwick Castle & Gardens, Lindisfarne and the walk from Warkworth to Alnmouth. ( The weather played an important part - our walk from Craster to Beadnell was spoilt by the very strong winds from the North.)

You may wish to investigate the Dunstanburgh Castle Hotel at Embleton as an alternagive/upgrade to Beadnell Towers for those who prefer a more peaceful atmosphere.

Perfect introduction to Northumberland's beaches and castles. Greycroft is an outstanding b&b and was a highlight. Evening meals in Anwick (particularly the first evening) should be booked in advance. Sunday and Monday nights in particular as many places are closed. Don't miss the wonderful Barter Books in Alnwick. We were pleased to have an extra day in Anwick for the Garden and Castle and in Beadnell for the amazing Farne Islands.

All the hotels were excellent with very friendly staff, comfortable rooms and great locations. The suggested walks were great with plenty of details to prevent us from getting lost. Both taxi drivers were punctual & very friendly. All in all everything ran like clockwork and to plan. Would highly recommend Mumbai Flavours Indian restaurant in Alnwick for a delicious curry. Alnwick gardens, including the Poison Garden tour, was also a highlight, as was Barter Books also in Alnwick. The Grace Darling Museum in Bamburgh was really interesting & Billy Shiel's 90min Grey Seal Cruise trip around the Farne Islands was brilliant.

A great holiday, made better by good weather! Daily distances were comfortable giving us time to explore en route. Interesting destinations and delightful scenery.

We found Lindisfarne a little underwhelming and crowded. despite that a very enjoyable holiday with wonderful wildlife, walking, history and interest. In particular we found the locals incredibly friendly and willing to chat and very helpful with advice, directions and general support. 

Excellent holiday. Would highly recommend it.

Our first Inntravel holiday as a whole family, now our adult kids want to get in on the act. A lovely holiday with great walking and scenery. I would especially recommend the Greycroft option in Alnwick. Fantastic welcome!

Varied countryside with a mixture of beach, dune, a superbly maintained country park and inland walking. Castles galore for optional visits and an interesting nature reserve. 

Easy walking on or by glorious beaches with comfortable accommodation.

Excellent walking holiday with good notes and tips

The fantastic beaches from Craster to Bamburgh, the huge expanses of pristine sand, dramatic skies and views of the castles were our highlights. 

By far the highlight of the holiday was our stay in The Cookie Jar. It is a delightful small hotel with a highly skilled manager and staff who clearly enjoy providing a top class service for guests. We'd recommend Bertram's as a great place to eat: both for sweet treats and also for light, but delicious early evening meals - better than Warkworth House Hotel restaurant that was very mediocre. In Bamburgh we'd recommend the Copper Kettle for great, flavoursome and wholesome homecooking.

Enjoyed the walks along the beach, helped by the mostly good weather, and the birdlife. Greycroft was excellent. Had a very good meal at Bertram's Bistro in Warkworth and at Sherkhan in Alnwick.

We did the walk from Bamburgh to Budle Bay on the last day. It was absolutely stunning and we were able to walk on an almost deserted stretch of beach. The length of the walks made it possible to explore the local attractions without rushing eg Amble, plus the amazing castles at Warkworth, Alnwick, Dunstanburgh and Bamburgh.

It was wonderful to walk for miles on the clean sandy beaches, which we chose to do barefoot.  We were lucky to be on most of the beaches during low tides, and were also lucky to have dry cool weather.  This aspect of the holiday was more important to us than exploring the history of the castles, although the castles were visually striking. The boat trip was a great option: it was good to get the experience of being at sea, and to see seals and other wildlife close up.  

In Warkworth, we would recommend eating at Betram's, and booking in advance, because they are popular.  They provided us with an excellent vegan packed lunch on a Sunday, which we asked them for on Saturday evening.  

We did like the ability to go for a walk along the river from the hotel in Warkworth in the evening after dinner. Alnwick was great, the castle, the garden and Hulne park. Walked 11miles without even leaving the town! Loved all the castles, and the history. We got to Holy Island early and were jolly glad we had done as it got very crowded later in the day. The weather was great all week and we spent a fair amount of time reading in the sand dunes as well as walking! 

I think we were lucky with the tides, but to walk barefooted along the beach and dipping our feet into the sea as we approached Bamburgh was amazing.

Terrific holiday - lucky with the weather and the tides for Lindisfarne. Walking along such a wonderful coast was an eye-opener - lovely golden sandy beaches with virtually no-one on them - so different from Cornwall - better too but don't tell Visit Cornwall we said so! So much to do that we were very glad we booked extra nights. Would definitely recommend.

We made the mistake of taking a taxi down to Amble for dinner (at the Old Boat House) on the first night, then finding we couldn't get a taxi back! We did get a bus back, but it's important to remember it's a relatively rural area so public transport isn't guaranteed, so book your taxi home in advance if you need one. The advice about booking restaurants ahead of time was useful - we know other (non-Inntravel) guests at Greycroft were unable to find anywhere in Alnwick, so ended going home early. Di Sopra and The Treehouse Restaurant in Alnwick were lovely. Oh, and you don't need special permission to visit the Poison Garden (at Alnwick Garden), and the staff are really knowledgable, even if they're mainly there to stop you touching something you shouldn't!

Beach walking is a better bet than taking the path on occasions - glorious long stretches of sand.

Incredibly friendly people made for an enjoyable holiday.

Do go to Barter Books in Alnwick - a veriatble treasure trove.

We loved the emptiness, walking along the sand for miles with hardly any other people.

The dinner in Lilburns restaurant (Alnwick) was outstanding, as was our room in the B&B. State appartments in Alnwick castle were also superb. The walk to Amble from Warkworth was a bit disappointing, as was Amble. The only other small complaint was the singular lack of seats on the walk to Beadnell, though I realise there is not much you can do about that!

The welcome and service at Greycroft was outstanding: Audrey and Tom were so friendly and helpful and the little touches such as the provision of a fridge and complimentary drinks made the stay here memorable.

Alnwick Castle was disappointing as it was so geared towards families with young children and a bit of a theme park. Warkworth and Bamburgh were much more authentic and enjoyable for us.

Wonderful beaches and views of castles. (We were helped that we had splendid weather the whole time so underfoot conditions were dry.)

Local people were very friendly and helpful.

There was plenty of birdlife to see, especially at Hauxley Nature Reserve and on the Aln estuary.

The food in the hotels was of a very good standard. In Alnwick we had dinners at Caffé Tirreno (recommended in your notes) and Sherkhan Indian (perhaps add to your notes). Both were excellent and needed booking in advance. (Thai Vibe, which you mention, was closed - apparently temporarily.)

We were glad to have had extra days in Alnwick and Beadnell, as that meant we could do the walks as well as visiting Alnwick Castle/Alnwick gardens and Lindisfarne on our extra days.

Beaches, castles and excellent walking. Good choice of hotels in excellent location. Northumberland is a stunning location and ideal for an enjoyable and varied walking holiday. The only issue was the baggage transfer company and so I would recommend either ensuring the bags are well below the maximum limit or carrying a weighing device to be able to confirm the precise weight!

We thoroughly enjoyed our week's walking in Northumberland. The hotels are excellent, The Cookie Jar in Alnwick was a particularly luxurious treat. There are lots of interesting things to see along the way, imposing castles, windswept, unspoilt beaches and attractive seaside villages - we loved Alnmouth. Can recommend a crab baguette from Seahouses, eaten with a fine view of Bamburgh Castle, excellent. We finished our holiday with an extra night at Beadnell and enjoyed a day trip to Berwick on Tweed to walk around the walls of the town. 

A most enjoyable holiday experience, well up to Inntravel's invariably high standards. We opted for the beach routes wherever possible and revelled in the peace and windswept beauty of those marvellous wide and clean spaces. And walking around Holy Island was a magical experience. The variety and contrasts of the many castles, ranging from thoroughly ruined to actively lived in, provided a great theme to the week. We added an extra day in both Alnwick and Beadnell and found that decision to have been thoroughly vindicated by the additional experiences we were able to enjoy.

We visited three very different places, each interesting in its own way. We strongly recommend the boat trips to Coquet Island and the Farne Islands for anyone interested in wild life- getting to close to the puffins, terns and kittiwakes on Inner Farne was an amazing experience. Alnwick was also a highlight but really important to book restaurants in advance as they were very busy in late July. At the time we travelled, some sites of interest still had Covid restrictions and it was again important to book in advance. Apart from this reducing flexibility a bit, we had an excellent trip and hope to visit the area again soon.

This was a really good itinerary and a lovely holiday with loads of interest. Cookie Jar and Alnwick Garden were real highlights and Budle Bay was magical.

This was our first Inntravel holiday in the UK and it was very good indeed. The accomodation was excellent, particularly the Greycroft B&B which was well located in Alnwick, safe and well organised, and where Audrey, Tom and Sarah made us very welcome indeed. We very much enjoyed the walks up the wide, empty beaches all the way up the coast and visited five castles. The only advice we would give to others is to check the tide tables before you book your holiday and choose a week when the tide is out during the daytime. We were lucky that the tide was out whenever we walked, so we seldom had to navigate the sand dunes, and were also able to visit Lindifarne all day at the end of the week. Well done Inntravel - no mountains but another very good week thank you very much!

The view from the ramparts  of Bamburgh castle, looking  down on miles of pale gold sand,  a calm sea and a vast blue sky above  - peace, space, beauty. Northumberland has so much to give.

A lovely relaxing walking holiday with plenty of local interest, excellent accommodation and stunning scenery.

I've done a number of international trips with Inntravel but never a UK one before. It was superb, and much enjoyed by me and my companion, who was new to Inntravel. 

Highlights: the stays at Greycroft & Beadnell Towers; the walks along the huge beaches; Dunstanburgh Castle, Alnwick Garden & Hauxley Nature Reserve.

Tips: Don't park under trees at Beadnell! Hope & Anchor pub in Alnmouth is good for evening meal (short & frequent buses between Alnwick & Alnmouth).

The whole area was a delight. Service was good wherever we went and the people friendly. The walks were interesting and at times the views were wonderful. Just be aware of flying golf-balls when walking beside the courses ! Two balls just missed us beside the Warkworth course. The Beadnell Towers hotel is a great place to finish the holiday.

The entire holiday was as described and went according to plan, beginning with the prompt arrival of our cheerful and informative taxi driver who took us from Beadnell to Warkworth.  We had not visited Warkworth before so to discover such a pretty village made a good start to our holiday: we particularly enjoyed exploring the castle and walking by the river.

We shall always remember the warm welcome from Audrey at Grey Croft when we arrived after a day of walking through constant rain.  In arranging the accommodation she has paid great attention to detail and she is a mine of information on all aspects of the area.  Tom’s breakfasts were delicious and we enjoyed sitting in their lovely walled garden.  The guest house is well situated being within easy reach of a number of restaurants as well as Alnwick Castle and Garden and Barter Books - all well worth a visit.  When the weather improved we spent a very pleasant day at Alnmouth.

The highlight of our stay in Beadnell was the boat trip to the Farne Islands, particularly the hour spent on Inner Farne, only recently reopened to the public.  To see so many sea birds, particularlly the thousands of puffins, at such close quarters, made for a really memorable day. We also enjoyed our trip to Lindisfarne, particularly the recommended walk around the island: we saw an amazing variety of wild flowers and butterflies.

In all, we had a relaxing and varied holiday : quite an achievement in these difficult times.

I was slightly disappointed by some of the routes with quite a bit of road walking. However the quality of the coastline made up for this. The notes were fairly unnecessary as it was obvious where to go.

A spectacular coastal walk with expansive sea veiws, wide open windswept beaches and flower filled dunes and tracks. Everybody we met including the taxi driver, hotel staff and people along the way were very friendly. Your timing must be spot-on for the buses as they are infrequent and can be crowded. Alnmouth was particularly attractive and unspoilt and I would liked to have stayed a few nights there. Alnwick gardens were lovely and our timing was right for the roses - if not for the weather (temperature of 9 degrees and raining).

A really beautiful part of the North of England that we would probably have never visited if it wasn't for the travel restrictions. It would have been our loss! Wonderful unspoiled beaches, coastal wildlife in variety and quantity that was totally unexpected and even the weather delivered. Thanks Inntravel for making the whole thing so easy to enjoy. 

We loved this holiday which was helped by some very good weather on most days. The walking along the coast was lovely and the places that we stayed were varied but all very good. We found the staff at all of the hotels very friendly and helpful. We had our evening meals at the hotels at Warkworth and Beadnell (the latter included in the holiday) and took the owner (Audrey) recommendations for Alnwick which were both excellent on the nights we were there (DiSopra and Lilburns). You won't be short of things to do as, apart from the walking, there are plenty of places to visit and we managed to make the trip to Holy Island. Unfortunately our proposed puffin cruise to the Farne Islands on the day we were leaving was cancelled due to the poor weather conditions. All in all though this was a really lovely holiday.

Northumberland is a glorious area, with abundant bird life and wildflowers. The mix of beach walks, coastal paths, dunes and walking beside meadows was stunning. Options to visit castles or bird watch, circling islands on boat trips provides variety, depending on your interests. We went on the boat trip from Amble round Coquet Island, which was a particular highlight. We were blessed with wonderful weather too, throughout our week in Northumberland.

The holiday exceeded our expectations and we enjoyed chatting to local people and using your taxis and buses.  A very beautiful area.

This was a fantastic holiday in so many ways; a rich mixture of stunning scenery, wonderful hotels and a warm welcome wherever we went.  We particularly enjoyed walking along the beaches, sometimes with our shoes off and getting our feet wet.  The history and heritage of the area added an extra level of charm and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Alnwick gardens.  We are impatient to return to this fabulous part of the world.

A great staycation and a fantastic opportunity to really get away from it all on large beaches with great views.

Extending the holiday to give time to visit Holy Island (Lindisfarne) and the Farne Islands is, in our opinion, very worthwhile.

Wonderful holiday made perfect by the fantastic weather. So glad we upgraded to the Cookie Jar - it was fabulous. The walks took us through stunning scenery and whilst we were initially a little disappointed to find Bamburgh Castle closed, we were able to peak at the film set for the new Indiana Jones movie and share with the locals, the excitement of Harrison Ford being in town. Never before met such friendly and hospitable people as in the North East and we were well looked after throughout. 

Walking along the beach as part of our walk was fabulous and be able to see dolphins from Ebb's nook and lots of bird life.