NORTHUMBERLAND

Beadnell Bay , Craster , Lower Newton and Dunstanburgh Castle, Coastal walks ,Dog Friendly places to Eat & Drink 

Due to Covid restrictions we could not use our booked accommodation in France ! And so received a partial refund from Airbnb and decided to use it for a trip back to a part of the uk we love – Northumberland!

http://airbnb.co.uk

This time we opted for Beadnell as a base due to its position close to the beach with coastal walks on the doorstep. We Booked a cottage tucked just behind the church and 1 minute from The Craster Arms who serve the most amazing mussels and good wine ! What more can you need after a long days beach walking !

The cottage itself was quirky , dated and homely – we mostly loved it ,However the bed was needing a bit of an overhaul .. ! If you are looking for something with a few more clean lines and minimalist type of cottage this is not for you ! On the plus side it is like stepping back to my holidays as a child cluttered in all the right places – no wifi -Tv or any type of tech – Forced to spend time doing the things holidays should be about – spending time together and chatting – reminiscing and enjoying being together – There are lots of cottages available on http://coastalretreats.co.uk

What’s in it for the humans

Where to start ! Walks , food, beaches , castles , ruins , history bursting out of every nook – I shall do my best not to write War and Peace at this point ! And narrow it down a bit …

My previous blog includes parts of this holiday and so I won’t repeat Seahouses – only to include a link to the boat tours – we chose the Puffins trip on this occasion as we were late in the season last time and boy did we see puffins !!

http://discoverthefarneislands.co.uk

Walking the coastal areas is the best way to get around , The driven coastal route is the least coastal “coastal” route ! And so if you can get out on foot you get the most stunning rewards , The walk from Craster to Low Newton and visit The Shipp Inn http://www.shipinnnewton.co.uk is fabulous with a stop off at Dunstanburgh Castle – to see the sea birds in the cliff from the castle wall was mesmerising

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Craster to Low Newton

The track will take you along the headland – and towards the castle – approx 1.5 miles

National Trust members go free – there are some interesting rooms left inside the ruin of the castle and walking up the spiral staircase is worth it if feeling brave ! I stayed low with Foxy Roxy and the Pointer Dog while Mr C took the stairs for the view –

If you want to buy a drink from the small shop make sure you have cash ! They do have a card machine but it is intermittent due to the wonderful location .

Take in the largest nesting point for Kittiwakes , Razor Bill and Fulmar on the edge of the castle – walk around the curtain wall and there is a wire fence – over the fence you will the birds in flight and also nesting or just taking in the sunshine – stunning – take care of you chose to go through a gap in the wall at the headland as it is a sheer drop ! Certainly not safe for adventurous dogs !

If you want to walk to The Ship at low Newton – carry on around the outer path of the castle towards the beach – take your shoes off ( there is a burn ) and walk along the entire beach and you will find the pub just around the headland – If high tide there is a path over the dunes – some high parts but doable for an average fitness level- The walk from end to end is 4 miles on the outside – Our walk back was stunning with only 10 people on the beach and not a single person on the grass headland walk back to the car ! TIP – leave a little later to miss the crowds – it is worth it for the stunning sunset walk back ! Oystercatchers and Tiny Terns aplenty – enjoying the evening – Take note of the info on food orders below – if relying on being fed after your walk .

I booked a few weeks in advance for the evening meal as I had been tipped off by a friend that it was a limited seating for evenings – The wine choice was small and perfect – We opted for The Borolo and it was amazing – I won’t mention our food choices as it would spoil the pleasure of choosing from such a fabulous small menu with such wonderful seasonal produce options , but needless to say it was the best meal we have had all week so far ! TIP – if you want to eat in the evening make sure you book ! You would be very disappointed ( and hungry ) if you had walked there and not be able to eat !

Drinks are served throughout dinner service for people not eating but all tables were booked during our visit – (5pm on a Wednesday in May ) – tables are available outside for drinks – Lunchtimes they have a superb sandwich menu to include crab sandwich and toasties – yum 😋 and these are available upon arrival – We visited twice – walking from Craster on one day and from Beadnell on the other . If I had planned the day better ! I would have caught the bus from Beadnell to Craster – walked to the pub and on from there back to Beadnell . maybe next time .

The walk from Beadnell to The Ship Inn at Lower Newton is approx 4 miles – follow the beach and over the headland – it is shorter than following google that takes you over the England coastal route – be aware there is a Burn that runs into the sea and you need to either paddle though ! Or go slightly into the headland and take the bridge – we did both ! Dry way on way to the pub ! Waded through freezing water on the way back !

Holy Island is a sight to behold – The Priory is stunning and the museum is informative and worth a wander – dog friendly but is busy at times and a very small space –http://holyisland.co.uk

Foxy Roxy and The Pointer dog enjoyed themselves spotting grey seals and many sea birds . The island was very busy on the day we went – TIP – either take a small picnic or eat before you go ! Everywhere was packed – food service ended at 2pm in the Ship Inn and The Crown & Anchor that served food all day had one person behind the bar and a line out the door for orders . Some of the cafes were less busy but limited in space indoors for dogs – hospitality has been hit hard during Covid and maybe this was the reason , but not great when there are gourdes of people descending onto the island 🏝

Food in Beadnell …

The Craster Arms is a great place to start – it is so dog friendly we felt that had we not got the dog with us we wouldn’t be allowed in ! You can sit anywhere in the pub with your dog and there is also a beer garden – with fresh mussels in cider on offer I could not stay away for 3 days !

https://www.northcoastcollective.uk

The Beadnell Towers hotel is a special place – taken over in 2020 the makeover is chic ,sexy and very grown up – the bar area is Uber cool and hitching up at the bar for a cocktail is a must – dog friendly in half of the area with the rest being the restaurant- the menu is lovely – we chose turbot ! It was amazing – it is pricey £££££ but definitely worth it –

https://www.beadnelltowers.co.uk

Salt Water Cafe is super duper too ! Best breakfast I have had in years and we booked a table for a Saturday evening and enjoyed oysters and champagne – only 10 tables and a small perfect menu – yum – dog friendly

https://www.northcoastcollective.uk

What’s in it for the Dogs …

Everything ! Long runs on the beach , swimming , every food place allows dogs in and are very positive in their attitude to your pooch … Our cottage was dog friendly and Beadnell Towers is also dog friendly – check their website for rooms

Our dogs were worn out by the end of a busy walking day and we left them in the cottage on most evenings as they were happy to snooze away while we had some human time .

££££ ?

Expect to pay at least £100 per night in low season for a cottage – some beach houses on the main road opposite the coastal path – sleep up to 14 and cost up to 7K per week ! One of the local people told us that during the summer everywhere is really busy , Our break was in mid May and we managed to get a table in every place we went to – summer months would be more difficult and it may be too crowded for your dog too ..

Would we Return ?…

Of course – it is a superb spot for a walking, eating, relaxing holiday – A stones throw from the beach and perfect in every way for our dogs to enjoy swimming , running and chilling in the pub … We would find a better place to stay next time to ensure we got a decent nights sleep ..and so we would plan carefully and expect to pay a little more.