Northumberland Coast Path – 6 nights / 5 days walking

About this trail

Having spent the night in Morpeth, a taxi will collect you and take you to the start of the walk at Cresswell. Your first few miles are spent along the huge sandy bay of Druridge, before reaching the small fishing port of Amble that sits at the mouth of the River Coquet.  Just offshore lies Coquet Island, a haven for seabirds. From Amble, you follow the river inland to the ancient village of Warkworth, with its magnificent fortress castle. From there you pass through Alnmouth and Craster, the latter being famous for its smoked herring and kippers, before reaching Dunstanburgh Castle, the largest castle in Northumberland, built on a headland around 1313.

From the wide sweeping bays of Embleton and Beadnell you walk to Seahouses, a small, busy fishing port, then on to the historic village of Bamburgh where another of England’s finest castles is located.  A short distance offshore from Bamburgh sit the Farne Islands – an important wildlife habitat for puffins, artic terns and grey seals. From Bamburgh the walk turns inland for the next 15 miles or so, taking you to Fenwick – an excellent place from which to take an extra day to explore nearby Holy Island. For the final stretch the route returns to the coast before reaching the historic town of Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Terrain and navigation

The terrain on this trail is easy going, with much of it flat or gently undulating as you progress along the coast. The one exception is where the route turns inland for 10 miles or so and ascends the Kyloe Hills, where you reach the highest point of the trail at 159 metres. Underfoot, you’ll be walking on clifftop footpaths, tracks, beaches and some minor metalled lanes. In general the route is well signposted and navigation is pretty straightforward.

Route elevation

Highest point: 159 metres
Total ascent / descent: 925 metres / 931 metres

Included as standard in the price

The price quoted is per person and is based on two people sharing a room. It includes:

• Carefully selected, en-suite bed and breakfast accommodation*
• Daily luggage transfers to your accommodation**
• All the necessary maps and guidebooks for your walk
• Route notes and maps detailing how to find your B&B at the end of each day
• The cost of any transfers that are required from the route to your accommodation if we are unable to book you into a B&B within easy walking distance of the trail
• Information about any special facilities offered by your hosts (eg hot tub or licensed bar)
• Suggestions and contact details for places for an evening meal each day
• Telephone support if required
• Advice from our team on travel to and from the start and end of the trail.

*En-suite is always chosen unless all options are booked out, in which case private bathrooms are sought. Customers are always consulted about non-en-suite options before details are finalised.

**Standard package includes one piece of baggage per walker, up to a maximum weight of 20kg. Additional bags can be transferred but incur an additional cost. Please enquire if you need this service.

Packed lunches and evening meals

The cost of these is not included in our standard package. All the accommodation providers we use offer packed lunches to keep you well fed during your walk. Payment is made directly to your hosts. Similarly, if you have an evening meal either at your accommodation or another local establishment, you pay them directly for it.

Optional extras that can be provided by Discovery Travel

Discovery Travel specialises in providing completely tailor-made services to our clients. This means that if our standard published itineraries do not suit our customers’ needs, we are always happy to discuss ways in which we can adjust accommodation, shorten or lengthen itineraries and distances to make for the perfect trip.

We also offer the following services to make for a seamless holiday:

• Transport to and from the start and finish of a trail
• Airport transfers
• Minibus and driver service, in particular for large groups where multiple accommodations are required each night and transfers are frequently required at the end of the day’s walk

If you are interested in any of the above or have any particular requirements, please do contact us to discuss your needs.

Make more of your break

If you would like to pause during your walk and explore one of the overnight locations for longer, you are free to select and add extra days to your holiday at any of your overnight stops. Prices for extra days are quoted above and will be added to the total cost of the holiday. If the itineraries on our website do not quite meet your requirements please do get in touch to arrange a bespoke trip.

Below are some suggestions for good places to spend an extra day or so.

Fenwick for Holy Island

The tidal Holy Island makes a good day trip from Fenwick, or you may wish to include the island in your walking itinerary –  please see the 7 night itinerary for this walk which includes the Holy Island leg.

Steeped in early Christian history, the island remains a place of pilgrimage today. There is plenty to see, notably Lindisfarne Priory, the epicentre of Christianity in Anglo Saxon times, and Lindisfarne Castle, a fort that was built in Tudor times that was transformed into a holiday home by Arts and Crafts architect Edwin Lutyens.  This peaceful setting was also the birthplace of the Lindisfarne Gospels, the most spectacular manuscript to survive from Anglo-Saxon England, and boasts rich sea and bird life for the nature enthusiast.

Bamburgh

Bamburgh Castle stands on a massive, 180-foot high basalt crag, giving all-round views of the coast and surrounding countryside and is worth a day of exploration in itself.

Bamburgh is also home to the Grace Darling museum, commemorating the fascinating story of bravery at sea on the part of a local young woman and the ensuing public acclaim that arose.

Berwick upon Tweed

There is plenty to see and do while walking around Berwick upon Tweed. Follow in the footsteps of L.S. Lowry on the trail named after him. The artist, famous for his pictures of matchstick men, used to holiday frequently in Berwick upon Tweed and made more than 30 paintings and sketches of the area. Alternatively you can follow the town’s Elizabethan walls, the only example of bastioned town walls in Britain, before heading out to the lighthouse to take in the vast expanse of the North Sea beyond.

When to go

The weather in the UK can vary hugely so be prepared for all weathers whatever time of the year. April, May and June are when everything comes to life so it is very green, wild flowers are abundant and blossom abounds. July and August tend to be the warmest months, but it is rarely so warm as to be uncomfortable for walking. September is one of the most pleasant times in the countryside and is quieter as most people with children have finished their holidays. By October the days are getting shorter and the weather can be much more changeable.

Getting to and from the trail

By Air: The most convenient airports are Newcastle for the start of your journey and Edinburgh at the end.

By Rail: There is a mainline train station at Morpeth at the start of your journey and at Berwick upon Tweed – your final overnight stop.  For train times and fares visit National Rail Enquiries.

Got a question about travel? If you need any advice about travel to and from your walk please get in touch with Discovery Travel and we will be happy to help.