IMAGES:
CHARLO
TTE
GRAHAM;
ALAMY
Morning
Walk the Pilgrims Way to the
Holy Island of Lindisfarne: a great
way to start the day, safe in the
knowledge that the best coffee
in Northumberland is waiting at
the other end of your hike. Park
near The Barn at Beal for the view
— a vast, empty bay stretching
away beneath a big sky — before
following the wooden poles that
mark the easy three-mile route.
Organise a tour with Footsteps
in Northumberland, which tells
a fascinating story of the saints,
sinners and Viking invasions on
the island where early Christianity
flourished and England’s first
monastery was sacked in 793.
Refuel with a brew and slice of
banana bread at Pilgrims Coffee
before exploring the island’s castle,
coves and wildflower meadows.
Afternoon
Heading south along the coast,
pause for a crab salad or fennel-
stuffed sea bream at The Potted
Lobster on Bamburgh high street.
Then it’s time for some royal
history at nearby Bamburgh
Castle. Rising gloriously from the
beach, the 1,400-year-old fortress
is the stuff of fairytales. Home to
a long line of kings, from Henry
VI to James I, it’s a maze of echoing
halls, grand boudoirs and hidden
guardrooms. Allow at least an
hour to explore the nine-acre
site, opting for an audio-guide
to really bring the past to life.
Then, before the sun slips below
the horizon, leave time for the
five-minute walk to the beach,
which almost rivals any in the
Caribbean for beautiful, colour-
soaked scenery.
Evening
Winters can be bitter here, and
summers temperamental, but the
all-too British weather has meant
locals have perfected their pubs,
and there’s no shortage of them to
be found along the coastline. Head
to The Jolly Fisherman in Craster, a
short hop from Bamburgh, where
worn leather sofas encircle an open
fireplace, views stretch out to sea
and chef Kevin Mulraney serves
gastropub grub with standout
crab dishes. The village also lays
claim to the best kippers on the
coast: family-run L Robson &
Sons has been curing fish for four
generations and sells a selection
of smoked seafood from a wooden
hut on the harbour. For something
more upmarket, try The Craster
Seafood Restaurant, where kippers
are served with seasonal sides.
DAY ONE CASTLES & COASTLINE
From left: Dunstanburgh
Castle as seen from the
dunes at Embleton Bay; the
impressive Billiard Room at
Bamburgh Castle
PUFFINS
From April to July, more
than 55 ,000 puffins descend
on the islands off the coast
to breed. This is the best
time to see the fluffy black
heads of pufflings poking
up out of nests, while adults
can be seen with sand eels
hanging from their beaks.
SEALS
Thousands of Atlantic
grey seals call the
Northumberland Coast
home year-round with pups
best seen in November
when they’re at their
fluffiest. Inquisitive and
friendly, seals follow behind
boats to pop up when you
least expect it.
LUMPSUCKERS
Go diving in early summer
and you’ll likely encounter
lumpsuckers, a fish as
fantastic as the name
suggests, that wobbles
through the North Sea as
if drunk. They thrive in the
reefs here, sharing the water
with lobsters, crabs and
spotted rays.
ROE DEER
You’ll likely spy the white
rear of a roe deer darting
into the long meadow
grass or bracken on
Holy Island. These tiny
animals stand less than a
metre tall, bucks clearly
distinguishable from does
by small, forked antlers.
DOLPHINS
Sightings of bottlenose
dolphins are becoming
increasingly common off the
coast of Northumberland.
Look for unusual ripples
on the surface of the
ocean, with dense flocks
of seabirds circling slowly
overhead. Watch long
enough and you might spot
dolphins leaping from the
water to catch herring.
Wildlife to spot
TOP FIVE
JUL/AUG 2022 51
