Leeds to Alnmouth, Northumberland Coast - 2 nights in Summer
Itinerary At A Glance
2 day independent itinerary for Alnmouth and surrounds, based on driving from Leeds, in early September
Highlights include morning beach walk, hike around Bamburgh Castle and fish lunch at The Potted Lobster
Based on a group travelling, with a focus on leisurely outdoor and cultural activities, interspersed with time to just relax and soak up the atmosphere
Honest verdict
Did I enjoy the holiday? Does the place live up to expectations?
The charms of this massive county are rather spread out, from the AONB coastline in the east, to Kielder Water and Dark Sky Park in the middle, to Hadrian’s Wall on the northern border, but this, in fact, makes it an ideal place for short 2-night trips to sample a little of Northumberland each and every time.
Our focus this time was the Northumberland Coast National Landscape, staying in Alnmouth with a visit to The Potted Lobster in Bamburgh and I would say it exceeded our expectations in every way. What a gorgeous weekend.
Any venturing this far north will likely breeze though Northumberland on the way to Scotland, perhaps thinking there is nothing to see, but you won’t get any glimpse of the beauty of this county from the A1M. Firstly, the quality of the beaches is just outstanding. Wide, golden powdery sand, and quiet. They are such sterling examples, it’s hard to believe how quiet they are. We personally enjoy beaches for the views (rather than the swimming and the sunbathing), and these are beaches made for walks and running, and took our breath away as we happened upon one during a coastal walk. Secondly, there is somuch preserved history here. The villages along the coast are pretty well out of the way of heavy traffic, so they benefit from not being a throughway to anywhere else - you have to be going there to stumble upon one of these villages and their out-of-the-wayness has probably protected them from overtouristing or rampant modernisation. Alnmouth was like walking back in time; an idyllic little high street full of character and clearly recently rejuvenated to make the most of its historic charms for the modern traveller.
From start to finish, thoroughly recommended.
Did the itinerary work for the trip?
Absolutely. We travelled as a family group, and had just enough going on to give structure to the trip without overwhelming us. Perhaps better would have been to do a group activity on the Saturday afternoon, with dinner at The Potted Lobster rather than lunch.
Would I make another visit?
I would certainly visit Northumberland again, though would focus on another area.
Itinerary Details
WHEN
Early September
The start of the shoulder season. Best time for sunsets.
LIGHT & WEATHER
Moderate daylight, likely warm (not hot)
Sunrise: 06:12am
Sunset: 19:59pm
14 hours of daylight
TRAVEL MEANS
Car
Drive from Leeds takes about 2.5 hours
ACCOMMODATION
The Whittling House, Pub with Rooms
situated on a gorgeous little street running down to the beach
luxury and modern
well suited for a couple
slightly tricky parking
excellent on-site restaurant
a touch noisy due to it being a pub
Schedule
Day 1 - Friday
Drive in the evening, arrive and settle in at The Whittling House, Alnmouth
Dinner: at the Whittling House
Day 2 - Saturday
Lunch: The Potted Lobster, Bamburgh. Top notch fish restaurant
Hike: Walking loop around Bamburgh Castle & town, 14km
Dinner: The Joiners Arms
Day 3 - Sunday
Morning beach walk: there is a gorgeous stretch of golden sandy beach right at the bottom of the high street in Alnmouth. Late summer sees a hazy and fresh start to the morning, perfect for a morning beach stroll
Drive home
Back-up plans for rainy days
Visit inside of Bamburgh Castle - one of the most imposing and still fully functioning castles on the British Isles
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