Tuesday 2nd May 2023
We were up early, it was overcast, and it was on with our proper walking kit.
We decided we’d probably be knackered at the end of the walk, so…we’d treat ourselves to dinner at the Craster Arms in Beadnell.
The rough plan, was to walk from Beadnell to Seahouses, maybe get a boat from Seahouses around the Farne islands, and then walk onto Bamburgh, and depending on time, get the bus back or walk back.
We set off along the deserted beach at Beadnell, it’s just across from the campsite, and when we stepped onto the sand, I counted nine people, including us on the beach, mostly dog walkers.
It’s a nice walk along the beach towards Seahouses, when you get there, you need pass through the local golf course to get into town, or step off onto the main road.
Seahouses is very pretty, it’s a busy harbour area, with a lot of pleasure boats taking folks to see seabirds and seals, we arrived around 10am, and there were crowds around the boats, after a bag of hot doughnuts, we decided that we’d maybe come back and do the boat tour, we were on one last year from North Berwick and it was a great experience.
We wandered further around Seahouses, managed to miss Scotty’s the butchers which was on our list of “must visit” places, however we did pick up a couple of fridge magnets.
Onwards to Bamburgh then!
The England Coast Path tracks alongside the beach, it was a bit busier, but never more than double-digits in terms of people on the sand.
About the only thing you see on the beach here is seaweed, never things like crab bits or jellyfish, not sure why.
After several miles, where the castle appeared and disappeared behind the sizable dunes, finally we clambered through the dunes, and Bamburgh castle loomed into view.
It’s an impressive structure, perched atop a rocky outcrop, and very much still in use today.
We wandered around what little there is to Bamburgh, and settled on the Copper Kettle for lunch, I had an amazing Ploughman’s Lunch, which may have been intended for two to share…and Gayle had a quiche.
We pondered getting the X18 bus which connects the towns along the coast, but opted to walk back.
We’d read advice that it’s easier walking from south to north, and yes, heed that advice, the sun and wind make it a tougher proposition, we wandered along the Coast Path, one thing I did learn was how much protection the dunes provide from the cold wind.
On the way back, it was decided that we’d be too tired to go to the Craster Arms, so…we’d get a tasty chippie from the van we’d spotted parked not far from the site.
Alas, no, the chippie van was closed! yes…it said Monday, Tuesday, but no, they weren’t open…fortunately we had some food in the van, and after rustling under the big bench seat and in the fridge, cobbled together some pasta and chips…
That night, we were both asleep by around 9pm…
I really enjoyed the walk.