Hire a campervan and explore Northumberland

There are many beautiful places you can visit within an hours drive from Newcastle. Explore Northumberland, one of the most beautiful counties in England. 

The magic of the North East English Coast

If you only have a few days and want a relaxing, stress-free break, why not stay around the Bamburgh-Seahouses area?

Seahouses is home to a variety of pubs and cafes, along with meandering beach walks.

Parking: There is a huge parking lot for campervans right in the centre of town off the main roundabout.  Get the parking app: paybyphone for Northumberland.  This can be used for all the main parking lots in the area.  In Seahouses, you can also use the machines on site.  You get your first hour of parking free either way, but you do need to log in, or obtain a physical ticket regardless. 

At the entrance to this parking lot, you will find tourist information and free toilets. When passing the tourist info window, look for the tide charts for Holy Island crossing times and take a photo of it, so you can refer to it later.

At the roundabout, you will find the fish and chip shops and ice cream vendors. 

If it is open, you can visit the RNLI lifeboat station.

To the left off the roundabout and downhill, you can access the harbour.  There are more food trailers, a pier, fishing boats and places where you can join boat trips to the Farne Islands. These famous islands are home to a variety of seabirds and seals.  If the weather is nice, these trips are highly recommended. 

From the roundabout, right and downhill, you will find a tiered seating area where you can eat your fish and chips while looking at the fishing boats. 

From the roundabout and along the main street hard right, there is a good size Co-op, where you can stock up on supplies.     

Alnwick Castle: 

As well as being the setting for the Harry Potter movie, there is a world class garden and treehouse restaurant. This fine, furnished castle is still home to the Percy family. Check their website for special family day events during the summer. Allow a few hours to visit everything they have to offer.

Alnwick town holds a famous used bookstore, Barter Books, housed in the old train station. Stop here for lunch in their quirky café and learn the story of how the phrase ‘Keep calm and carry on’ originated from here.

As you drive into the town you will pass ‘Barter Books’ on the left, it’s just past the ALDI supermarket.  https://www.barterbooks.co.uk/  don’t park there as the car park is too small so park in town and have a walk to it if you are keen on second hand books. Great little café inside and free loos.  Walk to the Castle and its well worth a look inside. Expensive but worth it.  https://www.alnwickcastle.com/

Chillingham Castle: 

Has the reputation as being the most haunted castle in England. This eccentric property is filled with items collected over the centuries from all over the world. It is as though you are in another decade and the owner has just stepped out of the room for a moment. See the well-equipped torture chamber and grand dining hall complete with elephant armour. When you’re done inside, put on your walking boots for the 15 minute walk across the field to see the only wild cattle left in the world today. The warden-led tour takes you as close as you can get to see these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat.

 

 

Bamburgh and its stunning castle: 

This small village centres around a village green, framed by two roads which converge into one and curve around to the castle, coast and Seahouses.  There are tearooms, pubs and a market garden shop in the summer.  

St Aiden’s church yard has the elaborate tomb of Grace Darling, the local heroine who bravely rowed out to save sailors during a terrible storm. Check out the old tombstones, weathered away by sand and rain. 

Parking: opposite the castle entrance. 

Toilets: portaloos in the parking area, and nicer ones before the church yard and across from the green.

Bamburgh Castle dates back to 1164, and is an imposing fortress which overlooks the golden sands of the beach.  A visit to the interior is highly recommended. For the best views of the castle, just before the green, is a road called the Wynding. Do not take the van down this road, as all the parking places have height restrictions and it is a narrow, dead end road. The view from the top is magnificent and you can walk back along the beach.

 http://www.bamburghcastle.com/

Budle Bay:  

An area of outstanding natural beauty. At low tide, wide swaths of golden sand are revealed, for peaceful strolls and bird watching. There are a couple of well positioned campsites where you can park up for the night. Warren Mill Campsite (nice site with a pub). http://www.meadowhead.co.uk/Waren-Home

 

Budle Bay campsite welcomes gocampervan guests so give them a call to see if they can accommodate you. The site is situated 2 miles north of the spectacular village of Bamburgh with its coastal castle dominating the 16 miles of golden sand dunes and beaches. Its also close to Holy Island and Lindisfarne. Seahouses is a short drive and offers boat trips to the Farne Islands with its amazing wildlife.

https://www.budlebaycampsite.co.uk/ 

Campsite office: Speak to Vicky / Dave or Peter. 01668 214598

 

Lindisfarne and Holy Island:  

A trip to Holy Island must be carefully planned. This historic island is surrounded by a fast moving tidal current which falls as dramatically as it rises. Road access is only possible during low tide. The tide tables can be accessed online. (Do not try to outrun an advancing tide). The tide comes in rapidly, deeply and cuts off the island completely, so it is imperative that you keep an eye on the time to avoid getting trapped.  If you try to outrun the tide, it is very likely that you will have to abandon vehicle and climb into the tiny rescue hut until they can airlift you out. The vehicle will be written off

http://holy-island.info/lindisfarnecastle/2017/

There is a small village, the ruins of Lindisfarne priory where St Cuthbert sheltered and promoted Christianity to England, and a museum. On the far end of the island is Lindisfarne Castle which is furnished with antiques.

There are many walks around the island, as well as shuttles for those who are a bit less able. A haven for birds, ducks, geese, seals and sea life, Holy Island is truly unique. Some nice pubs offer food.

Parking: Cross the causeway and follow to the right, until you come to the large parking area just outside the village.  It’s £4.50 for 3hrs and you can use cash, or the app. 

Toilets: follow the footpath to town and take you first left on Green Lane. There are toilets in the disabled parking / coach parking area.

You can walk towards the castle, which you can see from the end of Green lane. There you will find beach walks, and one of the old lime kilns.  Look in the surf for seals popping their heads up.  If you bring binoculars with you, you might see the seal colony enjoying the sun, across the water on the sandbar.

The village area is made up of a handful of criss-crossing lanes, with cafes, tourist shops and museums.  The far end is dominated with the ruins of Lindisfarne Priory, which was the seat of Christianity from the 600’s.