Excursions

Things to do, places to go

Beaches

Alnmouth Beach
Alnmouth’s wide sandy beach stretches out north of the Aln estuary towards Boulmer. Big Skies, wide vistas and backed by the pictureque village of Alnmouth.
4 miles from Alnwick

Bamburgh Beach
A big sandy beach backed by dunes and in the shadow of Bambugh Castle.
17 miles from Alnwick

Beadnell Bay
An arced sandy dune-backed bay with a picturesque harbour. A popular beach for kitesurfers.
14 miles from Alnwick

Sandham Bay
On the northern coastline of Holy Island and only accessible on foot over the dunes, Sandham Bay is one of two beautiful and isolated beaches on the north of the island. You’ll need to check the tide tables for when the causeway road is open.
28 miles from Alnwick

Into the Wild

Farne Islands
Sailings from Seahouses harbour
The chance to sail around or land on the Farne Islands. Lighthouses, seabirds and seals.
16 miles from Alnwick

Coquet Island
Sailings from Amble harbour
The seabird sanctuary of Coquet Island is just a mile’s boat trip from Amble harbour. You can’t land, but you can get a good view of the colonies of puffins, terns and eider duck nesting here in the summer, as well as island’s year around seal colony.
9 miles from Alnwick
Web: Dave Gray’s Puffin Cruises | Facebook: @puffincruisesamble

Chillingham Wild Cattle
Join a guided tour to encounter the world’s last remaining herd of wild cattle who’ve roamed around Chillingham for over 800 years. Around 100 of these untamed and pure-bred survivors of the ancient wild herd which one roamed Britain remain.
Web: chillinghamwildcattle.com

Into the City

Newcastle
Take the train (from Alnmouth, 30 minutes) or bus (from Alnwick, 90 minutes) into Newcastle.

Edinburgh
You can reach Edinburgh from Alnmouth in just over an hour.

On the rails again

Aln Valley Railway
Lionheart Railway Station, Alnwick (SatNav: NE66 2HT)
A trip on a re-opened one mile section of the old branch line towards Alnmouth from Alnwick’s new enthusiast-built Lionheart station on the outskirts of the town towards Greenrigg Halt.
(The original line into Alnwick was severed by the A1(M) and the town’s old station now hosts Barter Books).
Web: www.alnvalleyrailway.co.uk | @AlnValleyRail

Newcastle & Edinburgh by rail
You can travel into the heart of Newcastle (30 minutes away) or Edinburgh (60 minutes away) for a day’s city sightseeing from Alnmouth station.
Check travel times at www.nationalrail.co.uk.