Bamburgh to Budle Bay.

Start. Bamburgh (Links Road car park).

Route. Bamburgh - Links Road - Bamburgh Cricket Field - Dunes - Islestone - Bamburgh Beach - Blackrocks Point - Budle Point - Newton Gun Emplacement - Budle Bay - Budle Point - Bamburgh Moor - The Wyndings - Bamburgh.

Notes. Pristine beaches backed by drifting dunes, picture perfect houses all dwarfed by the massive bastion of Bamburgh Castle, former seat of the Kings of Northumbria, capital of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom, within it’s walls 1.400 years of history. But we’re not here to explore the castle, done that got the tea shirt, we're here to explore the pristine beaches and coastal path, hidden coves and alluring Budle Bay.

We parked in the shadow of the castle walls, Links Road car park makes an ideal place to start exploring, although if you don’t fancy digging deep into your pockets there’s a couple of free car parks off The Wyndings, the road that leads to Bamburgh Castle Golf Club. We wandered passed the cricket field and war memorial, rounded the north end of the castle to access one of many paths cutting through the Dunes. After picking our way south a while we accessed the beach, to be greeted by the fast rising tide and lots of people enjoying fine winter weather.

We continued along the beach as far as a long finger of rock christened Islestone, here we sat a while contemplating where to head next. In the event we decided to head back over the sands, aim for a squat whitewashed building that turned out to be a lighthouse. The lighthouse sits on Blackrocks Point and has safely guided shipping round the point and between the Farne Islands since 1910. Behind the light house a narrow trod cut under the low cliffs and steep grassy slopes of Bamburgh Moor.

Fully aware the tide was rising we opted to follow this trod, a stunning stretch of path over rocky headlands and hidden sandy bays, when the route got decidedly dodgy we ascended over steep ground to access a much safer, if not as exciting cliff top path. Along the edge of Bamburgh Castle Golf Course we strolled, above Budle Point before descending to the remains of Newton Gun Emplacement, a relic of World War II.

From the concrete bunker guarding the entrance to Budle Bay we re traced our steps, the tide had filled the hidden bays we crossed earlier, making that option impossible, so we continued along the cliff tops. With a good path under foot and blue marker posts to guide us we wandered back, passed the golfers club house then over the tarmac of The Wynings, this narrow lane ushered us along the edge of the dunes, behind the cricket ground and club house, between housing and onto the main street of Bamburgh.

view route map.

home.

Bamburgh Castle, a fortification has dominated this site since Anglo-Saxon times when it was the capital of the kingdom of Northumbria, the current structure dates from the 1500's.

From the dunes to the rear of Bamburgh Castle views to Blackrocks Point.

Stunning views across Bamburgh Beach from Islestone.

Looking south to the small seaside resort and port of Seahouses.

Stunning dune backed beaches of the Northumberland coast.

Inner Farne as seen from Bamburgh Beach.

The fast rising tide at Bamburgh.

Bamburgh Castle seen from near Blackrocks Point.

Wonderful seascapes, golden beaches and shifting dunes all dominated by the mighty bastion of Bamburgh Castle.

Secret bays and rocky headlands, a coastline ravaged by nature and steeped in history.

The lighthouse at Blackrocks Point.

North towards Budle Bay from Bamburgh Lighthouse.

The mouth of Budle Bay with Holy Island (Lindisfarne) across the horizon.

Near Newton Gun Emplacement looking across stunning Budle Bay.

Budle Point as seen from Newton Gun Emplacement.

Across the horizon the holy island of Lindisfarne.

Views along the ragged joint between land, sea and sky.

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