Things to see and do around Alnmouth, Bamburgh & Alnwick
The ideal self-catering holiday cottage to rent as a base for:
- Fly fishing for sea trout & salmon on the Tyne, Tweed, Coquet and Aln
- Sea angling holiday from the beach or boat
- Golfing on links golf courses
- Walking and hiking holiday
- Cycling and mountain biking holiday
- Painting & drawing
- Castle & Country House visting holiday
- Garden visiting holiday (Alnwick Garden plus many others)
- Scuba diving and snorkeling holiday
- Bird watching and wildlife holiday
BILTON (Multimap link)
The hamlet of Bilton is one of a number of small rural communities on the mainland-side of the Alnmouth estuary. Set on a ridge above the coast road Bilton offers fantastic views over the River Aln estuary and the white beaches surrounding Alnmouth. Bilton lies about 3 miles south of Alnwick, on the road between Alnmouth and the A1.
ALNMOUTH
The small and very traditional seaside town of Alnmouth can be reached in 15 minutes walking and contains pubs, cafe, restaurants, gift shop, post office/newsagents and well-stocked deli-grocers shop - Alnmouth Grocers tel. 01665 830997.
The best access to the beach is from the end of the main street, from where it is possible to walk for several miles north towards Boulmer. A more remote beach lies on the south side of the estuary but can only be accessed from a track a mile or so out of Alnmouth driving south on the coast road towards Warkworth. From here it is possible to walk all the way to Warkworth and Amble entirely along the beach (subject to tides).
There are a number of pubs In Alnmouth, most of which serve food, The Anchor and Red Lion are two that we have tried and can recommend. There are a couple of small cafes and restaurants, including the very popular, Beaches. It is advisable to book, even out of season, but the family-run Beaches serves great Northumberland produce, including the best locally caught seafood. The restaurant is not licensed to sell alcohol but they are more than happy to serve you with your own, for a small corkage charge. More about The Beaches resaurant in Almouth tel. 01665 830006 or fromhttp://www.alnmouth.com/Members/Beaches/2a.htm
Alnmouth Golf Club's famous links course is open to visitors. It has 18 holes 6414 yards 5855 metres. S.S.S. 71 and is the fourth oldest Club in England. Highly regarded as one of the best courses in the North East of England Tel. 01665 830231.
LESBURY
The quiet hamlet of Lesbury is just 10 minutes walk from Bilton and sits on the River Aln, just upstream from Alnmouth itself. There is a traditional pub which serves food.
WARKWORTH
This small but very attractive town with a spectacular ruined castle is about 5 miles south of Alnmouth and Bilton on the coast road. There are plenty of pubs and a couple of restaurants. Access to the beach is through the sand dunes about half a mile out of town. More about Warkworth from http://www.alnwick-online.co.uk/Accta/VILLAGES/WWORTH.HTM
ALNWICK
About three miles from Bilton is Alnwick, a medium-sized, traditional market town with good amenities and shops, including a large supermarket. Driving from Bilton down the bank towards Alnmouth, you would turn left at the roundabout for Alnwick. A bus service goes every hour to Alnwick from Alnmouth Station. There is a footpath to Alnwick that utlises part of the disused railway line into the town. This walk can be accessed from the track at the head of the lane that runs behind Rose Cottage. An Ordinance Survey map is recommended and these can be purchased in Alnmouth. In the centre of town is Alnwick Castle, the seat of the Duke of Northumberland (the real Hogwarts) and the setting of the now famous Alnwick Gardens with the amazing new Tree House www.alnwickgarden.com. "Alnwick Town - voted the Best Place to live in Britain - best for beauty, for community, for affordability and quality of life" according to a nation wide survey carried out by Country Life Magazine 31st October 2002. More about Alnwick from http://www.alnwick-online.co.uk/
BAMBURGH CASTLE
Bamburgh Castle is probably the finest castle in England. It is perched on a basalt outcrop on the very edge of the North Sea at Bamborough, Northumberland, about 20 minutes drive north from Alnwick. http://www.bamburghcastle.com/
HOLY ISLAND (or Lindisfarne)
Accessed via a causway, only when the tide is out, Holy Island is about 30 minutes drive north of Alnwick. Northumberland County Council's Holy Island Tide Tables, which provide the official safe crossing times to the beautiful island also known as Lindisfarne. Please do not attempt to cross the causeway at any other time as the tide comes in very rapidly and is very dangerous. Click here to view the timetable :Holy Island Crossing Timetable http://www.northumberlandlife.org/holy-island/default.asp
Useful website links for information on the following activities in area around the Bilton and Alnmouth in Northumberland:
Fishing holidays on the sea and rivers Coquet, Tyne, Aln and Tweed
Golfing holidays on famous links courses
Walking holidays in the Cheviots, Keilder Forest or the Northumberland Coastal paths
The are is partcularly popular with dog owners and their dogs!
Cycling holidays on the national cycle route or the Northumberland Coastal paths
Painting holidays for wildlife and landscape artists
Castle & Country House holidays - Warkworth, Alnwick, Bamburgh, Dustanburgh castles
Garden holidays - Belsay, Cragside and Alnwick Garden
Scuba diving and snorkeling holidays at Beadnal Bay and the Farne Islands
Bird watching holidays - buzzards, kites and countless waders and sea birds
Boat trips to the Farne Islands are avialble from Seahouse harbour (webcam)
Pubs serving real ale from local Northumberland breweries
Restaurants serving locally caught seafood and Northumberland farm produce, Including the highly-reccomended Sportsman bar & restaurant in Embleton, as well as The Beaches and the Red Lion in Alnmouth.
Finlays Replica Fish Boulmer - quirky artisan workshop of interest to anglers and restaurateurs