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Northumberland Coast Path & Castles - Short Break

Land of wild beaches & mighty fortresses
 
Experience the tranquillity of the Northumberland coast on this self-guided, hotel-to-hotel walking holiday, with luggage transfers included. You stay in high-quality accommodation, and enjoy leisurely routes that visit iconic castles and unspoiled beaches. There’s even time to take a boat trip to spot wildlife on the Farne Islands.
Price from
£620pp
Northumberland Coast Path & Castles - Short Break. 4 nights
Price from
£620pp
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
Price from
£620pp
Northumberland Coast Path & Castles - Short Break. 4 nights
Price from
£620pp
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
 

Holiday information

 

A walking holiday in Northumberland

Seabirds swirling above you, waves crashing in the distance and a broad sweep of golden sand glinting ahead – walking along the Northumberland coast is an uplifting experience.

This is a sparsely populated corner of the country where, away from the bustling fishing villages, the landscapes feel wild and remote. Enigmatic ruins punctuate the shoreline, and a great variety of wildlife can be seen off the coast – from waders and wildfowl in the summer months to the inquisitive grey seals of the autumn.
Our 4-night break combines superb walking along the Northumberland Coast Path with leisurely countryside trails – beginning in the medieval market town of Alnwick. Here, there’s a magnificent castle and garden to explore, while the neat landscapes of nearby Hulne Park provide a rewarding contrast with the coastal scenery that follows. From shimmering bays to atmospheric castles and the chance to enjoy a wildlife-spotting boat trip to the Farne Islands, there are highlights aplenty – one of which is the warm welcome you receive at our friendly and high-quality accommodation.

To complete your Northumbrian adventure, we recommend adding an extra night at the end of your holiday to visit the Holy Island of Lindisfarne.
 
Gallery

 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.

    East England is less prone to rain than the west, but you should always be prepared for wet weather. The breeding season for seabirds is from spring to late summer, with large numbers of puffins on the Farne Islands between April and late July.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 6 7 9 11 14 16 19 18 16 13 9 7
    mm 46 39 40 52 48 56 57 59 47 54 49 46
  • Arrival in Alnwick
    Night 1: at Greycroft (the first of two nights here). Alternatively, upgrade to The Cookie Jar.
    As your first night’s accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of walking.
  • Choice of routes from Alnwick: 5 or 11km (3 or 7 miles)
    On your full day in Alnwick, we highly recommend visiting the magnificent castle, home to the Dukes of Northumberland and star of the silver screen – the castle has famously featured as Hogwarts in two Harry Potter films, and has played a part in many other productions.

    We also provide notes for two circular walks, each offering a different perspective of the surrounding countryside:

    The Alnwick Garden: 5km (3 miles), 2hrs; ascent/descent 70m
    Adjacent to the castle is The Alnwick Garden, an exciting and ambitious 21st-century garden planted on the site of a long-forgotten plot. The current Duchess of Northumberland led the redevelopment, and installed such popular features as the Poison Garden, where you can learn more about the world’s deadliest plants on a guided tour. From here, our route crosses the Aln and meanders through river pastures to the Lion Bridge, which enjoys an excellent view of the castle. Return to Alnwick via tranquil meadows.

    Hulne Park: 11km (7 miles), 3.5hrs; ascent/descent 200m
    For those who prefer a longer walk, we suggest a circuit through scenic Hulne Park, designed by the celebrated landscape gardener, Capability Brown, and the only one of the three parks that originally surrounded the castle to survive today. The neat landscapes of this former ducal hunting ground offer a fabulous contrast to the coastal scenery you will encounter later in the holiday, and within the park you will find the ruins of ancient Hulne Priory, and the Brizlee Tower, an elaborate folly which dates from the 1780s.
    Alnwick's mighty castle
    Explore the surrounding countryside
    The Alnwick Garden: 5km
    Hulne Park: 11km
  • Alnwick to Beadnell: 13km (8 miles), 4hrs; ascent/descent 55m
    Today, you journey to the coast, calling first at the famous ‘kipper village’ of Craster before joining the Northumberland Coast Path for one of its finest sections. The highlights now come thick and fast: atmospheric Dunstanburgh Castle – among the most photographed ruins in the country; the generous sweep of shimmering Embleton Bay; and the acclaimed Ship Inn at secluded Low Newton, renowned for its superb seafood and on-site microbrewery. At day’s end, you reach Beadnell Towers, a beautiful boutique hotel where you spend your final two nights.
    Embleton Bay
    Alnwick to Beadnell: 13km
  • Beadnell to Bamburgh Castle: 10.5km (6.5 miles), 3.5hrs; ascent 70m/descent 60m; longer option: 14.5km (9 miles), 5hrs
    In keeping with the rest of the holiday, your last day is packed with interest. Our recommended walking route begins with a short stretch to the popular fishing village of Seahouses, from where you can choose to take a boat trip (weather dependent) to see the inquisitive seals and incredible seabird colonies of the Farne Islands. From Seahouses, our route continues to the Armstrong family’s impressive home, Bamburgh Castle. Once you have toured this imposing fortress – one of the largest inhabited castles in the country – it’s well worth calling into Bamburgh village to visit the small, modern museum which tells the inspiring story of local heroine Grace Darling. Return to Beadnell by bus or, for a longer walk, continue on foot to Budle Bay, whose seemingly endless golden sands are a paradise for wading birds. The return leg from Budle Bay to Beadnell is also by bus.

    Visit Lindisfarne
    Alternatively, Beadnell lies within easy reach of Lindisfarne, which – tides permitting – you can access by car or taxi. The ‘Holy Island’ is home to a number of places of historic interest, not least of which are the ruins of the priory founded by St Aidan and St Cuthbert, and the museum dedicated to the famous Lindisfarne Gospels (now in the British Museum). We provide notes for a circular walk (7.5km/4.5 miles, 2.5hrs) around the island, passing the medieval castle (redesigned by Sir Edwin Lutyens) and the gardens (laid out by Gertude Jekyll) before heading on to see the wildlife that inhabits the dunes of the northern coast.
    Bamburgh Castle
    The Holy Island of Lindisfarne
    Beadnell to Bamburgh Castle: 10.5km
    Beadnell to Budle Bay: 14.5km
 

Accommodation

Both of our hand-picked places to stay offer a typically warm Northumbrian welcome.

We offer an upgrade option in Alnwick. Whichever accommodation you choose, we recommend an extra night here for time to visit both Alnwick Castle and Garden, and to enjoy our walking route in Hulne Park.
 

Extend your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
Currency converter

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  • 4 nights: 01 March 2025 - 31 October 2025

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    1 - 31 Mar 2025 n/a £620 £225
    1 Apr - 31 May 2025 n/a £655 £250
    1 Jun - 30 Sep 2025 n/a £690 £265
    1 - 27 Oct 2025 n/a £650 £250
    3rd & 4th person discount -£40 to -£60
    Single traveller supplement £40 to £60
    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, and any connecting travel detailed below.

    Included travel: transfer Beadnell-Alnwick (if driving) OR from Alnmouth railway station to Alnwick

    Please note: dogs are not permitted on Inntravel holidays

  • 4 nights, staying at The Cookie Jar: 01 March 2025 - 31 October 2025

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    1 - 31 Mar 2025 £915 £460
    1 - 30 Apr 2025 £980 £490
    1 - 31 May 2025 £1010 £490
    1 Jun - 31 Jul 2025 £1055 £515
    1 Aug - 30 Sep 2025 £1025 £500
    1 - 25 Oct 2025 £990 £490
    3rd & 4th person discount -£40 to -£60
    Single traveller supplement £40 to £60
    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, and any connecting travel detailed below.

    Included travel: transfer Beadnell-Alnwick (if driving) OR from Alnmouth railway station to Alnwick

    Please note: dogs are not permitted on Inntravel holidays

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Beadnell Towers, Beadnell
    'Delightful': 01 Mar - 31 Oct 2025 £30
    'Heritage': 01 Mar - 31 Oct 2025 £55

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Greycroft, Alnwick (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 Mar - 31 Oct 2025 £101 £133
    Beadnell Towers, Beadnell (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 Mar - 31 Mar 2025 £145 £268
    01 Apr - 31 May 2025 £155 £285
    01 Jun - 31 Aug 2025 £170 £325
    01 Sep - 31 Oct 2025 £150 £280

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Beadnell Towers, Beadnell
    'Delightful': 01 Mar - 31 Oct 2025 £30
    'Heritage': 01 Mar - 31 Oct 2025 £55

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    The Cookie Jar, Alnwick (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 Mar - 31 Oct 2025 £175 £350
    Beadnell Towers, Beadnell (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 Mar - 31 Mar 2025 £145 £268
    01 Apr - 31 May 2025 £155 £285
    01 Jun - 31 Aug 2025 £170 £325
    01 Sep - 31 Oct 2025 £150 £280
  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Where a price range is given, the price you pay depends on your date of travel.

    Connecting travel options - via Alnmouth

    Outward route Price per person Latest
    arrival time
    taxi Alnmouth station to hotel (0h15) included flexible
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Alnmouth station (0h45) £16 flexible

    Connecting travel options - via Berwick station

    Outward route
    not recommended in this direction
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Berwick station (0h45) £30 flexible
What is included
  • 4 nights
  • 2 dinners
    4 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
  • taxi between first and last hotels (if driving)
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

All 13 reviews
  • Anon
    18 July 2024

    OK. 

  • Ms J Williams
    Bath
    25 June 2024

    The Cookie Jar was exceptional. We were very lucky with the weather and combined with the detailed notes and routes really feel we got to see Northumberland. 

  • Trixie
    17 October 2023

    The village of Craster was perched in one of the many rugged corners of the coast and the local pub became our haven when we were unable to complete the intended walk due to the storm conditions. We certainly saw the sea at its most fierce and spectacular and were awe inspired to think of lifeboats and fishing vessels being caught up in such conditions. This is a wonderful coastline to explore and one we'll return to in the future.

  • Anon
    13 October 2023

    A lovely walk, with Capability Brown gardens holding a medieval priory and amazing beach walks dotted with abandoned castles. And at Beadnell Towers, cooking that is worthy of Michelin stars. Food is all locally sourced and cooked by an extraordinarily creative and passionate Head Chef and his team. 

  • Heather F
    11 August 2023

    A great holiday - thank you.

  • anon
    15 July 2023

    It was wonderful mix of beach, sand dunes and inland walking

  • Mr D Fisher
    Crediton
    27 June 2023

    We were delighted with the choice of accommodation, the food and the walking. Northumberland is somewhere we know and have always enjoyed, especially the history and atmosphere. We always think of it as friendly and welcoming - the only blemish was the unfriendliness of the two bus drivers we came into contact with (our feelings were shared by a number of other passengers). That was a shame. I'm sure they had their reasons for being so unwelcoming! We eat out at The Plough in Alnwick at your suggestion. Good value and food but somehow it missed the mark. We wouldnt describe it as a gastro pub.

  • Anon
    23 June 2023

    Dramatic coastline, glorious beaches and ancient history, all on one walk! 

  • Anon
    16 October 2022

    Highlights:

    The Cookie Jar

    Alnwick Castle

    The coastal walks

    Saltwater Cafe, Beadnell, great cake and soup

    The Copper Kettle, Bamburgh

    St Aidan's church and crypt, Bamburgh 

  • Mr R Merritt
    Southampton
    09 June 2022

    Using Sat Nav, our journey to Beadnell took us through the Tyne tunnel. We realized that it was a toll road and had our money ready, but having gone through the tunnel were informed that it all had to be done online. We were not sure that we could get internet access and being informed that if our toll was not paid within 24 hours or so we would be liable for a £100 fine. Fortunately the reception staff at Beadnell Towers were extremely helpful and managed to sort out our problem within a few minutes. Apparently this problem happens a lot to people who are not from that area. Perhaps a cautionary note in the travel instructions would be useful.

  • Mr G Robinson
    Reading
    22 May 2022

    Glorious coastal views and unspoilt countryside. A great holiday and we want to do it all again.  We found an application that tracked the buses which proved invaluable, since local services are provided by two different companies and timetables are not always clear.

  • Mr K Broadbent
    Whitchurch
    16 May 2022

    Another great Inntravel walking holiday. Cookie Jar in Alnwick was exceptional, worth the upgrade. Food was divine. Beach walks were fabulous, scenery was stunning! 

  • Anon
    23 March 2022

    The weather!!! We were very lucky. Fabulous beaches. Trip to the Farne Islands brilliant and we loved the walk from Craster to Beadnell. Nice to have quality hotels and friendly staff to come back to. 
 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • Yes, prior to going on holiday you will be able to download GPX tracks so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you use them – our detailed, step-by-step route notes remain the principal means of guiding you from A to B – but we provide them as a secondary means of navigation for additional reassurance when walking.
  • Yes, absolutely. Over the years, we have arranged a great many holidays in the UK for customers living in the USA, Canada, Australia and beyond.

    If you've never travelled with us before, it's worth reading the web pages which explain how we can cater for customers who live outside the UK. The main thing to bear in mind is that our tour operator's licence doesn't allow us to book flights that originate outside the UK, and nor are we able to book rail travel in the UK, so we can't make travel arrangements for you, other than pre-arranging taxis between the local railway station and the accommodation – see the ‘prices & travel’ section for the options available.

    For practical information about travelling to the UK, see the 'what do I need to know about travelling to England, Scotland and Wales?' question.
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • You are the best judge of your child’s/children’s capabilities. We are happy to take bookings for families of older children/teenagers if they walk regularly, love the outdoors and are comfortable with the distances and ascent/descent involved. Please note that the bedrooms at most of the accommodation we use will normally only sleep a maximum of 3 people, and sometimes only 2.
  • Unfortunately not. The Inntravel team includes many dog owners, but the extra considerations – such as whether taxi firms accept dogs for transfers to the start of walks, whether routes cross private land on which dogs are not allowed, and proximity to a vet’s – would add another layer of complexity to what are already quite complex holidays.
  • As a minimum, you will need a passport to enter the UK; requirements vary according to your nationality. It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. You’ll need to check requirements on the website of your own country’s government or that of the British government. Our essential travel information page provides links to websites where you can find out about the applicable requirements, along with general official travel advice.
     
    English is the most widely spoken of several official languages; in Wales, for example, Welsh has equal status. The currency is the British pound (Scotland issues its own bank notes, but Bank of England notes can be used in Scotland and vice versa). The UK follows Greenwich Mean Time during autumn and winter, but switches to British Summer Time (GMT + 1) from late March until late October.
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