Northumberland Coast Path & Castles

This is our second walking holiday with Inntravel and it didn't disappoint. All accommodation is of a very good standard and everyone in the hotels and B&B were very helpful and friendly, especially Audrey at Greycroft in Alnwick, where we had a most enjoyable stay. We had an excellent holiday, and would recommend Inntravel.

The Northumberland coastal walk is stunning in its scenery and castles. We were very fortunate to have sunny weather for the whole time we were there. The day inland in Alnwick is really worth it for the castle and town. However the Alnwick gardens were a disappointment due to the time of year we visited and lack of flowers etc in bloom. The extra day to go to Lindisfarne is really worth it!

By default these days were ideal for the times of low tides, which allowed us to do all the beach walk alternatives. We hadn't realised this would be an option until we saw the detailed routes (which we accept others might have considered in advance). It may be something that could be mentioned  in the initial outline of the holiday. We were lucky enough to see Ringed Plovers on the beach at Alnmouth. We'd looked up the tides for Lindisfarne once we knew the dates that we could be accommodated and were therefore able to choose this option from Beadnell Towers. We managed to visit Bamburgh Castle too, during the day before our first night.

The whole holiday from the suggested routes, the chosen hotels and ideas for places to eat, made it a very enjoyable experience.

A very well put-together holiday in a sadly under-visited and under-appreciated part of the country: gentle walking, lovely coastal scenery, pleasant towns and villages, a variety of comfortable and stylish  accommodation with uniformly excellent breakfasts, and the opportunity to take in five castles in as many days. The only problem was the weather, which of course Inntravel cannot control: our two days of sun were balanced by two days of driving rain (outside a swimming pool, we have never been wetter than when we arrived to Audrey's wonderful welcome at Greycroft in Alnwick) and we felt we were getting more than our share of cold northerly wind as well. The weather militated against the opportunities for the more exciting nature watching, but they could have been another major part of the trip. In spite of the wind and rain, it was stll a week we will look back on with great pleasure.  

Another wonderful, stress free holiday courtesy of Inntravel - thankyou 

 strongly recommend

-boat trip to the Farne islands April- July if you want to see nesting birds such as puffins artic terns/gullimots

- getting English heritage membership for the year to allow maximum opportunity to enjoy all the castles etc with the free admission

- make the option to leave car at Beadnall on 1st day and transfer to Warkworth more obvious.

I had a wonderful time on my trip to Northumberland with InnTravel! Northumberland was so beautiful, and the walking routes provided allowed me to see the area in a way I'm not sure I would have been able to see it otherwise. I am a total walking convert now! This was my first trip doing anything like this, and the InnTravel routes were accurate, in terms of their directions and in terms of difficulty. Each day on the Grade 1 was active enough to stratch that itch but easy enough so I wasn't exhausted at the end of the day, and I got back to my hotels in plenty of time to relax before dinner. The sites along the route were all interesting, but to be honest they were secondary to the views. All of the accomodations were great, as were the suggested restaurants and pubs. I will definitely be booking another trip with InnTravel soon. 

We had a great time in Northumberland. A beautiful area of the country with wide open beaches and skies with quiet peaceful places. The welcomes we received were lovely, everyone was very friendly and helpful.

The walks were just right. The weather was a little grey and cloudly to begin with but as the week progressed the sun came out and the countryside looked beautiful. One of the highlights of our trip was the walk in Hulne Park. We had an extra night at Greycroft and we are so pleased that gave us the oppurtunity to visit the park.

We enjoyed seeing the atmospheric castles from the outside and visited Bamborough Castle which was very interesting.

We intend to visit Northumberland again in the future.

Very much enjoyed this my first walking holiday. Being able to walk along the beaches with the tide out was a special treat. The Hulne Park circuit in Alnwick was also very special, with the beautiful woods and no noise, just nature at its best.

Coastal walks were stunning-we were very lucky with the weather! Hotels were all very comfortable. Having walked from Warkworth to Alnwick, a bath at The Cookie Jar was like heaven! The staff in the hotels were all very friendly and helpful.

Highlights:

Plenty of good places to eat locally in all three locations.

Hauxley Nature Reserve.

The Alnwick Gardens.

Billy Shiel's Farne Island & Lindisfarne boat trip.

We have always wanted to visit this beautiful and very historic area and was not disappointed; it has also spurred us on to trying out further UK locations with Inntravel. All the arrangements worked perfectly and, as usual, the choice of accommodation was excellent. The walking routes were not onerous and often led to stunning beaches. We were also delighted to see such good public transport (and well referenced in the guidance notes) which enabled us to change our itinerary when the weather was a tad wet! Such a friendly area too as we met many fellow travellers. 

This is a great walking holiday for those looking for open skies, empty beaches and scenic walks, without hills and with little chance of going astray. There is interest in the castles, birds and small seaside villages and towns. The boat trip was a good experience with a good commentary and time taken to see the seals and seabirds. Time on Lindisfarne limited and very few options for coffee or melas there so worth booking ahead for castle or priory and taking own food so you can do justice to one of those iconic attractions. We also managed a day at Cragside from Alnwick using bus there and taxi return. Bus service along the coast is great.   

The hotels offer great food, particularly the cookie jar and Beadnall towers and the included meals were exceptional. Another great holiday Thank you Inntravel 

Perhaps we were lucky with the weather and tides (could Inntravel perhaps provide more information on the tides?) but we walked along the beach every day apart from Alnwick. It was sunny and magical. We decided to do a boat trip to Lindisfarne from Seahouses which was excellent taking in the Farne Islands with seals and some birds. Billy Shiels gave an excellent trip and would recommend it to everyone. We had 2 hours on Lindisfarne. There were some lovely tea shops in Amble and Alnmouth.

This holiday provides a great balance of manageable walking with sight seeing. Alnwick Gardens are not to be missed. We really appreciated a restful cup of tea in the garden at the Cookie Jar afterwards. The food there was top quality. The highlight of our stay was the boat trip round the Farne Islands where we saw gannets diving - so exciting.

This trip was a great balance of beautiful old towns, charming accommodation, good food, wonderful beach, dune, and farm land walks, and fascinating castles. The mix in the itinerary keep every day refreshing.

What a brilliant holiday! We were so impressed with the quality of the accommodation, service and food. The walking was terrific and we enjoyed the option to walk along the beaches when the tide was out. The route guidance was spot on and we very much appreciated the additional recommendations of sights to see and places to eat, as well as the historical notes for background. 

A really excellent holiday with spectacular views and lovely beach walks. The hotels were all excellent, and we really cannot fault the overall experience.

A very interesting itinerary with the magnificent Northumbrian coastline and its castles. Excellent hotels en route with hearty suppers. 

HIGHLIGHTS & TIPS: Enjoyed the short walk from Warkworth to Amble along the riverside with interesting sculptures. There is a TSB cash link in the high street there. Alnwick Castle Gardens. The Cookie Jar was outstandingly good with a warm, welcoming staff. Barter Books the quirky secondhand bookshop at the old station. Walking amongst the wildflowers alongside the sand dunes. A tasty lunch with a cool cider at The Ship Inn at Newton by the Sea. 

We did back to back walking tours and each was different but exceptional. After a few tours we have stopped expecting something to go wrong. As usual all arrangements went like clockwork. There was new staff at a couple hotels that were not familiar with Inntravel arrangements but this was easily sorted out and there were no other problems. If there has been rain before walking the Trails of the Riverbank, it will be very muddy in numerous places. If the tides are in your favor do walk the beaches on the Northumberland Coast and Castles. Very enjoyable walking in both areas.

Lovely range of castles, easy walking with a variety of interests served

Three excellent hotels staffed by very friendly helpful people. Bedrooms comfortable and good food. Good suggestions for walks and visits. Another very enjoyable holiday. Thank you.

The Village Tearooms in Alnmouth was delightful. All the castles were fascinating to explore. We saw wobbly lambs and calves as we walked to Alnwick, and magical windswept sands along the beach en route to Bamburgh. Low tide beach walks were a balm and early spring meant that the blackthorn blossoms and daffodils and blue scilla were everywhere.

reliable accommodation and food

The 3rd time I've booked with InnTravel and once again the attention to detail and planning were top notch. The hotels chosen by InnTravel were wonderful and luggage transfers went without a hitch. A lovely relaxing holiday. 

Holy Island is a must experience! It is a very special place which shouldn't be missed - be careful though when the tide is high all the businesses closed! Be careful - bring supplies! 

We had not visited Northumberland before and loved the wide open spaces, rolling fields, castles and the many birds. It is well worth spending time visiting Alnwick castle and Bamburgh as both use modern technology as well as traditional ways to convey their interesting history. We would recommend taking an extra day to see Holy Island as we did, to allow sufficient time to see this as well.

Great opportunity to see the sand dune flora. Beautiful views.

This holiday has everything - fascinating history, amazing wildlife, easy coastal walking, great places to stay and good food. There were many highlights - Hauxley Nature Reserve, the coastal walking, Alnwick Garden - the rose garden was magnificent, full of colour and perfume, the castles. Our walk on the northern shore of Lindisfarne was accompanied by the sound of the singing seals which was simply magical, so glad we booked the extra day to go there.

A most enjoyable walking holiday in a beautiful part of the country. It was extremely well-organised but at the same time very flexible. This was my first trip with Inntravel but it certainly won't be my last.

Excellent holiday that met all expectations.  Would recommend this route with minor exception.  Last day Craster to Bamburgh is much better walking on the beach (if the tide is out!!) than following the exact route of the coastal path.

The walking was brilliant. The beaches were stunning and being able to walk most of the way along them at the water's edge was a definite highlight. The castles gave a real sense of history and Dunstanburgh was a highlight for us with a very special atmosphere.

Quick tip: It's always worth checking whether restaurants will take bookings as sometimes the info provided can be out of date.

The weather was wonderful!

Recommend the walk in Hulne Park, Alnwick

This was another excellent Inntravel holiday. Some highlights were the flowers (cranesbill and orchids) in the dunes between Hauxley and Amble, three long walks on near-deserted beaches, sitting on a seat to the north of Seahouses looking out at the Farne Islands eating crab baguettes, lunch on a seat at the Emmanual Head Daymark on Holy Island where we were at last free from traffic noise.

Before the holiday we spent some time on the web and phone choosing and booking restaurants in Warkworth and Alnwick. This was time well spent. Our booking for a Saturday evening special at Bertram's in Warkworth was cancelled because of a staff shortage but the hotel was able to fit us in. Their food was reasonable but the helpings too large. In Alnwick we ate in Caffé Tirreno (they do take phone reservations and are open on Monday evenings), Sherkhan and Lilburns. All were welcoming, friendly and with excellent food. Beadnell Towers is very dog friendly. People who prefer to keep their distance from canine guests at meal times, including breakfast, should ask to be seated in the restaurant rather than the bar.

Overall a very beautiful area and the walking was generally fairly easy. Accommodation was good, food wonderful. 

An excellent and well organised walking holiday - the hotels were very welcoming and the walking was excellent with very detailed notes. We would definitely recommend this holiday.

A very enjoyable holiday, with a good mixture of coastal & farmland walking. The Northumberland coastline is stunning & this walk gives the opportunity to explore it, in all its glory. Very little road walking & lots of wildlife on view. The hotels we stayed in were very good quality & the day spent in Alnwick provides a different option mid-walk. Overall, one of our favourite holidays & will definitely look to book something else in the near future.

All in all, a wonderful holiday!  We were so grateful for the route suggestions and detailed guidance that allowed us to make the most of six glorious days in this beautiful part of the world.  

Very enjoyable holiday, with beautiful countryside and beaches.

It was well worth upgrading to the Cookie Jar. The highlights for our holiday were unquestionably our two nights in Alnwick at the Cookie Jar, Alnwick Castle & Gardens, Lindisfarne and the walk from Warkworth to Alnmouth. ( The weather played an important part - our walk from Craster to Beadnell was spoilt by the very strong winds from the North.)

You may wish to investigate the Dunstanburgh Castle Hotel at Embleton as an alternagive/upgrade to Beadnell Towers for those who prefer a more peaceful atmosphere.

Perfect introduction to Northumberland's beaches and castles. Greycroft is an outstanding b&b and was a highlight. Evening meals in Anwick (particularly the first evening) should be booked in advance. Sunday and Monday nights in particular as many places are closed. Don't miss the wonderful Barter Books in Alnwick. We were pleased to have an extra day in Anwick for the Garden and Castle and in Beadnell for the amazing Farne Islands.

All the hotels were excellent with very friendly staff, comfortable rooms and great locations. The suggested walks were great with plenty of details to prevent us from getting lost. Both taxi drivers were punctual & very friendly. All in all everything ran like clockwork and to plan. Would highly recommend Mumbai Flavours Indian restaurant in Alnwick for a delicious curry. Alnwick gardens, including the Poison Garden tour, was also a highlight, as was Barter Books also in Alnwick. The Grace Darling Museum in Bamburgh was really interesting & Billy Shiel's 90min Grey Seal Cruise trip around the Farne Islands was brilliant.

A great holiday, made better by good weather! Daily distances were comfortable giving us time to explore en route. Interesting destinations and delightful scenery.

We found Lindisfarne a little underwhelming and crowded. despite that a very enjoyable holiday with wonderful wildlife, walking, history and interest. In particular we found the locals incredibly friendly and willing to chat and very helpful with advice, directions and general support.