Trek Notes - England

Northumberlands Coast of Castles


Northumberland’s Coast of Castles


General Information

Northumberland’s coast is famous for its wild, unspoilt beauty with long beaches of golden sand, quaint little fishing villages, spectacular castles perched on rocky headlands and abundant birdlife. Constantly fought over by the English and the Scots, Berwick-upon-Tweed changed hands no less than 14 times in 300 years - the massive curtain walls and gateways encircling the town are unique in Britain and are amongst the finest ramparts in Europe. From Berwick the trail meanders along beaches of golden sand to the tidal causeway linking Holy Island with the mainland. From here there is a choice of routes onto the
Island to explore the village, priory and castle – over the causeway or barefoot across the sands on the Pilgrim’s Way, marked by a line of barnacle-encrusted poles. Holy Island has an illustrious history. It was here that St. Aidan founded a monastery that became a major centre of Christianity, learning and artistry, as exemplified by the Lindisfarne Gospels.


Travel Information
Total Distance: 61 miles (98km)
Duration: 7 nights, 6 walking days
Minimum/maximum daily distances: 7 miles (11km)/13 miles (21km)
Season: All year
Starting point of holiday: Berwick-upon-Tweed
End of holiday: Amble
Most convenient major city and International airports: (1) Newcastle or (2) Edinburgh.
(1) There are fast and frequent trains from Newcastle to Berwick-upon-Tweed.   The journey takes 45 minutes.
(2) There are fast and frequent trains from Edinburgh to Berwick-upon-Tweed.   The journey takes 50 minutes.
Outward journey from London to Berwick-upon-Tweed: There are fast and frequent trains from London Kings Cross to Berwick-upon-Tweed. The journey takes 4 hours.
Return journey to London at the end of the holiday: Bus from Amble to Alnmouth railway station (20 minutes), then train to London Kings Cross (3 hours 45 minutes).
Travelling by car: Secure parking is available in Berwick-upon-Tweed.   To return to your car at the end of the trail, either catch a bus from Amble to Berwick-upon-Tweed (1hr 30 minutes) or a train (20 minutes).

Itinerary
Day 1: Travel to Berwick-upon-Tweed

Day 2: Berwick-upon-Tweed to Holy Island.13 miles (21km)

Day 3: Holy Island to Belford.13 miles (21km)

Day 4: Belford to Seahouses.10 miles (16km)

Day 5: Seahouses to Embleton.8 miles (13km)

Day 6: Embleton to Alnmouth.10 miles (16km)

Day 7: Alnmouth to Amble.7 miles (11km)

Day 8: Depart Amble

Accommodation & Meals
7 nights accommodation in en-suite rooms with private bathrooms (where available) in selected hotels, inns and guesthouses along the trail. Traditional cooked breakfast

What’s Included
Door to door luggage transfer.
Maps with the route marked on and a guidebook describing the trail.
An information pack containing an itinerary, instructions on how to find your accommodation each night, town plans, information about facilities and places of interest along the trail and a kit list.
Detailed travel instructions on how to get to the start of your holiday and back from the end of it.
Emergency assistance.

Extra nights/Rest days
There is plenty to see and do in Berwick-upon-Tweed. A walk around the ramparts offers a succession of fine views out to sea, across the River Tweed and over the red roofs of the town elegant Georgian mansions. Buildings of interest include the 18th century Town Hall, with its 150ft high steeple where the curfew bell is still rung each evening. The Town Hall still retains its original jailhouse now housing the Cell Block Museum. The Holy Trinity Church is one of a handful of churches built during the Commonwealth. The absence of a tower reflects Cromwell's view that towers were irreligious. The 18th century barracks house the Borough Museum and Art Gallery. Also of interest is the Wine and Spirit Museum that incorporates a Victorian Chemist Shop and pottery.

Holy Island is a good choice for a rest day. In addition to the castle, priory and church, the Museum of Island Life that is housed in an 18th century fisherman's cottage is well worth a visit. At St Aidan's Winery you can sample the famous Lindisfarne Mead.

Seahouses's greatest attraction is a boat trip to the Farne Islands. The Islands have a wild beauty and are the summer home of a wide variety of sea birds, especially puffins, guillemots, terns and kittiwakes. On Inner Farne you can visit the tiny 14th century chapel built in honour of St Cuthbert.

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