Wallking the Northumberland Coastal Path - Day 3 - Howick to Seahouses

After a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast at The Old Rectory in Howick it was time to set off on day three of our walk. 

 

Howick's village is so tiny that it only took a few minutes to walk through it. There are no shops or pubs, but there is a post box and a bus stop! And it's absolutely charming.

It didn't take long to get back on to the Northumberland Coastal Path with its sweeping views. 

Once again, the day started off overcast although temperature-wise it was perfect walking weather.

Just under two miles from Howick is the small fishing village of Craster which is famous for its kippers. L Robson and sons have been in the business of smoking kippers and salmon for over 100 years and still use the original smokehouses. 

Unlike Howick, this village does have a pub, The Jolly Fisherman, which is hard to miss if you are walking the coastal path as the path cuts through the patio! 

Unfortunately, it was too early for the pub to be open otherwise it would have been a nice spot to have a drink and look out over the picturesque harbor. 

In the distance to the north, you can also see the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle. From Craster, the path cuts across over a mile of farmland to the ruins.

The castle, built by Earl Thomas of Lancaster, dates back to 1313 but was the focus of fierce battles during the War of the Roses between the Lancasters and the Yorks in the 15th century. With the defeat of the Lancasters, the castle ended up in the hand of the Yorkists and subsequently fell into decay.

It is still an impressive sight. The ruins are open to the public but we decided to just view them from the outside. 

The twin-towered keep

Lilburn Tower

Once past the castle, the path hugs the coastline.  

Looking back, we had wonderful views of the sweep of sandy beach at Embleton Bay with the ruins in the distance. And finally, there was even some blue sky!

Looks like we've walked a long way!

After all that walking, it was definitely time for a rest. Luckily, at the north end of the beach is Low Newton, a village almost completely owned by the National Trust, with a pub in the village square.

It was a popular place. We hadn't seen this many people at any other point on our walk. And it seemed especially popular with dog owners! I think we might have been the only people there that didn't have a dog. The bar area inside is quite small but there were plenty of places to sit outside. 

The Ship Inn

Rested and refreshed, it was time to get back on the trail. 

One of the few stiles, we came across on our walk. Most of them have been replaced by gates.

Eventually, we came to Long Nanny wildlife sanctuary maintained by the National Trust, which provides a nesting place for Arctic and Little Terns. The path veers inland to keep walkers away from the nesting sites in order not to disturb the birds which tend to nest at the mouth of the estuary.

The Long Nanny Bridge

View of the estuary from Long Nanny Bridge

After crossing the bridge, the path goes through Beadnell Bay Sand Dunes and into the town of Beadnell itself. Beadnell is considered a watersports paradise and is a popular tourist spot, but we were there pre-season and it was very quiet.

A bench on Harbour Rd, Beadnell offered a welcome break.

The last two miles of our walk took us through Annstead Dunes Nature Reserve, up onto the main road past Seahouses Golf Club, and into the village of Seahouses. Seahouses is a fishing village with an active harbor.  From here, there are boat trips out to the Farne Islands, famous for the large number of seabirds and seals that make it their home. 

Seahouses Harbour

After logging 13 miles on our walk since we left Howick, our night's accommodation, The Links Hotel, was a welcome sight. It had been another wonderful day on the coastal path.

Mel writes contemporary fiction with a twist of mystery and suspense and the Detective Rigby series.

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