If you’ve ever taken the train along England’s East Coast Main Line, which runs from London King’s Cross to Edinburgh, chances are you have caught a glimpse of the pastel-coloured houses of Alnmouth. Built in the 12th century on the Aln estuary by barons of nearby Alnwick, it became a prosperous 17th century shipping port. The village is also steeped in 7th century ecclesiastical history, with links to Northumberland’s Holy Island, Lindisfarne. Today, it is one of the region’s prettiest seaside spots, home to two miles of dune-backed beach, and sits within the Northumberland Coast National Landscape, alive with wildlife and seabirds.
When to go
The summer months allow for toes-in-the-sand beach days and the chance to see abundant birdlife. Alnmouth celebrates its annual arts festival in June, while in August, the Lindisfarne Festival (a 35-minute drive away) attracts music lovers. In October, the Red Lion Inn hosts the Alnmouth Beer Festival and winter is time for enjoying cosy pubs and brisk coastal walks. For more information, see visitnorthumberland.com.
How to get there
Alnmouth is around 35 miles north of Newcastle, connected via the A1. Its railway station is a 25-minute walk or short bus ride away on the intermittent X18, which also connects Alnmouth with Newcastle, Morpeth and local villages (arrivabus.co.uk). Alnmouth is connected via direct LNER trains from London, which terminate in Edinburgh, and CrossCountry trains from Scotland, the Midlands and the South West. You can get around the village without transport.
Where to stay
The 10 boutique-style rooms of The Whittling House get top marks for style with their characterful interiors and regional artwork. Book ahead for dog-friendly rooms and those with living areas and an additional sofa bed (sleeps up to four). Twin rooms from £150, doubles from £200 including breakfast.
Self-catering accommodation is in high demand and can be pricey, so plan ahead to secure a stay such as Alnbank (sleeps up to four, from £449 for two nights). Alternatively, stay at Cosy Cottage in nearby Amble (sleeps up to four, from £357 for two nights).
Day one
Up with the sun
Enjoy a scenic walk along a section of the Northumberland Coast Path, which runs for 62 miles between Creswell and Berwick-upon-Tweed, taking in coastal heath and dunes. Feeling fit? Tackle 12.3 miles of it to Craster, renowned for its kippers and traditional smokehouses, or ramble for 13.7 miles south to Amble, passing the marvellous Warkworth Castle and River Coquet.
Souvenir hunting
Along Northumberland Street, pick up edible goodies at Scott’s of Alnmouth deli, where produce spans home-grown brands such as Pilgrims Coffee and Northumbrian Pantry, to fine wines and cured meats. It’s a hard place to leave, with adorable fox red Labrador Antila in residence, too. Here and at Jane & Harry, find stylish ceramics and homeware. The latter also stocks homemade candles, jewellery, gifts, art and sustainable fashion. At The Aln Gift Shop, discover nautical-themed homeware, trinkets, souvenirs and local artwork.
Don’t miss
At the top of the village, the restored 19th century village school, The Old School Gallery, sells fine art and limited-edition prints, many depicting the local area. Its café serves cakes and hot drinks, while the School Yard Pizza truck dishes out freshly fired pizzas over weekends from April to October. Five miles west, Alnwick Castle is a renowned as a Harry Potter filming location and next door to the once-of-a-kind Alnwick Garden.
Time for a sundowner
The Mungo Park-designed Alnmouth Village Golf Club, which opened in 1869, is England’s oldest nine-hole links course. Its beachside clubhouse (non-members welcome) is a fab spot for a late-afternoon tipple.
Dinner reservation
The Whittling House is a sought-after spot offering window seats, nooks and banquet seating from which to sample Northumberland’s local larder. The venison pie (£24) and flavour-packed pan-fried sea bass (£28) are highly recommended. The salted caramel sauce and honeycomb-topped sticky toffee pudding packs a punch (£9.50).
Alternatively, on select evenings, Bistro 23 next door serves seafood platters (£12.95), crab and crayfish linguine (£12.95), slow-cooked Northumbrian beef (£19.90) and the catch of the day.
Day two
Hit the beach
Alnmouth’s vast sandy bay is split into three sections, thanks to the winding Aln estuary, which ebbs and flows depending on the tides. Cross its shallowest parts, with wellies or bare feet, to reach Church Hill, a mound topped by St Cuthbert’s Cross. It is here that the eponymous saint agreed to become Bishop of Lindisfarne and the views across the saltmarshes are worth the short climb. Back on the village side, The Ferryman’s Hut, England’s dinkiest museum, is filled with memorabilia about John Brown, the former village ferryman.
Lunch time
Tea Cosy Tearoom is a welcoming spot to try the local Craster kippers. If you have an aversion to bones, their moreish kipper pâté, served with toast is a great way to try the local delicacy. As the name suggests, your pot of tea is topped with a woolly hat and there is a range of homemade cakes. Alternatively, drop into Nanna Pat’s Café and Bistro (aka The Village Tearooms) for a Northumbrian ham and pease pudding stottie.
A final treat
Take a 10-minute drive out of the village to Morwick Dairy, the last remaining dairy farm on the Duke of Northumberland Estate. Flavours at its ice-cream parlour range from classic vanilla to salted liquorice and Battenberg.
Three things you might not know about Alnmouth…
1) The village, which featured on BBC Two’s Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes, is one of the actor’s favourite seaside spots.
2) On Christmas Day in 1806, a storm surged through Alnmouth and completely changed the course of the River Aln, isolating Church Hill from the village.
3) In late Victorian times, Alnmouth became a fashionable seaside resort thanks to a new railway connection.
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