UK Family Cycle Tour – Northumberland Coast Ride

Itinerary Details

1. Day 1Arrival

   Your cycling adventure begins in the picturesque market town of Alnwick. Alnwick is easily reached by train, with Alnmouth station on the East Coast Main Line just a short distance away.
   
   You'll be met at the train station and transferred to your accommodation. Alternatively, you can drive to Alnwick, and you will be able to leave your car at or near the accommodation for the duration of the trip. For those arriving early, there are plenty of incredible local attractions to visit.
   
   Choose from Alnwick Castle and the famous Alnwick Gardens, or relax and enjoy the town with a riverside walk and your choice of independent shops, cafes and restaurants. Your representative will go through the route with you and supply your information pack (either on arrival if transferring from the station, or the morning of Day 2 if driving.)
   
   

   • Accommodation in Alnwick
2. Day 2Alnwick to Howick

   This morning, you’ll leave Alnwick via a newly built cycle path, running alongside the newly restored Aln Valley Railway, where you might catch sight of a passing steam engine! It’s a memorable start to your journey, soon leading onto quiet lanes and well-surfaced tracks. Today you can choose between two routes: a longer loop through the countryside to the castle town of Warkworth before reaching the coast at Alnmouth, or a shorter, more direct ride straight to Alnmouth.
   
   After a wander around this scenic coastal village, you pedal along the fabulous Northumberland coast and through the hamlet of Boulmer. Once a notorious smugglers’ haven in the 18th and 19th centuries, Boulmer drew traders from across Northumberland and the Borders dealing in contraband goods.
   
   The route goes slightly inland from here and passes by Howick Hall Gardens and Arboretum, which is well worth a visit. Howick Hall was the seat of the Prime Minister, Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, after whom the famous tea is named. Legend tells that the first Earl Grey blend was created by a Chinese mandarin, using bergamot to balance the lime-rich water at Howick. Twinings later popularised the blend, which remains world-famous today. The gardens and arboretum are simply stunning and have been rated by the BBC Gardener’s World Magazine as one of the top 5 coastal gardens in the country.
   
   Continuing along the coastal route for a short distance, you pass the sweeping white beach of Sugar Sands before you arrive at your accommodation in Howick.

   • 11.2 - 19.9 miles
   • Accommodation in Howick
   • Breakfast
3. Day 3Howick to Seahouses

   Today, you can either ride directly to Seahouses, with its easy boat access to the Farne Islands, or extend your day with a detour to the quaint fishing village of Craster and the white-sand beach at Low Newton.
   
   After breakfast, you’ll follow the coastal route with sweeping views of the North Sea, soon reaching Craster, famous for its traditional smokehouses that produce the renowned Craster kippers. If you have been making good progress then why not visit the eerie Dunstanburgh Castle? This ruined 14th century fortress is only accessible on foot.
   
   The route then takes you further inland through beautiful countryside and you reach the small village of Embleton, from where you can choose to head east, down to the white sandy beach at Low Newton, with stunning views back over Dunstanburgh Castle. Back in Embleton, you head further north again, and it won’t be long before arriving at the seaside village of Seahouses. Seahouses is the largest village on this coastal stretch and is home to an abundance of shops, pubs and cafes as well as award-winning fish and chip shops. There are arcades, museums, crazy golf… in fact, something for everyone. There has been a harbor here since 1318 and it remains busy today with a number of tour boats taking visitors to the nearby Farne Islands alongside the local fishing boats.
   
   Why not stay an extra night in Seahouses to give you time to enjoy the many attractions within easy reach? If you can, make time for a visit to the Farne Islands, which are a haven for seabirds and seals. Spring is a great time to see the thousands of birds that nest on the islands. The islands also feature Longstone Lighthouse, once home to Grace Darling and her father. Grace’s daring rescue of nine sailors from the wreck of the Forfarshire in 1838 remains one of Northumberland’s most celebrated stories.

   • 14.9 - 19.3 miles
   • Accommodation in Seahouses
   • Breakfast
4. Day 4Seahouses to Beal

   Leaving Seahouses behind, you will cycle to Bamburgh this morning. Bamburgh, home to the mighty castle perched high on a rocky outcrop, also offers several cafés and a stunning beach, making it a perfect spot for a morning coffee break.
   
   Leaving Bamburgh, the route turns inland along quiet country roads, passing the historic village of Belford before reaching your accommodation near Beal. If tide and time allow, it is well worth taking the additional 11-mile (17km) detour to visit Holy Island, otherwise known as Lindisfarne. With its sweeping beaches, dunes, castle, priory, and the Mead House where they still make the world-famous Lindisfarne mead, this tidal island is truly unique. It is also an important site in early Christianity and the place where the Lindisfarne Gospels were created in the 8th century. The island is only accessible by a tidal causeway, so visits depend entirely on the tide. Always check safe crossing times before attempting the journey. Subject to availability and a small supplement, it may be possible to stay on the island instead of near Beal. Please ask at the time of booking

   • 16.8 - 27.3 miles
   • Accommodation near Beal or Lindisfarne if possible
   • Breakfast
5. Day 5Beal to Berwick-upon-Tweed / Departure

   After your final breakfast of the ride, you set off for Berwick-upon-Tweed. If you didn’t visit or stay on Holy Island the previous day, you may want to do so today. Just be sure to check the tide times! Today includes a stretch of off-road cycling along the rugged clifftops north of Beal, before the route continues along the coast to Berwick-upon-Tweed, on the border with Scotland. After taking in the dramatic sight of Berwick-upon-Tweed’s array of bridges and famous fortified walls, you can meet your representative, collect your luggage, and hop on the train, or a transfer is available to whisk you back to your car at Alnwick.

   • 12.4 miles
   • Breakfast