Bamburgh Guide
Your Guide to Bamburgh
'It's a coastline ravaged by nature and steeped in history, there's a story round every single corner ...you're not just looking at a view, you're standing in the footsteps of kings, and all on one of the most dramatic coastlines nature has to offer.' Janet Street Porter on ITV's Britain's Best View.
Bamburgh is a stunningly attractive small Village set on the Northern stretch of the Northumberland Coast. It is without doubt dominated by its magnificently striking Castle that can be seen for miles around, giving the whole Village a somewhat dramatic feeling. You can't fail to be impressed by the sheer scale of the Castle once you are up close and in the Village itself. There is much to do in the Village alongside the Castle and it's amazing history, there are impressive stretches of pure golden sandy beaches, many 'proper' English tea rooms and restaurants, St Aidan's Church and a newly renovated museum dedicated to Grace Darling, amongst other things. Buy a full guide to Bamburgh.
Getting ThereBamburgh is easily accessible by car, being just a few miles from the A1, the main road that runs through the County of Northumberland. Parking can be difficult in peak times, but there is a large public car park just off the main road as you enter the Village from the South, opposite the Castle. There is also limited on street parking throughout the Village and further parking by the Coast, accessed via 'The Wynding'. Postcode for your SatNav: NE69 7DF
Bamburgh is a stop on the Arriva "Newcastle - Morpeth - Amble - Alnwick - The Coast - Berwick" which is the service between Newcastle and Berwick on their X18 route (see link below for more information). Multi journey tickets are available and you can get more information here.
Bamburgh's Attractions and Things To Do
By far the most obvious thing you will want to do in Bamburgh is to visit the Castle. It stands so imposingly over the Village that it practically demands that you pay a visit to the nine acre site spanning across it's rocky plateau. While I do recommend you pay the Castle a visit at least once, there are many other worthy things to do and see in Bamburgh. There is the RNLI Museum dedicated to the heroic tale of Grace Darling, the legend of her bravery in saving nine sailors who were shipped wrecked on the Farne Islands is brought to life in this wonderful museum. There is also St Aidan's Church, the spectacular beaches, walking, cycling, golf, watersports... the list goes on. Click here for your guide to Bamburgh's Attractions and Things To Do...
Restaurants, Pubs & Cafes - Eating Out in Bamburgh
For a small Village there is a surprisingly good choice of places to eat in Bamburgh, most of which are on the fine dining and high end of the cuisine scale. The main hotels in the Village all have excellent restaurants serving a good variety of meals between them. There is also the Copper Kettle Tearoom that has earned an excellent reputation as one of the finest tearooms in the Country! We have picked out our highlights in our guide to eating out in Bamburgh, where there is also a full list of places to eat including links to their websites for you to browse. Click here for your guide to Eating Out in Bamburgh...
Accommodation in Bamburgh - Hotels, B&B's and Self-Catering
Bamburgh has some excellent quality Hotels, B&B's and Self Catering Cottages. They tend to be more upmarket than in other areas and as such you can pay a premium to stay in the Village. There are still some bargains out there to be found, however due to the incredible beauty of the setting you can expect to pay a just a little bit more than surrounding Villages. With excellent amenities and a glorious beach, I think you'll agree it's well worth it.
Beaches Bamburgh's beach is often overlooked, possibly because the Castle draws your attention away from everything else the Village has to offer. The Good Beach Guide rates Bamburgh's beach as 'recommended' for the highest UK standard for bathing water quality. The beach does have a dramatic feel to it, being in the shadow of the Castle, but that just adds to it's charm. The beach to the North and South of the Village is of beautiful golden sand, backed by high sand dunes, with the most easily accessible being the beach to the North of the Castle. There is a good long stretch of pure golden sand until it turns slightly rocky at the far North, which is perfect for searching through the rock pools looking for sea life.
Shopping and Supermarkets
Self proclaimed maker of Northumberland's finest sausage 'The Bamburgh Banger' R Carter and Son Butchers are located on Front Street in Bamburgh. They have been the Village butchers for over 100 years and have built up an excellent reputation for service and quality. All their meat comes from local farms and they also produce various pies, haggis, white and black pudding and bake their own breads. Visit their website for more information.
Also located on Front Street is The Pantry deli. The shop opened in 2001 and has been focussing on building up the delicatessen business ever since. They serve coffees, cakes and all sorts of treats for you to eat now or take home with you. They won a Silver Award in 2009 for their promotion of local produce and now you can order these products online at their website. The Village also has a Grocer and a Newsagent.Â
The nearest supermarket is the Co-op food in Seahouses, however if you would like larger supermarkets you would need to head into Alnwick or Berwick.
Amenities
St Aidan's Church Radcliffe Road, Bamburgh, Northumberland
Border Cabs Taxis Contact 07769 515915
Bamburgh Post Office 23 Front Street, Bamburgh, Northumberland
Bamburgh Castle Golf Club The Wynding, Bamburgh, Northumberland
Bamburgh Croquet Club The Cricket Green, Bamburgh, Northumberland
Bamburgh Cricket Club The Cricket Green, Bamburgh, Northumberland
The Bamburgh Gallery Lucker Street, Bamburgh, Northumberland
Have we missed something? Can you recommend an attraction, restaurant or accommodation? Or maybe you have a business you would like to be included? Let us know.
Useful and Interesting Links
Arriva Bus Service Route Information
Arriva Coast and Castles Service Information
Bamburgh Castle's Wikipedia Page