4 Northumberland coastal walks: return walks and one-way outings

A coastal walk is easier to plan when you know what the distance includes. A route named after two villages might return to its starting point, or it might leave you several miles from your car. These four Walkmates routes cover both possibilities, from a castle-focused outing at Craster to a longer walk linking Amble and Alnmouth.

The choices below are ordered by their listed distance. Figures come from the linked Walkmates pages checked on 19 October 2026, and times are estimates rather than promised finishing times. The Northumberland Coast National Landscape describes a coast of beaches, rocky headlands, villages and farmland. Check the mapped paths and conditions for the particular section you choose.

1. Craster to Dunstanburgh Castle: a clear destination and return

Listed distance: 4.3 km / 2.7 miles. Listed time: 2 hours, including time for a visit. Out-and-back.

Dunstanburgh gives this walk a strong focal point: a ruined castle on a coastal headland, approached on foot from Craster. Choose it when you want a shorter-distance outing with something substantial to stop and look at. The Walkmates estimate deliberately includes visiting time, so it is not directly comparable with a brisk walking-only estimate. English Heritage confirms that the approach crosses working farmland. Check admission and opening arrangements if you want to enter the castle, and follow livestock notices along the approach.

Open the Craster to Dunstanburgh Castle route.

2. Budle Bay to Seahouses: make a one-way day of it

Listed distance: 9.2 km / 5.7 miles. Estimated time: 3 hours. Point-to-point.

This option suits a day when you want to finish somewhere different from where you began. The listing links Budle Bay with Seahouses and describes a shoreline journey past the Bamburgh coast, with beaches, rocky stretches and the castle providing changing points of interest. Its main planning requirement comes before the first step: arrange how you will return from Seahouses. The listed distance covers the one-way walk only. Use the map for the actual route rather than treating the beach as an uninterrupted path, and allow extra time for sand, stops or a slower group pace.

Open the Budle Bay to Seahouses route.

3. Amble to Alnmouth: link three places in one outing

Listed distance: 10.9 km / 6.8 miles. Estimated time: 3 hours. Point-to-point.

The Amble route goes through Warkworth on its way to Alnmouth, giving the day a sequence of places rather than a single turning point. It is a useful choice when you enjoy the feeling of travelling somewhere on foot. Keep the finish in mind when agreeing plans with friends: everyone needs to know that the walk ends in Alnmouth. If using a bus for the return, check the current service, exact stops and last suitable departure for your date. A refreshment stop is worth adding to the schedule separately from the listed walking time.

Open the Amble to Alnmouth route.

4. Boulmer to Craster: the longer return walk

Listed distance: 13.7 km / 8.5 miles. Estimated time: 3 hours 30 minutes. Out-and-back.

This is the longest listed outing in the selection, and its total includes the walk back to Boulmer. Craster is the turning point. That makes it useful if you want a longer coastal day while returning to the same starting place. The listing describes the rocky coast around Howick along the way, giving this route a different emphasis from the castle walk farther north. Allow enough time for both halves before adding a lengthy stop in Craster. The open coast also deserves a forecast check: a favourable outward wind can become a headwind on the return.

Open the Boulmer to Craster route.

Make the finish part of the plan

Choose Craster or Boulmer if returning to the start is a priority. Choose Budle Bay or Amble if you have arranged transport and want a one-way outing. Before leaving, check the full map, forecast, daylight and any relevant tide or local access notices. Follow the mapped coastal paths and local signs; do not improvise shortcuts across estuaries or tidal ground.