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Bamburgh Castle circular

Northumberland County Walk

County/Area - Northumberland County

Author - Lou Johnson

Length - 7.5 miles / 12.2 km    Ascent - 300 feet / 91 metres

Time - 4 hours 0 minutes    Grade - easy/mod

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Ordnance Survey Explorer 340Sheet Map1:25kBUY
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Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Bamburgh Castle circular
Click image to see photo description.

The Northumberland coast is often bleak and uninviting. However, it is a rewarding place to walk with a wild shoreline and plenty of history. I always like to keep the most interesting part of a walk to the end. This route is no exception as for me the highlight is Bamburgh Castle with its ramparts adjacent to the North Sea and this explored towards the end of the walk.

There are a number of places to park close to Bamburgh Castle and I chose the small parking area at Redbarn Links (grid ref. NU190346) just over half a mile south of the village centre. After parking you have two choices. The easiest is to turn left out of the car park and walk along Links Road. As an alternative you can either walk along the beach or through the dunes. Whichever choice you make turn right along the byway and continue through Greenhill to reach the Northumberland Coast Path and St Oswald's Way at grid ref. NU193338). Turn left and follow these long distance paths to Fowberry. Here turn left and follow the lane for 200 metres to where the lane turns sharp left.

Turn right here and follow the bridleway along the edge of fields to reach Ingram Lane (grid ref. NU189328). Turn left along the lane and take the footpath opposite the access road to New Shoreston. Here, take the footpath on your right. This goes half right across two fields, crosses lane and continues in the same direction to reach another lane (grid ref. NU180327). Turn right along the lane, staying on the lane as it bends to the left. A short way further bear right towards West Burton Farm, turning left and continuing across a large field a bridleway (grid ref. NU174333). Turn right and continue past The Cottage on your left to reach the B1341 (grid ref. NU175341).

Take the footpath on the opposite side of the B1341 and follow it reach the access road to Dukesfield (grid ref. NU170342). Turn right along this access drive and walk for about half a mile to come out on the B1342 at Gallieheugh Bank. Turn left along the B1342 and in a short distance take the signed footpath on the right (Northumberland Coast Path & St Oswald's Way) through Newtown to reach a caravan parking area. Bear left along the track and then follow the waymarks for the Northumberland Coast Path towards the sea. Continue walking, with the sea to your left. The onward route joins a tarmac lane (The Wyndling) which leads you to Bamburgh Castle.

My preferred route is to take the path on the seaward side of the Castle. This leads beneath the ramparts. You again have two alternatives. Either walk along Links Road back to the car park or thread your way through the dunes or along the beach back to the start.

Other walks nearby

Walk 2738 Budle Bay from Bamburgheasy4.0 miles
Walk 3242 Holy Island - Lindisfarne Castle & Emmanuel Headeasy4.4 miles
Walk 3344 Holy Island & Lindisfarne Castle Circular easy4.3 miles
Walk 1199 Dunstanburgh Castleeasy4.5 miles
Walk 3335 Howick & Cullernose Point easy4.5 miles
Walk 2397 Beadnell to Crastereasy/mod7.9 miles
Walk 2282 Bewick Moormoderate9.1 miles
Walk 2677 Circuit of Doddington Moor easy3.8 miles
Walk 1805 An introduction to the Breamish Valleyeasy2.0 miles
Walk 1764 The Cheviot from Langleefordmod/hard8.2 miles

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