Dog-Friendly Northumberland Coast Road Trip 🚗🐾🏖️
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Explore dramatic castles, peaceful beaches, and charming villages along the Northumberland coast — all with your dog by your side.
🚗 Need a car for this road trip?
If you don’t have your own car, I’d really recommend renting one — it gives you the flexibility to stop at each waterfall and explore at your own pace.
I usually use DiscoverCars to compare prices and find the best deals across different rental companies.
👉 It’s really easy to use:
- Compare multiple providers in one place
- Cheaper than booking direct
- Free cancellation on most options
- Their 3rd party insurance is a lot cheaper
- They have a great customer service for claims (though I hope you won’t have to use it!
Dog-Friendly Northumberland Coast Road Trip Itinerary Summary
📍 Berwick-upon-Tweed 🏘️ – Historic border town with riverside walks and beaches
📍 Holy Island ⛪ – You can cross the causeway at low tide; dogs welcome around the island and beaches but not in the castle.
📍 St. Cuthbert’s Cave 🌳 – Peaceful 5.1 km woodland walk (1.5 hours)
📍 Bamburgh Castle Grounds 🏰 – Dogs not allowed inside, but the castle grounds are dog-friendly
📍 Bamburgh Beach 🏖️ – Wide, sandy and dog-friendly year-round
📍 Seahouses 🐟 – Fishing village with dog-friendly pubs and beaches
📍 Farne Islands Boat Trip ⛴️ – Dogs allowed on “cruise-only” boat trips (no landings)
📍 Craster 🐾 – Famous for smoked kippers (though the smokehouse is not dog-friendly) and scenic walks to the castle
📍Dunstanburgh Castle 🏰 – Stunning coastal walk from Craster (dogs allowed outside the ruins)
📍 Longhoughton Beach 🌊 – Quiet and peaceful
📍 Alnmouth Beach 🏖️ – Wide and sandy, dogs welcome all year
📍 Warkworth & Warkworth Beach 🐕 – Beautiful beach and riverside walks in a picturesque village. Warkworth Castle also allows dogs on lead
📍 Alnwick 🌼 – The castle isn’t dog-friendly, but the town is nice to explore
📍 Cragside 🌲 – Dogs not allowed in the house, but the gardens, estate and walking trails are all dog-friendly and you can easily spend an entire day there
Total Distance: 🚗 Approx. 90 miles
📸 Photos & Info are located further down. Keep scrolling to see all these places. ⬇️
This Northumberland road trip offers endless coastal paths, charming villages, and historic views — all perfect for adventuring with your dog. 🐶🌤️🐾
Get the FREE Dog-Friendly Northumberland Coast Road Trip Map!
Additional Information & Highlights
📍 Berwick-upon-Tweed
📍 Holy Island
📍 St. Cuthbert’s Cave
📍 Bamburgh Castle Grounds
Built 1,400 years ago, Bamburgh Castle is one of the most iconic and largest inhabited castles in Britain. It was the first castle in the world to fall to gunpowder (during the War of Roses) and now belongs to the Armstrong family.
🅿️ There is a dedicated car park by the entrance of the castle (£6/day charge). Alternatively, you can park in Bamburgh and walk up to the castle.
🎟️ Tickets can be booked on the official website or on-site.
⌛Opening dates: The castle is open all year round.
💡 My Top Tip: Check the event schedule as Bamburgh Castle often has special events on (especially for Christmas).
❤️ The views from Bamburgh Castle are unbeatable! You can fully see how big Bamburgh beach is and can see as far as the Farne Islands. I also recommend going for a walk on the beach after visiting the castle as it will give you a completely different perspective.
🐶 Dogs are allowed on the castle grounds but not inside. The café is dog-friendly too and set in the old stables which is quite nice.
📍 Bamburgh Beach
📍 Seahouses
📍 Farne Islands Boat Trip
📍 Craster
📍 Dunstanburgh Castle
Located near Craster, Dunstanburgh Castle is set in an idyllic location with beautiful sea views.
🥾 How to get there: Walk from Craster along the coast. It’s a flat 1.3 mile walk which takes around 20-30 minutes.
🅿️ You can park at Craster Quarry Car Park or Craster Turn Field Car Park. Both are pay and display
🎟️ This is an English Heritage site which means it’s free for members. Alternatively, tickets can be booked here.
⌛Opening dates: The castle is open all year round but only on weekends in winter.
💡 My Top Tip: Make sure to go to the fishmonger in Craster as their kippers are delicious!
Also, the walk to the castle is by the sea which means it can be quite windy so make sure to wear a good windbreaker.
🐶 Dogs on leads are allowed.
📍 Longhoughton Beach
📍 Alnmouth Beach
📍 Warkworth
📍 Warkworth Beach
📍 Alnwick
📍 Cragside
