Northumberland Castles Road Trip🏰 🚗
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This road trip will take you to some of the most incredible castles along the Northumberland coast.
From exploring the dramatic ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle to stepping inside the magical Alnwick Castle and Lindisfarne Castle, you’ll experience centuries of history, breathtaking landscapes, and legendary stories on this unforgettable journey.
Northumberland Castles Road Trip Itinerary Summary
📍 Warkworth Castle – A medieval stronghold with impressive stone walls and river views.
📍 Alnwick Castle – Known as a filming location for Harry Potter.
📍 Dunstanburgh Castle – Scenic coastal ruins accessible via a beautiful coastal walk from Craster
📍 Bamburgh Castle – An iconic fortress overlooking the beautiful Bamburgh Beach and the Farne Islands.
📍 Lindisfarne Castle – A historic castle on Holy Island, only accessible at low tide.
📸 Photos & Info are located further down. Keep scrolling to see all these places. ⬇️
Get the FREE Northumberland Castles Road Trip Map!
🚗 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!
Additional Information & Highlights
📍 Warkworth Castle
Favoured residence of the Percy family from the 14th to the 17th centuries, Warkworth Castle was built in its present form around 1200. It’s now managed by the English Heritage and is a great introduction to the castles of Northumberland.
🎟️ Tickets are free for members. Otherwise you can book online (and save 15%) or on the day at the entrance.
⌛ Opening dates: The castle is open all year round but only at the weekends in winter.
🐶 Dogs are allowed as long as they are on lead.
📍 Alnwick Castle
Home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, Alnwick Castle is one of the most iconic castles in Britain and has a lot to offer to visitors.
🅿️ The castle has a dedicated car park (NE66 1YU). There is a £3.50 charge for the entire day.
🧙Harry Potter: Alnwick Castle was used as a filming location in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The most iconic scene took place in the outer bailey, when Harry and his friends learned to fly broomsticks.
🎟️ Tickets can be booked here. It also gives you access to a lot of activities inside.
⌛ Opening dates: The castle is open from the end of March to October.
💡 My Top Tip: While Alnwick Castle is not the cheapest, it is definitely the one that gives you access to the most activities. I highly recommend making the best of what you get. There are walking tours (including a filming location one), broomstick flying lessons, medieval soap making and plenty more.
❤️ I absolutely loved the variety of activities that was on offer, especially considering they were pretty much all included. You can easily spend the entire day in the castle if you want to. If you are a Harry Potter fan, make sure to take the broomstick flying lesson as you can recreate the scenes and take loads of photos!
🐶 Dogs are not allowed in the castle or the grounds.
📍 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.
📍 Bamburgh Castle
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 in the castle ground but not inside. The café is dog-friendly too and set in the old stables which is quite nice.
📍 Lindisfarne Castle
Located on Holy Island, Lindisfarne Castle is another National Trust site in Northumberland.
🚗 How to get there: You can drive to Holy Island via the causeway but make sure you check the tide times!
🅿️ Park at Holy Island Chare Ends Car Park. From there it takes about 10 minutes to get to the castle on foot. Another carpark closer to the castle is available for blue badge holders.
🎟️ Tickets can be booked on the official website or directly on-site.
⌛ Opening dates: The castle is open from March to November.
❤️ The views from the castles are absolutely stunning. I also recommend walking around the island towards Stony beach as you’ll get a completely different point of view.
🐶 Dogs are not allowed.
