The UK isn’t known for its beaches, and for good reason – even the summer months can be a write-off! So the Northumberland Coast comes as quite a surprise to a top beaches list. But Bamburgh Beach and Embleton Bay aren’t on that list because of their tropical vibe – they’re there because of their space, scale and drama. Consider a few factors:
1. The castle backdrops – Bamburgh Castle is an imposing 11th-century Norman fortress perched directly above the beach. Few places in the world combine wide, empty sand with this level of historic backdrop. Dunstanburgh Castle, more ruined but beautifully atmospheric, gives Embleton Bay a similar sense of medieval drama.
2. The quality of the sand – the sand tone in this part of the world is the same as the powdery sand you find in the tropical beaches of the likes of Brazil and the Caribbean, and is so fine it squeaks, which is in stark contrast to some of the pebble beaches you find in the eastern Mediterranean and south of England.
3. The cute villages by the water – the likes of Low Newton-by-the-Sea, with its gorgeous white cottage square green circled by local pubs overlooking the beach are about as quaint and lovely as anywhere in England.
4. Few tourists – “best kept secret” seems to have held well for decades and you simply don’t have the volume of fellow tourists as you would in the south of England. The beaches are wide and long, and you will likely have big chunks to yourself.
5. The Northumberland Coast Driving Tour – you have some great nearby attractions that share the quiet vibe. In particular, Hadrian’s Wall (the well preserved northern boundary of the Roman Empire), Lindisfarne (aka Holy Island – a key centre for the spread of Christianity in Britain in the Dark Ages and infamous site of the first Viking invasions), and the various quaint Northumberland villages dotted no distance from the coast.
It obviously doesn’t hit the tropical beach vibe, but is nonetheless beautiful. Just be sure to go in summer!
