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WALK 3

Seahouses to Belford

Start	War Memorial roundabout, centre of Seahouses (NU 219 320)
Finish	Market cross in Belford (NU 108 339)
Distance	17.2km (10¾ miles)
Total ascent	310m (1017ft)
Grade	2
Walking time	4¾hr
Terrain	Dunes and beach; golf course; farm paths; quiet country lanes; the walk also involves crossing the East Coast Main Line and the busy A1
Maps	OS Explorer 340; OS Landranger 75
Transport	The start and finish points are linked by buses 418 and X18
Facilities	Several cafés and pubs in Seahouses, Bamburgh and Belford; public toilets in Seahouses, near start of walk, and slightly off route in Bamburgh

This linear walk makes use of buses linking Belford and Seahouses. Starting from the latter, the route heads northwest to Bamburgh: at any time other than high tide, this means several wonderful kilometres of beach walking on firm sand. After passing beneath the massive walls of Bamburgh Castle, the route heads into the village – an opportunity for a pub lunch or just a coffee-and-cake stop – before picking up the route of the St Oswald’s Way. A stunning perspective on Budle Bay and the sands leading towards Lindisfarne provide an impressive end to the coastal section of the walk. The route now heads inland across rolling farmland and through woods to reach the attractive village of Belford.

From the War Memorial roundabout in Seahouses, head northwest along the coast road – the B1340. After a few hundred metres, step off the pavement to follow a path along the top of the low cliffs. This soon reaches the beach and the southern edge of St Aidan’s Dunes. If the tide’s out, you can walk the beach all the way to Bamburgh. Alternatively, you can follow a trail through the dunes.

THE FARNE ISLANDS

The Farne Islands are clearly visible just off the coast. Consisting of 28 islands, the group is famous for its wildlife including grey seals, puffins, eider ducks, kittiwakes, fulmars, shags, sandwich terns, common terns, guillemots and razorbills. From the 7th century onwards, several monks, including St Aidan and St Cuthbert, used the islands as a hermitage. A formal cell of Benedictine monks was established here in the mid-13th century.

In more modern times, the islands became home to lighthouse keepers. Among these were William Darling and his daughter Grace who, in 1838, carried out a daring sea rescue which resulted in Grace becoming a national heroine. During stormy seas, the Darlings had spotted the wreck of the paddle steamship, the Forfarshire, on a nearby island. Believing that conditions were too rough for the lifeboat to be launched, they set out in a rowing boat and managed to rescue the nine survivors. Grace’s role in the heroic feat became famous: Wordsworth wrote a poem about her, portrait artists flocked to the island to paint her, later folk singers wrote songs about her and, when she became ill with tuberculosis, the Duchess of Northumberland tended to her in person.

Today, no humans live permanently on the islands, although there are National Trust wardens resident for nine months of the year. Boat trips run from Seahouses.

On reaching the next buildings at Monks House, if the tide’s high, you might have to head back up on to the B1340 by following the right-of-way to the left of the buildings. If you do, turn right along the grass verge. After 900m – almost opposite the farm track up to Greenhills – go through a gap in the fence on the right to follow a trail through the dunes and back to the beach.

Bamburgh Castle

Eventually, you’ll pass beneath the walls of Bamburgh Castle. Drawing level with the old windmill at the northwest end of the castle precinct, head into the dunes, aiming for the castle walls. Reaching some fence posts, turn right – following signs for the village. Bear left at a fork and then follow the path around either side of the cricket pitch to reach the B1340 again.

The core of Bamburgh Castle dates from the 11th century, but there had been a stronghold on the site for many centuries before the Normans arrived. Indeed, in the middle of the 6th century, the Anglo-Saxon king Ida ruled over the kingdom of Bernicia from here. The castle was bought in the 19th century by William Armstrong, the Tyneside industrialist who built Cragside near Rothbury. His descendants still live in the castle today, although parts of the building are open to the public.

Turn right along the road. For a pit-stop in Bamburgh, head up into the village, but the main route takes the next turning on the right – The Wynding. This ends at Bamburgh Castle Golf Course.

Following the route of St Oswald’s Way and the Northumberland Coast Path – all the way to Belford, in fact – head through the gate on to the golf course. A series of blue-topped posts leads the way across the course, mostly keeping to its seaward side. You’ll soon be able to look straight across Budle Bay to the long stretch of beach at Ross Back Sands, leading almost all the way to Lindisfarne.

Looking across Budle Bay to Lindisfarne

As you pass around the back of a concrete pill-box, follow the St Oswald’s Way up to the left. Blue-topped posts lead across the western edge of the golf course. Just after a kissing-gate, turn left along the surfaced lane for about 70m. Go through the large gate set back on the left. A broad, grassy path passes to the right of the buildings at Newtown. On reaching a track T-junction, head to the fence over to the left and follow it up the side of the field. Beyond the next kissing-gate, you’re back on the golf course again. Bear slightly right to follow the now familiar blue-topped posts south-southeast to a small wooden gate.

Turn left along the B1342 and take the next road on the right – signposted Dukesfield. In just a few metres, go through a kissing-gate on the right – signposted Spindlestone Heughs. The route now heads roughly southwest across the farmland. There’s a faint path on the ground and lots of waymarked stiles to guide the way.

Reaching a minor road, turn left and immediately right, towards the Waren holiday park. Follow this lane round to the left and then watch for a footpath signposted to the right. Skirting the edge of the caravan site, the route keeps close to the hedge on your left. Don’t be tempted to follow the access lane up to the right; instead, pass through a small gate to continue in the same direction but now with a walled area of woodland on your right. After dropping through some trees close to the base of the crags of Spindlestone Heughs, the route passes out into a meadow. After the next gate, keep close to the fence on your right until the path enters some woods. A clear, beaten-earth trail leads down through the trees to a quiet lane.

Turn left through the charming, wooded valley of Waren Burn where, in spring, the smell of wild garlic fills the air. At a T-junction opposite Spindlestone Mill, turn right. Follow the road round to the right beyond the Outchester Ducket, a distinctive tower marked on some maps as a windmill. Go right at the T-junction and then take the next lane on the left. Follow this for 350m and then go through the wooden gate on the left – signed Station Cottages and Belford.

Keep close to the field boundary on the left until you reach a ladder stile. Cross this, turn right to walk beside the wall for a short while and then swing left. After the next gate, go straight through the field, following overhead power lines. Maintain the same line along a rough track and then, when it bends left, go through the gate straight ahead to continue with the power lines. After crossing a disused railway, bear left. The trail crosses some damp ground before reaching the East Coast Main Line. The railway has to be carefully crossed. Use the phone in the yellow box to check with the signalman that it’s safe to do so. Don’t take any chances: the trains reach speeds of more than 100mph along this stretch of line.

Aim immediately right of the main group of grain silos ahead. You’ll go through a couple of small fields along the way before the path skirts the edge of the silo compound. Your next obstacle is the busy A1 road. It’s only a single carriageway at this point on its journey from London to Edinburgh, but the traffic still moves fast, so be careful.

After the stile on the other side, maintain your line across the field. After a kissing-gate, go over the rough track to walk beside Belford Burn. Keep it on your right until you reach the B6349 on the edge of Belford. Turn right to walk up to the medieval market cross in the middle of the village.