Hey, lovely folks! Since making the big move to the north a few months ago, I’ve been itching to explore the Northumberland Coast. We moved to Newcastle back in September, and between tying the knot ourselves and wrapping up my 2023 wedding season, we’ve barely scratched the surface of our new home. My husband is a Geordie but lived away for a good decade, so we both have new places to explore together. Wanting to make the most of my weekends before wedding season, we decided on a spontaneous road trip up the Northumberland Coastal Route!
The Northumberland Coastal Route
The Northumberland coastal route is a 62 mile stretch from Creswell, just north of Newcastle, up to Berwick Upon Tweed. It was recently voted the 3rd most scenic driving route in the UK! It’s got a bit of everything – castles, rugged coastline, sandy beaches and pretty villages.
It was a beautiful, sunny February day (rare), so we hit the road without a solid plan in mind – just a good playlist and the dog.
As we were driving past a sign, Jack pointed out he remembered going to Druridge Bay as a kid and having vague but fond memories. That was enough for us to make an impromptu detour 🙂
Druridge Bay
We didn’t venture to the Country Park, but instead parked straight up next to the beach. As we climbed the dunes, I was amazed by the view at the top. After 17 years in London, I still can’t believe that we live somewhere like this. The bay stretches for miles and with the sun out, it was just glorious! So peaceful, and at this time of year only dog walkers were out and about.
Working as a professional photographer, I often leave my camera at home on weekends as I need a break from shooting. I’ve been taking it out more recently, as I want to capture our new lives here, and I’m so glad I had it with me! I couldn’t resist capturing the beauty of the dunes and the beach.
Low Newton-By-The-Sea
After a long walk in the sun, we decided to continue on up to Low Newton-By-The-Sea. As a wedding photographer, I only knew of the area because of Newton Hall, a stunning Northumberland wedding venue. Driving through the village, it was super quaint and reminded me of the Cotswolds. The Joiners Arms looked like a place we’d definitely go back to. I loved the garden all hung with festoon lighting.
We parked up and walked on down to the beach, just as the rain started to clear. I loved the view from the top of the hill. Sloping down there were fisherman’s’ cottages, the beach and in the distance Dunstanburgh castle. By this time we didn’t have much sunlight left, but we walked quite a way down the beach. It was beautiful and even though it was February, the water looked so enticing! I’d love to walk all the way to the castle one day with a picnic in tow.
The sun was setting as we got back to the village, and we decided to stay and watch the last of the light from the Ship Inn. Just a few meters from the beach, it’s the cutest 18th century pub, nestled in between the fisherman’s cottages. There was a real fire going and was super cosy – we definitely want to go back for dinner one day!
I can’t wait to see more gems along the coastal route over the next few months. We’ve got a checklist of places to explore and adventures to unfold, so stay tuned for my updates – Northumberland, you’ve got us hooked!
