The beach
Bamburgh is a single, vast sweep of hard-packed golden sand — around three miles of it — backed by grassy dunes and dominated by the silhouette of Bamburgh Castle on its dark volcanic crag directly above the beach. There's no choosing between beaches here; there's just a great deal of room.
It has been named the UK's best seaside destination in the Which? survey several years running, scoring full marks for beach, scenery and peace and quiet. Offshore are the Farne Islands; the village holds the story of Victorian heroine Grace Darling.
Planning your day
Families tend to base near the castle and the dunes — wide, flat, clean sand with the village a short walk back for cafés and toilets. As the tide drops, rock pools open below the castle and around the lighthouse end. There are no lifeguards, so keep an eye on the water with younger children.
Dog walkers have one of the great beaches: dogs are welcome all year, off-lead on the open sand, with no seasonal ban. Early morning, the castle catching the light and the tide out, is as good as a beach walk in Britain gets.
Walkers can follow the sand north toward Seahouses, with Harkess Rocks and Stag Rock below the lighthouse exposed at low tide. Time a long walk with the tide so the northern rocks don't cut you off on the way back.
Good to know
Links Road car park sits opposite the castle (council-run, roughly £4.50 for a few hours and £7 all day — check the on-site tariff, which has likely risen). There's a beach-wheelchair loan scheme run with Beach Access North East; book ahead, and bring helpers, as the route over soft sand is a fair way.
Buses (the Arriva X18 and the 418) link the coast villages; the nearest mainline stations are Berwick-upon-Tweed and Alnmouth.
There are no food kiosks on the open sand — the cafés, pubs and tearooms are in the village, a short walk back from the beach.