Dog-Friendly Destinations in Northumberland

A guest blog written by Emily, a.k.a. Great British Dog Walks.

Northumberland is one of the most underrated dog friendly destinations to visit (at least in my opinion!)

It boasts beaches that are dog-friendly year-round, golden sands which stretch for miles as well as amazing walks, pubs and restaurants, ticking the boxes for all the things I look for when I am thinking about places to holiday with my dog, Murphy.

We were recently lucky enough to spend a few days at the beautiful Driftwood cottage, perfectly located in Craster – a gorgeously quaint fishing town on the coast which is directly on the English Coast Path.

One of the other brilliant things about this stretch of coastline is that if you do not even need to drive anywhere – there is a pretty amazing coastal bus service.

There is so much to see and do that it is hard to fit it all into just a few days, but here are a few of my favourite things.

Bamburgh and Bamburgh Castle

The royal capital of the ancient kingdom of Northumbia, Bamburgh, boasts a pristine beach backed by the impressive Bamburgh Castle.

There are plenty of walks you can do to enjoy this beautiful stretch of coastline; we opted to park slightly down the coast at St Aidan’s, but you can also walk all the way from Seahouses, or park in Bamburgh itself.

Make sure you also visit the castle – the grounds are dog-friendly, and we had a fantastic day wandering around taking in the incredible history and stunning views.

When you are finished wandering around the castle, make sure you head up the high street where you will find a plethora of dog-friendly pubs and cafes. We opted for a lovely pork and apple sandwich from the local butchers to eat outside and take in the view.

Dunstanburgh Castle and Embleton Bay

One of the best parts of Craster is the view from the harbour, which looks directly across to the atmospheric Dunstanburgh Castle ruins.

Stood on a remote headland and owned by English Heritage, the castle ruins itself are dog-friendly and are well worth a visit if you are a history buff. And if you are not? Well, who can ignore the amazing photos you can take here.

Wander a little further down the coast path and you will eventually reach Embleton Bay. Overlooked by the dramatic castle ruins, this is another fantastic photo spot. It is also another amazing dog-friendly beach, very much unspoilt and backed by low dunes, making it perfect for off-lead zoomies and paddling.

Dinner at The Jolly Fisherman

If you are staying (or even just passing through) Craster, you absolutely have to add The Jolly Fisherman to your to-do list.

It is  a world-famous seafood restaurant and pub but doesn’t feel pretentious. The food is to die for (some of the best I’ve ever had) and the staff couldn’t be friendlier. The fish pie was absolutely divine.

Dogs are welcome in the bar which has a traditional English pub vibe to it, and there is even a doggy menu!

Outside there is a fantastic beer garden with some of the best views – in fact it has been listed as one of England’s top five beer gardens.

It does get busy here, and whilst walk-in tables are available, booking is recommended to avoid disappointment.

Check out the famous Kipper Shop

Follow your nose and you’ll undoubtedly come to the famous smoked Craster Kipper shop, popular, I am told, with the Royal Family.

L.Robson & Sons kipper smokehouse have been smoking kippers for almost 100 years and they are a delicacy exported to food lovers across the country.

The small smokehouse has a shop you can browse for kippers and other goodies. It is located just across from The Jolly Fisherman, but you will be able to find it easily by following the unmistakable charcoal scent of the traditional smokehouse.

Seahouses

As one  of the more well-known coastal towns in Northumberland, Seahouses has a bustling harbour, plenty of shops, some great pubs and of course, some of the best fish and chips in Northumberland.

There are boat trips from here to The Farne Islands, including a dog friendly version through Billy Shiel, where you can see puffins, grey seals and even dolphins. Unfortunately, when we visited it was way too windy, but it would definitely be worth adding to your to-do list if you have the sea legs!

The beach here is equally as stunning as the others I have mentioned, and you can walk all the way down the coast to Bamburgh if you wish – in fact you might even be able to spot Bamburgh Castle in the distance.

And if you are into history, Seahouses also has some key figures such as Grace Darling, an iconic Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) figure.

This is just a snapshot of some of the brilliant things to do in this stunning part of the English coast. Whether it is your first trip or you’ve visited before, there is some truly breath-taking beauty, quaint market and fishing towns, stunning views, and exciting attractions to discover.

To check out more of what we got up to in Northumberland, head to @greatbritishdogwalks on Instagram and TikTok.

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